Mumbai: Premium gourmet retailer CocoCart today celebrated the unveiling of its standalone boutique business with the opening of its second Neuhaus boutique at Domestic Departures, Terminal 2, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, following the opening of its first boutique at Domestic Departures, Navi Mumbai International Airport, Mumbai. Neuhaus, the Belgian chocolatier founded in Brussels in 1857 and credited with inventing the praline, was the first brand to sign on exclusively with CocoCart in 2020 and has been a cherished part of the CocoCart universe since. With this unveiling, the house steps into its own standalone boutique presence in India, giving Indian consumers the complete Neuhaus experience for the first time.
“Indians have been discovering Neuhaus with us since 2020, through gift boxes and curated assortments within the CocoCart universe. What changes now is the experience. Walking into a Neuhaus boutique is like the opening of a box of jewels, every praline displayed individually, tasted, chosen and packed in front of you. India is not a frontier market for these categories, it is an unmet one, and the airport is where the country’s most discerning consumer meets the world,” said Karan Ahuja, Co-Founder, CocoCart.
The afternoon opened with a ribbon cutting and the unveiling of the Neuhaus boutique, followed by a guided tasting of the house’s signature pralines led by trained chocolate concierges. Nina Pineau, Consul and Deputy Head of Mission for Belgium at the Consulate General of Belgium in Mumbai, graced the occasion, joining the Neuhaus and CocoCart leadership teams along with invited guests from media and the digital creator community.
Neuhaus has held the Belgian Royal Warrant of Appointment since 2000 and remains one of only a handful of chocolatiers globally to do so. Every recipe is made at the house’s atelier in Vlezenbeek, Belgium, and the standalone boutiques now bring the complete Neuhaus experience, tastings, pairings and the full praline library, to Indian consumers for the first time.
Isabel Baert, CEO, Neuhaus, said, “India represents one of the most exciting new chapters for Neuhaus. In CocoCart we have found a partner who understands that our craft cannot be shortened or simplified for a new market. Every praline sold in Mumbai is made in Vlezenbeek to the same recipes we have protected since 1857, and we are looking forward to a long presence in India.”
Gracing the launch, Nina Pineau, Consul and Deputy Head of Mission for Belgium, Consulate General of Belgium in Mumbai, said, “We are very proud to see one of Belgium’s most renowned chocolate brands finally becoming available in the Indian chocolate market, and we hope that Indians will love it as much as Belgians do.”
Eva Verstraelen, Trade and Investment Commissioner, added, “We are more than happy to bring Belgian quality to the vibrant city of Mumbai. We understand that Mumbai is growing in its appreciation for quality, and there is a growing spirit for premium products. The culture of chocolate and coffee is evolving, and just as people appreciate fine wine, they should appreciate good chocolate too.”
Max Van Coillie, Business Development Manager, India and Middle East, Neuhaus, said, “It’s always a delight to come to India. The hospitality is incredible. It’s such an honour to open up Neuhaus in India. We believe our products can offer an exciting new experience to Indian consumers. As a brand, we always strive to bring exciting new products, such as our chocolate mousses, to the market. Through this, we hope to excite Indian consumers. It is our ambition to bring the best of Belgium to the world.”
A boutique built as a working ode to Belgian craft
The Neuhaus boutique experience in India has been designed around the first time visitor. The praline display is open and arranged like a jeweller’s counter, every recipe is made in Vlezenbeek and available individually, and a trained chocolate concierge guides tastings and pairings before a ballotin is built piece by piece and sealed in front of the customer. An in store mousse experience has been introduced specifically for the Indian market, designed so that a first time visitor understands what Belgian chocolate at this calibre tastes like before she ever picks up a box.
A market that is discovering, not saturated
The launch arrives at a moment of visible premiumisation in Indian consumption. India’s gifting market is estimated at ₹14,000 to 15,000 crore and is projected to double by 2030, yet premium and luxury gifting still accounts for less than 5 percent of it. Neuhaus anchors CocoCart’s entry into this space, positioned for the affluent urban gifter, corporate gifting programmes, and the returning global Indian who already knows the brand from Brussels, London, Dubai or Singapore.
The road ahead
Neuhaus has opened two out of three boutiques in India this year. An India exclusive Diwali 2026 packaging collection is in development, to be followed by destination specific sleeves from Mumbai airport designed as souvenirs for the departing traveller, with India exclusive flavours co developed with the Neuhaus atelier in Vlezenbeek planned thereafter.
Neuhaus sources 100 percent of its cocoa sustainably and owns a cacao farm in the Guayaquil region of Ecuador, a credential increasingly relevant to the affluent urban Indian consumer who already reads provenance labels on her olive oil, her wine and her dark chocolate.