A Bengaluru-based boutique chocolate brand, Smoor Chocolates, is gaining attention not just for its rapid growth in India’s premium confectionery market but also for its strong Australian connection, with founder Vimal Sharma crediting his formative years in Melbourne for shaping his global food philosophy.
Michelle Wade, Commissioner – South Asia at Global Victoria, highlighted Sharma’s Melbourne ties in a recent post, noting the “close links” between Smoor’s rise in India and his earlier career experience in Australia.
Sharma, in turn, reflected on LinkedIn that his time in Melbourne was pivotal in shaping his approach to food, quality and hospitality.
“I grew up in Melbourne in an environment where food was never just about eating. It was culture, experience, and craft.”
Sharma added that his early work in restaurants in Australia taught him discipline, consistency and attention to detail.
He said that while restaurants provided strong foundations, they also inspired him to build something more enduring.
“Over time, I realised restaurants, no matter how good, create experiences that are fleeting. I wanted to build something that could last longer than a single evening or a single location.”
Sharma said his visits to India revealed an opportunity to reimagine premium chocolate for a market where it had traditionally been positioned either as mass-market or child-focused.
Bengaluru, he said, offered the ideal starting point due to its evolving consumer base and openness to new ideas.
“Chocolate became the medium through which I wanted to rethink how India experiences premium desserts and chocolate.”
Now rebranded and expanded as Smoor Chocolates, the company positions itself as a handcrafted “couverture” chocolate brand using high-quality cacao sourced from Ghana, Madagascar, Ecuador and São Tomé & Príncipe. It offers more than 100 variants, including pralines, dragees, cookies and signature bars created by internationally trained chocolatiers.
The brand has grown from six outlets to many stores supported by signature chocolate studios and café-style experiences designed to elevate chocolate from a product into a lifestyle offering.
Sharma said Melbourne played a foundational role in shaping the brand’s identity.
“Restaurants gave me the rigor, Melbourne shaped my perspective, and India gave me the ambition to create Smoor.”
The company has also invested in design-led branding, award-winning packaging and technology-driven supply chain systems to support its expansion across India’s fast-growing premium dessert sector.
Smoor is now planning to extend into related product categories including ice creams, beverages and baked goods, aiming to position itself as a broader indulgence brand in India’s evolving gourmet market.
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