Finland’s Fazer Group has signed an agreement with Reliance Consumer Products in India to “explore” a local partnership in chocolate.
In a statement today (6 March), Fazer said the companies had signed an MoU, which will “entail the introduction and scaling of selected Fazer products produced in Finland to the Indian market”.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Reliance Consumer Products is the newly formed consumer-facing unit of Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries.
“As part of this evaluation, the two companies are in parallel assessing the establishment of a long-term partnership in India to produce, market, and distribute branded premium chocolates using Fazer’s recipes and quality standards nationwide,” according to the statement.
The partnership would seek to pair Fazer’s brands and product portfolio with Reliance Consumer Products’ scale in India.
Fazer’s chocolate line-up includes milk, dark and filled chocolates, pralines and bars, plus seasonal gifting.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataKey brands include Fazer Blue, Geisha and Dumle. Fazer said its Indian counterpart’s scale reaches more than a million retail outlets and operates over 18,000 stores across the country.
Christoph Vitzthum, Fazer’s president and CEO, said: “This partnership would be a great opportunity for Fazer to offer our unique products to the fast-growing Indian market.
“With RCPL handling commercialisation and distribution in India, we could establish a premium position in the chocolate market and a foundation for a broader scale nation-wide roll-out with a leading and highly capable local partner.”
T Krishnakumar, director of Reliance Consumer Products, said: “Partnering with Fazer is a strategic step towards introducing one of the world’s finest chocolates to Indian consumers.
“By combining Fazer’s globally trusted brands and manufacturing excellence with RCPL’s local production capabilities, robust distribution network, and deep consumer insights, we are well positioned to bring world-class products to Indian consumers and elevate the overall category experience.”
Fazer operates across the Nordics and Baltics, Poland and China, and exports to more than 40 countries.
The company reiterated comments made by Vitzthum last month that it is “actively” pursuing growth both organically and through M&A, as it seeks to strengthen positions in existing and new markets.
“Entering the sizeable Indian chocolate market through this strategic partnership, could have the potential to accelerate our international growth significantly,” Vitzthum added today.
Fazer reoorted last month that sales rose to a “record” €1.19bn in 2025 from €1.18bn a year earlier.
Comparable EBITDA fell 2.5% to €137.8m, while the margin slipped 40 basis points to 11.6%.
After a difficult year in bakery marked by falling sales, Fazer is “cautiously optimistic” for the new fiscal year in a competitive market, particularly from private label.
Separately, the group last June revived plans for a new chocolate factory in Finland.
Fazer had paused the Lahti project in 2024 after proposed VAT changes on confectionery.
