To satisfy Chinese consumers with a sweet tooth, Belgian chocolate producer Godiva Chocolatier is set to beef up its presence in the world's second-largest economy with plans to open more than 30 stores there in the next 12 months.

The mainland's growing appetite for upscale chocolate brands lured the world's boutique chocolatier to the marketplace in 2009, and Godiva has since enjoyed robust growth and continued to bet big on the market both in the short and long terms.

Despite an awfully lot of buzz about a cooling Chinese economy, Andy Farrow, managing director for Pacific Rim and China of Godiva, told China Daily that the maker of premium Belgian chocolate is "constantly optimistic about their business outlook in China for the coming five to 10 years".

The privately-owned company has, to date, penetrated 18 major mainland cities with a network of 58 stores covering such key metropolises as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as eastern and inland cities, including Qingdao, Ningbo, Wuhan, Chongqing and Chengdu.

In Shanghai alone, the company has 15 outlets, including a newly-opened flagship store in the affluent district of Xintiandi.

Worldwide, Godiva owns and operates more than 450 boutiques and shops in more than 80 countries and regions.

Yet, the mainland, which is home to roughly 20 percent of the world's population, remains a "virgin market" for the dark delicacy, consuming just 0.2 kilograms of chocolate per person last year, compared with 2.2 kilograms in the US, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.

That massive deficit gives the confectionery industry confidence that the market potential and a growing confectionery culture can lead to a new bonanza of sweets and chocolates.

As data from Euromonitor show, the mainland is expected to consume 220,700 tons of chocolate this year - up 6.3 percent over 2014.

Farrow said Godiva will continue to expand on the mainland in the near future, noting that, as a late comer, the company is all geared up to enlarge its business footprint in the country to cash in on the growing appetite of the Chinese for luxury chocolates.

The chocolatier also plans to move into key second- and third-tier cities, as well as some parts of western China. Its two newly-launched stores in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, have proved to be a huge success, he said.

To make the brand more local, Godiva launched gift sets featuring tea-, ginger- and wolfberry-flavored chocolates, as well as designs of Chinese zodiac, during major traditional Chinese festivals.

And e-commerce, Farrow believes, is becoming more of a factor in the Chinese market, where Godiva is jumping on the nation's e-commerce wagon with Alibaba's Tmall marketplace, JD.com and Yihaodian.com. Riding the wave of the country's "mature and advanced" e-commerce, Godiva has spread its reach to more than 350 cities with an 80-percent coverage of the market.

For Hong Kong, where the premium chocolatier arrived in 1997, Farrow said Godiva has established itself as a market leader with a network of 18 stores.

However, the local market, far from stagnating and getting old, still leaves room for the chocolatier to raise the sweet stake, Farrow said, adding that Godiva plans to open some stores in the city's main transportation hubs to slightly change its stores format.

He believes that innovation is the magic formula for the 89-year-old Belgian candy giant to thrive and broaden its appeals both in new markets like the Chinese mainland and mature ones like Hong Kong.

Just a few years ago, the luxury chocolate brand seemed to popular only among older generations aged above 45. In a bid to attract millennials who seldom patronize Godiva's shops, the chocolatier expanded its approach by entering into biscuits and soft-serve ice cream as well as offering less expensive, small individually wrapped chocolate bars as an "everyday' option at Godiva stores.

"Innovation proves to be the game change. But as a time-honored brand, you should always have a business focus," said Farrow, adding that the high-end, gold gift boxes of Belgian chocolates with a taste of Belgium will always be the name card for Godiva.

sophia@chinadailyhk.com

Andy Farrow, managing director for Pacific Rim and China of Godiva, says the chocolatier is jumping on the mainland's e-commerce wagon to help its expansion in the "virgin market" for the dark delicacy. Parker Zheng / China Daily

(HK Edition 10/23/2015 page8)