Recent weeks have seen a surge of commentary around Lotus Biscoff’s India strategy. Critics have questioned its move from ₹200-300 imported packs to locally made SKUs starting at ₹10, framing it as a dilution of premium equity, a recipe downgrade, or a departure from the “real” Biscoff. A closer look, however, reveals a far more deliberate and well-constructed brand play.
Premium, in modern FMCG, is not defined by exclusion. While entry prices have lowered, Biscoff in India continues to command a price roughly 2.3-2.4 times the category average per kilo, firmly positioning it in the mass-premium segment. Local manufacturing has simply removed import duties and logistics costs, enabling a calibrated price ladder, from ₹10 trial packs to ₹100 formats, designed to drive penetration in a market where awareness and trial were previously limited. This is classic premium scaling, not down-trading.
Concerns around recipe dilution are equally overstated. Lotus Bakeries and Mondelez have maintained tight control over product integrity. A proprietary pre-mix produced in Belgium, based on the closely guarded family recipe, is supplied to all global manufacturing units, including India. Regular sensory checks ensure taste consistency, and early consumer feedback suggests parity with European variants, with perceived differences largely cosmetic or contextual.
The Make in India strategy, meanwhile, strengthens rather than weakens the brand. India is central to Biscoff’s global growth ambitions, not an afterthought. For Mondelez, local production enables scale, distribution depth and long-term franchise building, while preserving premium positioning and unlocking local economic value.
The real story is not about a premium brand losing its way at ₹10, but about a legacy European biscuit evolving intelligently-using access, scale and guarded IP to move from niche indulgence to everyday ritual, without compromising what made it iconic.
