India : As India prepares to celebrate Valentine`s Day, Zomato has witnessed an early surge in demand for cakes, desserts, and more. There is a surge in demand for gifting occasions, reflecting higher adoption for celebrating special occasions in a memorable way.
Notable trends and offerings thus far include:
- Increased keyword searches: Searches for relevant keywords like ˜Valentine,` ˜heart,` and ˜gift hamper` are already increasing. Additionally, some quirky yet humorous keyword searches include ˜lover`, ˜boyfriend`, ˜girlfriend`, and ˜romance.`
- Rose Day: Sales of rose-themed and/or flavoured dishes on Rose Day (February 7th) soared by a twofold increase. Delivery of rose-flavored beverages also rose by 70%.
- Chocolate Day: On Chocolate Day (February 10th), over 125K chocolate-based dishes were sold.
- Promising fondue sales: The newly launched chocolate fondue boxes are showing promising early sales figures.
- An uptick in sales across new launches: Restaurant partners and brands have introduced special Valentine`s Day offerings on the app, including:
- Heart-Shaped Treats: A range of heart-shaped food items, including cakes, donuts, cookies, tarts, French hearts, pizza and more.
- ˜Secret Message` Cake: Cakes with a hidden message for a personal touch.
- Valentine’s Day Gift Hampers: Curated gift hampers, with optional add-ons, are available, building on the success of similar offerings for previous special occasions.
- Growth beyond desserts: Categories like pizza and Asian cuisine are experiencing increased demand.
For consumers looking for a more immersive experience, the app is also offering at-home date night options in select locations in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, including:
- DIY Culinary Kits: Offerings include DIY sushi, ramen, taco, and cocktail-making kits.
- Curated Cheeseboards: A selection of cheeseboards for sharing.
- Chocolate fondue box: Boxes with an assortment of dippable treats.
Looking back at some key trends from 2024`s Valentine`s Day:
- Significant Sales Growth: Last year, on Valentine`s Day, sales of popular categories like cake and desserts increased three to four times compared to an ordinary day, with chocolate and velvet cakes being particularly popular picks.
- Gift Hampers Popularity: Sales of gift hampers saw a twelvefold increase compared to a regular day, making them the best-performing category across special occasions in 2024.
- Emerging categories: The fastest-growing upcoming categories on the app include jar cakes, bento cakes, themed assorted dessert boxes, a combination of chocolate and strawberries.