15-05-2025
L'inoui opens its first store in Jakkur, Bengaluru, offering couverture chocolates
Crafting couverture chocolates and pastries since 2013, L'inoui opened a new store on May 5 at Jakkur, Bengaluru. Founded by Anusha Chowdaiah and her husband Lijesh Vincent, L'inoui aims to bring authentic chocolates made from 100 % cocoa butter and dairy to the Indian market. The store and chocolaterie offers premium chocolates, celebration cakes, croissants and fresh bakes.
Anusha says it all began in a small cafe in Belgium, where she had ordered hot chocolate. 'It wasn't made using cocoa like in India; this was a block of chocolate on a stick which you had to stir. I took a sip and marvelled at how good it tasted.'
Once she returned, Anusha began researching and found that chocolates in the Indian market are not actually chocolate at all. 'Almost 95% of our mass chocolates are actually just compound chocolates. Over the 12 years, with Lijesh's experience in the supply chain market, we have mastered the recipes in such a way that we can give customers the best chocolate experience at a reasonable price.'
L'inoui also imports a few raw ingredients such as dairy cream from France. Anusha says, 'The reason we import it is because Indian cows don't produce sufficient fat required to make non-adulterated chocolate. So instead of substituting, we use 100% dairy in our products.'
In 2013, L'inoui enterprise initially opened up stores in multiple locations such as Phoenix Market City, The Leela Palace, Hatworks Boulevard and the airport. 'We knew it wouldn't be a runaway success because it took us a lot of time to educate customers as to how real chocolate was different from the ones we got here. Still, we were doing well until COVID-19 hit.'
During the pandemic, they shifted to online services through their website. 'It worked well for us, and though we were delivering our products to more people, we've always wanted a proper experience outlet. With this store in Jakkur, we believe it can happen.'
Anusha continues, 'We will be announcing a particular time when we will be baking so those who walk into the store then will get, for example, freshly baked croissants right out of the oven.'
L'inoui offers premium chocolates, pastries, celebration cakes, croissants and cookies. According to Anusha, some of their must-tries include, 'the chocolate velvets, opera pastry, macaroons, hot chocolate and anything chocolatey like our truffle cake.'
'Our vision is to be the most preferred chocolate brand in the country. Now that we know what it takes to make good chocolates and what the market wants, we hope to explore and expand rapidly.'
Cost for two ₹800. At KCS Arcade, Jakkur. For more details call, 8401122000
