Australia is the location of the world’s first Lindt chocolate concept store and café, which will be officially launched by NSW Premier Bob Carr on November 15, and opened to the public the following day.
Situated at the site of the old Banc restaurant at 53 Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD, the Lindt store café will sell Lindt chocolates and serve a variety of chocolate-based foods such as cakes, ice-cream, pastries, special deserts and waffles.
Lindt & Sprungli Australia’s managing director Steve Loane said the cafécaters to consumers who appreciate premium chocolates, with Sydney chosen as the first concept site because of the tenfold growth Lindt has enjoyed in Australia.
“[Lindt] wanted to have something for people who really love chocolate and to cater for them across the range [of foods]. We opened an Australian office in Sydney seven years ago and since then we’ve grown by a factor of 10—Lindt is the leading premium chocolate brand in Australia and number two in the general chocolate market behind Cadbury’s with 20% market share in the boxed chocolate category,” Loane said.
In the lead up to the store opening, Lindt ran a teaser campaign through FCB Sydney featuring a giant and empty chocolate box displayed on the café’s side windows, which was gradually filled with Lindt chocolates every week.
FCB’s creative director, Michael Simons, said the agency wanted to create interest without revealing too much, and that the campaign was more PR driven, which is “absolutely right for the type of place it is”.
“It’s an upmarket establishment and it would be wrong to try too hard,” Simons said.
