Olivier Monin is an easy man to talk to. As we do the rounds of the sumptuous lunch buffet at Park Plaza, Gurgaon, he scoops small helpings of the milder dishes on offer and explains that while he loves how they look and smell, the spicier Indian curries aren’t for him. “I like to try everything, but my stomach can’t take too much chilli,” he says ruefully, piling a spoonful of the vegetable Thai curry on his plate. Olivier though, like his company, is all about flavours. Sitting in the lush dining room, the President of one of the leading global fruit syrup brands in the market offers information about Monin in a way that clearly underlines his own passion and enthusiasm for his family business.
“This is my fifth visit in the last 10 years to India. I like to make sure that I don’t stay away from any of Monin’s bases for too long.” What started in Bourges, France in 1912 has grown into a globally recognised brand with strongholds in over 140 countries. In India, the family-run business has a considerable presence, with over 100 flavours available across high end retail stores in several cities. Olivier doesn’t divulge much, other than his intention to launch three more flavours to Monin’s range in India.
He loves it now, but did Olivier Monin always intend to join his family’s business? “When you grow up with something like this, it becomes part of your life. Monin was always there, from when I was a child, but it wasn’t until I was 27 that I made up my mind to join the business.” Olivier’s decision was catalysed when the company, then headed by his father Paul Monin, reported a deficit for a third consecutive year. “Under my father, the company had been undergoing a slump. I had been working for a bank then, and doing well. But I decided to quit and start working for Monin. I had to bring it out of the slump, and thankfully, it happened.”
Olivier pauses to taste the mattar paneer, a crooked, reminiscent smile on his face. Between appreciative bites, he explains that while his grandfather, Georges Monin, started the brand locally, concentrating on selling liqueur and branded alcohol in Bourges, Olivier himself decided to take the international route, expanding the company, increasing its reach and altering the strategy of production and distribution. “There is so much competition between companies making alcoholic beverages, but very few companies make what we make — flavoured syrups. The three or four companies that do manufacture them are too big, and they don’t notice us, a small family business venture. We’ve managed to stay under the radar, expanding slowly but determinedly, without coming under the glare.”
For Olivier, the trick is to move from the bottom up, discovering flavours and tastes in new countries by talking to the bartenders, restaurant owners and retailers, rather than have the suggestions for new flavours come from the top rung. “Our team strives to find the right flavours for every country, and you can only find the right flavours by talking to the right people”.
And which flavours have worked in a country that has usually been risk averse, sticking to the tried and tested tastes? “In India, the tea flavour is huge, and actually, it’s worked in other countries too, like New Zealand and north-west America. Other flavours like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger etc really work.” Flavoured syrups are a novel idea in the Indian context, and Olivier explains that the company is slowly trying to familiarise the Indian consumers to its uses. “It’s such a versatile product. We sell it to brands like KFC and McDonalds, bars and coffee shops. You can also use it in your own recipes, replacing sugar. From cocktails to cakes to even Indian desserts, the possibilities are endless.” Of course, Olivier agrees that establishing the product in India is going to take a while. “We are only 10-year-old in the country, and as a family business, we think long term. This is only the start, and we’ve only just begun to make our presence felt here….”
It’s clear, from the way he samples each dish, each dessert that Olivier understands and appreciates flavours, and takes great care to savour and enjoy the food on his plate. Reaching out for a particularly delicious looking gingerbread cake, he adds, “Every palate is different. And I want to make sure that each country is offered the flavours they can enjoy, along with the ones that they already know.”
