Introduced in 1905, Cadbury Dairy Milk(CDM) was launched in India in 1948. CDM has captured the hearts of Indian consumers for over six decades. It was named Dairy Milk as it has higher proportion of milk than any other chocolate bars. It alone holds around 30% value shares of the Indian chocolate market.           

Dairy Milk is a brand of milk chocolate made by Cadbury in UK. Dairy Milk is now produced all over the world in different flavors and varieties.As more and more Indians begin to treat themselves to little luxuries, Cadbury hopes to capture millions of new customers with chocolates that sells for a few pennies.

CADBURY DAIRY MILK REDEFINES MARKETING IN INDIA:

 Cadbury began operations in India in 1947, importing milk chocolate bars. It wasn't until 1957 that it set up its first factory. Initially Cadbury was considered a luxury product purchased only by the elite.

Today, Sriram Singh, a night watchman for a building in Mumbai, can afford to buy chocolate. "I bought my daughter a Cadbury chocolate a few days ago because she did well in her exams," he said. He says he buys chocolate for his daughters as rare treats but prefers traditional sweets on special occasions.

CADBURY AND ITS COSTUMER VALUES:

Cadbury says- “No matter what is the reason or the season, we focus on creating moments of pleasure with every tasty bite. This is our higher purpose which defines us, moves us and sustains us to make a delicious difference in our company, in our communities and in our world".

Today,“Cadbury Dairy milk is coming with various TVC campaign which is targeting different consumers with only one message“Shubh Aarambh (Auspicious Beginning)” due to which Brand acceptance and loyalty level is growing day by day. As well, brand is giving positiveness in the mind of consumers by continuously focusing on “start any new thing with the piece of Cadbury Dairy milk chocolate, and it will surely give good result”.

The core competency of the brand also lies in its tag lines such as “Kuch Mitha Ho Jaye (Sweet Tatse), Aaj Mithe mein kya hai” as well as unique product packing. Today, consumers are using the tag lines willingly, this shows brand acceptance which also gives them “Value for Money”.       

Another important thing is that brand is trying to keep much closer & making strong relation with each other. It is always coming with effective strategy & execution that maintains brand equity.

The Competitors in the league..

Even though Cadbury has a strong hold over the Indian chocolate market, it's main competitors are Nestle, Ferrero Rocher, Amul and other Chocolates.

One of the biggest advantages that Cadbury has is the brand loyalty. The excellent advertising, reach and accessibility have made it a top of the brand in the chocolate category.

The Product Mix of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate (CDM)

The product Dairy Milk is a chocolate bar made from real dark chocolate. The design of the chocolate is nearly same through the world with a slight difference according to the country.

The amount of milk is higher compared to the other competitors. The components that are used in the chocolate are sugar, cocoa butter, milk, vegetable fats, cocoa mass and emulsifiers.

 The various variants of dairy milk in the market are:

• Dairy Milk
• Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut
• Dairy Milk Roasted Almond
• Dairy Milk Crackle
• Dairy Milk Silk
• Dairy Milk Silk Fruit & Nut
• Dairy Milk Silk Roasted Almond
• Dairy Milk Silk Orange Peel

Dairy Milk Bubbly (newly introduced)

Cadbury Dairy Milk Bubbly has the same smooth flavour that you would expect from Cadbury's Silk - with the added twist of bubbles!

As it is a milk chocolate, it's on the sweeter and milkier side, the bubbles just make it a little bigger to bite into.When you hold it in your hand, you can feel the bubbles bursting. 

The shape is what got to me -- LAVA like flowing bubbly chocolate!! Something to look forward to. 

The Product Life Cycle of CDM

Introduction: 

Cadbury launched Dairy Milk in 1905 positioning it as 'Unique Milk Chocolate with far more milk and creamier taste'.
In the 1980's, it was positioned as 'the perfect expression of love'.
During the early 1990s, it emphasized its identity as 'The real taste of Chocolate'.
In 1994, the it was re-positioned as the 'Free-Child' in adults.

Growth:

1998 saw the growth phase of Dairy Milk. With the campaigns like 'Khanein waallon ko khaanein ka bahana chahiye' featuring Cyrus Broacha, it aimed at higher level of penetration in the market. This phase saw a 40% increment in sales volume.

Maturity:

The 'Worm Controversy' took a toll in the brand image of Cadbury. The sales declined by 30% and they had to recall a batch of chocolates 
Cadbury rebuilt the trust of people by launching project 'Vishwas' in 2004, redesigning the packaging and by introducing the concept of 'Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye' with Amitabh Bachchan.

Distribution of Cadbury Dairy milk

‘Where chocolate comes alive’

Cadbury Dairy milk Chocolates are available in over a million markets across the country, ranging from high-end hypermarket stores to local ‘kirana’ shops.
Cadbury’s distribution network is extensive through a multi-dimensional distribution channel.

Reaches up to:                                                                    
-2100 wholesalers                                         
-4,50,000 retailers
-65 millions consumers                                                                        


Cadbury Dairy milk manages to improve its logistics & distribution through use of information technology.                                                      

For eg:   Cadbury has improved the distribution quality of their products by actually installing new refrigerators at several outlets.

What motivates you to buy dairy milk?

‘Khaane waale ko khaane ka bahana chahiye’

Do you like to eat chocolate? Who doesn’t? Research findings have proved that 95% of the people like to indulge in the rich taste of chocolate. Question is not whether you like to eat chocolate or not. You do. Question is what motivates you to buy it.

The prospective customers of Cadbury dairy milk have changed from kids to adults- including every family member to celebrate any occasion with dairy milk.

Consumer are being attracted cause of the following findings:

Findings	Reason
Brand Image	Brand value is so high that ‘Cadbury’ used as a synonym for chocolate in India.
Quality	It being the benchmark for quality chocolates in India loved across all ages (as mentioned above) especially after their comeback from the germ controversy.
Flavour	The special taste and texture of Cadbury dairy milk due to expertise and uniqueness in the production and processing method makes it highly tuned to customer’s evolving taste and preferences. eg: New dairy milk silk
Packaging	The fine purple and gold packaging is meant to portray the rich and creamy taste whereas the double layer packaging ensures good and long-lasting quality.

Organizational Buying Behaviour:

Acquisition of British confectioner - Cadbury in February 2010 by US multinational giant Kraft -sets Cadbury's Indian arm a challenge.

Kraft is putting in place a new organizational structure at Cadbury India - the process being called 'Project Leap' - aimed at integrating the company more closely with its new parent and moving it away from being primarily a chocolate manufacturer to producer of a wide range of snacks. "After the integration with Kraft, it was clear that we wanted to go beyond confectionery in the future," says Kripalu.
 To that end Kraft has separated Cadbury India into five divisions or 'category boards' - chocolates, biscuits, gum and candy, the well-known malted drink Bournvita and the fruit-flavoured 'cold drink' Tang.

Each board is headed by a director who has his separate sales, marketing, distribution and research and development teams and reports to the country managing director.

Is it the end or ‘Shubh Aarambh’??

Still, the Rs 3,000-crore chocolate market, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15 to 20 per cent, will remain Cadbury India's mainstay for some time to come. But there is competition, with global brands like Ferrero Rocher making inroads, while Amul and Nestle, too, remain in the fray.

In Roald Dahl's classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - also made into a film starring Johnny Depp - the wacky confectioner Willy Wonka gets a new family at the end. Cadbury India has found a new family too, but the adjustment process is having its share of hiccups.