Häagen Dazs in India but not for Indians!
For an Indian-American visiting Delhi there is good news: Häagen Dazs has opened its first outlet in the city. But I am not sure that your indulgence would result in the same satisfaction as always did. Not because the ice cream would taste any different, but simply because you as an Indian-passport holder do not qualify to even enter the new Häagen Dazs outlet in Delhi!
Rajesh Kalra’s piece in the Times of India carries the shocking story of post-modern discrimination: a store in India’s Capital city owned by an Indian selling an international brand bars entry of Indians.
The banners outside the outlet said: Exclusive Preview for International Travellers. And under that, in an even finer print, the real bombshell: Access restricted only to holders of international passports.
Protests in social media on the issue finally led the outlet’s franchisee to state that there never was any restriction on anybody entering the outlet. So now you can enjoy a Häagen Dazs in Delhi even if you are an Indian.
But my question is: Are you celebrating or feeling irritated?
UPDATED: December 17, 2009 - Häagen Dazs Offers Apology
Media Statement from: Mr. Anindo Mukherji, Managing Director, General Mills India
There have been some reports alleging that the recently opened Häagen-Dazs shop denied access to Indians. We vehemently and categorically deny this. Häagen-Dazs products and our Häagen-Dazs shop in India are and will always be for our consumers in India.
The recently opened Haagen-Dazs shop is open to one and all, and there’s no question of barring entry to anyone on any basis. The pre view on Thursday, 10th December had a morning media event which was attended by journalists of repute from Indian media. The same evening we had a launch party for our friends and families, less than 5% of who were foreigners. Also, during the mock training days at the shop leading up to 10th December, a lot of interests were generated and hundreds of walk-ins were given samples of our ice cream.
The poster in question was part of initial local store communication at a few locations within the same mall announcing the opening of the new Häagen-Dazs shop in the mall. The message was intended to suggest that you can enjoy, for instance, a taste of the French Riviera without traveling to France – by enjoying Häagen-Dazs. Unfortunately the reference to the international passport holder on the poster may have led to a significant miscommunication. This was completely unintended and we apologize for creating the misimpression that may have hurt our sentiments as Indians.
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Who cares for this ice-cream, when we got our own Amul Mother Dairy and Nirulas with their awsome and reasonably priced ice-creams. Really, do you even remember movenpic and its lousy launch.
Movenpick was a failure…they started to shut down the ice-cream n coffee boutiques barely a year after the launch.
you n I may not care but brands are a craze for many Indians…why else is KFC and McDonalds surviving in competition with Dal Makhani and Butter Chicken?
Moreover, its not about who likes what ice-cream, its about how the brand was marketed.
But i agree that nothing can beat Nirula’s hot chocolate fudge
Huh??? have seen Haagen-Daz being sold at Metro Cinema in Mumbai for all and sundry…also Ben and Jerry’s is already sold at several local supermarkets in Mumbai and Pune..
surely thats not smuggled stuff.. you cant really smuggle ice cream can you so whats this fuss?
This is shocking… its either a photoshopped image or the company needs to do some explaining…
An International Passport? as opposed to an Domestic one?
Amit, you must be glad as Häagen Dazs explains its perspective (visit updated post)
But I am not sure if thats very convincing
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/No-Indians-here-Haagen-Dazs-Wrong-choice-of-words/articleshow/5346034.cms