India Inc thinks out of box for gift hampers this Diwali

Firms are amping up festive cheer on the office this Diwali with the goodies bag festooned with wellness retreats, skill-building subscriptions, curated journey vouchers, customised gift hampers and playing cards to staff. Worker engagement technique has changed the seasonal tokenism of the previous, consultants at gifting platforms and worker engagement companies informed ET.

General, there’s a shift from transactional tokens like dry fruits and chocolate packing containers to curated hampers spanning luxurious, keepsakes, wellness, and sustainability. Firms on common are spending Rs 1000 to 1500 per present and past for workers, the consultants mentioned.

With just a few days left till Diwali, this yr is seeing extra expenditure on festive gifting, say gifting options suppliers.

“Personalised, sustainable, and experiential wellness-focused items are the standout developments,” mentioned Harish Sarma, advertising & product director, Pluxee India, an worker expertise firm.

Corporate gifting has expanded past inside staff to additionally embrace purchasers, channel companions, distributors, shoppers, and gig staff.

On-line present retailer, FNP, is seeing an increase in premiumisation of company items that mix “wellness and luxurious” like present hampers that mix artisanal teas, gourmand candies, and good wearables. “A transparent theme this yr is premiumisation,” mentioned Avi Kumar, chief advertising officer, FNP. There’s a sturdy demand for customised hampers that embrace gourmand delights, elegant floral preparations, sustainable plant-based items, wellness kits, tech equipment, and digital vouchers, Kumar mentioned.“Company curiosity in wellness retreats is on the rise, however these are largely deliberate as worker engagement or rejuvenation experiences,” mentioned Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head, International Enterprise Journey, Thomas Cook (India) Restricted and SOTC Journey. Fashionable home locations for wellness choices embrace Rishikesh, Coorg, Kerala, and Goa, whereas worldwide choices are Malaysia, Thailand, Bali and Sri Lanka, in line with Thomas Cook dinner.Some corporates are even extending Diwali items as shopper freebies together with startups and MNCs, consultants mentioned.

FNP is seeing a 40–50% YoY progress in company gifting. FNP’s Kumar mentioned worker hampers this festive season common Rs 1,000–2,000, whereas bespoke consumer items and experiential packages vary Rs 5,000–10,000 and past. “The common spend is steadily rising as firms search extra premium, memorable options.”

Firms are investing in gifting to strengthen retention, rejoice partnerships, and showcase values like sustainability and wellness.

“This festive season the corporates have appeared to make a shift from their typical candy and dry fruit packing containers,” mentioned Partha Neog, CEO & co-founder, Vantage Circle, an worker engagement platform. This yr, company items are extra private, sensible and sustainable. Items like digital gift cards, tech equipment, eco-friendly merchandise, wellness centered merchandise are in, in line with Neog. “Many organisations are additionally selecting items that may attain staff irrespective of the place they’re, which is why digital-first choices have gotten the norm,” he mentioned.

Vantage Circle can be seeing a robust demand for sustainable hampers, wellness subscriptions, digital first present playing cards and good tech equipment. In accordance with Neog, eco-friendly packing containers with cork mugs, plantable stationery, or bamboo tumblers are particularly standard this yr.

For workers, some firms keep on with one-size suits all. “Whereas customised hampers are standard for big orders, most firms favor uniform items throughout staff to take care of consistency and inclusivity,” Tarun Joshi, CEO and founding father of worldwide items platform IGP.

The rising demand for premium, personalised company hampers is a robust reflection of optimistic financial sentiment and renewed enterprise confidence, mentioned Joshi.

“Nicely-chosen items aren’t simply tokens of celebration, but in addition investments in tradition, engagement, and long-term relationships,” mentioned Neog.

For Khoya Mithai, a premium mithai model, the festive season accounts for 50% of its annual gross sales. “Within the B2B gifting house, we’re witnessing a shift towards extra refined and experiential gifting,” mentioned its founder, Sid Mathur.

Mathur is seeing a pointy uptick in demand for choices like white chocolate aam papad barfi, rose and chocolate katli, and gourmand crammed medjoul dates.

“We’re seeing company hampers paired with aesthetically pleasing and practical objects—all the pieces from handcrafted brass bottles and artisanal platters to décor items like hourglasses and ornate steel bowls,” mentioned Mathur.

For worker gifting, company budgets sometimes vary from Rs 1,500-3,000 per hamper, in line with Mathur. For purchasers and enterprise associates, the budgets vary from Rs 3,000 and go as much as Rs 10,000, notably in sectors like actual property, IT, and logistics.