Carving a niche

Indian kitchens are getting sharper. Last February, knife maker Victorinox’s knives sales doubled compared to previous months. The trend continued and in September Victorinox offered a free potato peeler with its paring knife. Sales shot up to 13,000 a month at last count in November, compared to 2,500 a month in 2010. Inflation and maturity of the retail market might be helping sales, but Anish Goel, managing director of Victorinox India, says there’s another reason: “Chefs on many cookery shows talk about the importance of a good knife. This is helping change the mindset of the average household, which is now more particular about the quality and brand of kitchen tools used.” To cope with demand, it will double its stores to 900 in the next three months and introduce more products