Dutch-Italian confectioner Perfetti Van Melle has developed an innovative way of distributing 200,000 samples of its Mangofillz confectionery in Mumbai: hiring traditional lunch deliverers – the famous ‘Dabbawalas’ – to hand them out.

Nikhil Sharma, Perfetti India's senior controller, marketing, said: “Dabbawalas pretty much play the role of the shopkeepers. We made a tie-up with their association, and have the samples of our new product distributed through their network against ...