Indian Sweets & International Gourmet - Co-existence Or Competition This Festive Season?

In a diverse country like India, which is rich in culture and heritage, festivities are associated with good food, specifically sweets. It is safe to that the Indian Festive Season and sweets go hand in hand, and each is incomplete without the other. From north to south and east to west, Indians express their love through sweets, and thus it emerges as an important component of each celebration. Each festival brings with it different types of Indian sweets, similarly different parts of India whip out their food specialities for celebrations. All things sweet are associated with occasions and festivals but sometimes even savoury is included in celebrations. With easy access to the internet and the cultural confluence occurring regularly, the trend of international cuisines amalgamating with the Indian culture has been on a surge in recent times. Even though the traditional Indian sweets and dairy sector holds significance during the country’s festive season, it becomes interesting to observe the engagement that international gourmet brings with it during this time.

Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy says, “The Indian dairy sector has been an integral part of the Indian festivities. Milk and allied products such as ghee, khoya, etc. play a very vital role. Right from kheer, sevaiyan, etc. to sweets such as halwa or any other delicacy prepared in ghee has a very enriching flavour and aroma that is accustomed to the Indian taste palate. Not only Indian sweets, but our dairy industry also offers products to prepare western sweets or dishes such as custard, chocolates, cakes, pastries, etc. at the comfort of our homes.”

Sweets, or as they say – muh meetha karna – is an age-old Indian tradition. Indian sweets, in particular, have been intrinsically associated with the country and they will continue to be the connecting rope across festivities and celebrations. For instance, given the Indian diversity, there are over 60 Indian dairy-based sweets enjoyed by all age groups across regions. “Notably, every region has its own sweet dish, such as Milk Cake in the north, Shrikhand in the west, Chhena Poda in the east to name a few, and it gradually goes down to state specialities as well,” Bandlish added. Within cities also, one can come across notable local shops at every nook and corner which have been present for generations. Additionally, sweets are a major preference from a gifting perspective in the country.

Western sweets, a relatively new phenomenon, is known by a few. “It is more of an urbanized concept, who have been exposed to it. Also, certain western sweets fall under the category of confectionaries and bakeries. We have become accustomed to certain categories but matching it with the Indian sweets, which have a relatively very higher significance during traditional festivals, would take time,” Bandlish stated. “The everlasting love and importance of Indian sweets boil down to ages-old Indian traditions and cultural beliefs. I feel like every Indian sweet has its own space in people’s minds. Be it Gujiyas during Ganesh Chaturthi or Eid’s sweet sewaiyan or kheer during Gurupurab,” says Hardik Aggarwal, Co-founder, High On Churros.

Indian sweets have an unmatched cultural significance. The internet penetration is certainly helping spread the word about westernized concepts, including sweets, but traditional preferences will continue to hold relevance in a country like India. Nowadays, sharing recipes across the globe has become a norm, and hence people might even try them out at home. However, to say that it has a chance to outweigh the Indian Sweets Industry would be a far-stretched idea. “It is extremely difficult for western sweets to take over Indian sweets but India as a whole today is embracing western sweets. Doughnuts have been in the game for a long time. Waffles have had their fair share in the dessert market. Churros which is something unprecedented for the mass Indian market but is loved and relished by travelled Indians have an untapped market ready to be explored,” Harmail Khattar, Co-founder, High on Churros.

“Getting into Indian households is a tricky task for a brand of any size. I feel the essence to enter Indian households is to connect with them on a personal level. Indians are relatively emotional people and appreciate genuine connections. We plan on keeping things original,” Aggarwal emphasised. Times and trends are changing rapidly today, which is why it is imperative for every brand to constantly evolve. Some of history’s greatest brands are built using the technique to follow a parallel path with the pop culture of the time. “For the next decade, using digital media platforms and communication technologies to build and maintain a loyal pool of customers is key. We will showcase relevant, engaging and most importantly original media content to invite new customers,” said Khattar.

The festive season of 2022 is not bound to shackles as was seen in the last two years. The dairy sector emerges as optimistic since it expects consumers to cherish this festive season as practised in the past. With spikes being observed in the sales of certain categories, the dairy sector and the allied sweets sector are fully geared up to serve consumers with quality and hygienically packed dairy-based sweets. “We anticipate an increase of over 50 per cent in volumes vs. last year. We already offer highly preferred traditional sweets and are in the process of expanding our portfolio this season to further add to the festivities,” Bandlish emphasised.

In the post-pandemic era, the distribution model has evolved. Sweets can be easily ordered online without the need of stepping out. With various e-commerce or quick-commerce platforms coming up over recent times, brands are looking towards strengthening their presence through it while also exploring products and packaging innovations offering a longer shelf life.