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Mithais have captured palates with rainbow of flavours, textures & ingredients
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Friday, 26 September, 2025, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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A.Saranya
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Traditional sweets are an important part of many festivals and celebrations that take place in India. Made from locally cultivated components like sugarcane molasses, khoya, ghee, and wheat flour, these sweets are well-liked for their rich flavour and nutritious content. But traditional sweets have changed with the advent of globalisation and modernisation. These days, factories use automated machinery to mass-produce them, increasing their accessibility at the expense of their taste and quality. Traditional sweets are becoming less popular as a result of the tendency of giving contemporary goodies like cakes, cookies, and chocolates.
India's cultural fondness for confections, such as traditional mithais, candies, toffees, and chocolates, has contributed to the market's consistent expansion. A number of reasons, including the growing number of rural residents moving into cities, the quick evolution of consumer tastes, and the expanding availability of cutting-edge products, are predicted to propel the market's expansion in the next few years. The growth of contemporary retail establishments such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores is expected to propel the market size over the forecast period of 2023-2029. The most popular usage for sugar confectionery products is as gifts, particularly during the holidays and other special occasions.
Manufacturers have an opportunity to offer these ranges and make large profit margins since India's health-conscious population is growing and is looking for healthier options, such as sugar-free and low-calorie options.
Indian candy producers have recognised opportunities in foreign markets due to the growing popularity of Indian candies and traditional confectionery goods in those regions. The industry is expanding due to factors like India's gifting culture, increased disposable income, shifting consumer preferences, and the country's constantly expanding population. The rising concern for health and wellness, the volatility of raw material prices, and the escalating rivalry between local and foreign brands are some of the difficulties.
It is anticipated that the Indian food flavour & flavour enhancer market would expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5% from 2020 to 2025.
With the growing use of spices and herbs, the food processing industry, one of the biggest in India, is facing a constant need for culinary tastes. Recent reports from the Indian sweet industry indicate that culinary flavours like ghee, rasmalai, and cardamom are in high demand. Innovators are experimenting with taste profiles to bring innovation and gratify the palates of sweet lovers because flavour is the single most important component when it comes to consumers' selections of food and beverages.
The varied worlds of Indian sweets, or mithai, have captured palates for decades with their rainbow of flavours, textures, and ingredients that are essential to celebrations, special events, and daily indulgence. With the arrival of 2024, India's mithai sector is preparing for a significant multi-sensory transformation encompassing advancements in fundamental ingredients, fusion creations, opportunities for customisation, and a sustainable philosophy.
It is anticipated that the Indian sweets business would expand by 800 billion Indian rupees by 2026, redefining the festive mood and sense of community that mithais represent throughout the subcontinent.
Creative fusion is emerging as a wave of creative mithai makers introduces innovation, combining customary desserts with a variety of ingredients and engaging displays.
Breakfast conventions are being broken as traditional Indian mithais like gulab jamun and jalebis take on cosmopolitan dessert forms like waffles, French toast, and pancake towers. In 2024, natural sugar substitutes that provide indulgence without compromising will be prominent, such as jaggery and honey. In 2024, millets will have expanded their culinary repertoire to include sweets as well as savoury dishes. Nutrient-dense ragi, jowar, and bajra boost pleasure quotients while offering satisfying options for classic desserts that satisfy health-conscious palates. In keeping with the triple bottom line of people, profit, and the environment, the quickly growing food delivery industry is increasingly embracing sustainability with eco-friendly packaging and zero-waste manufacturing targets.
The sector is prioritising local products, ethically sourced dairy, appropriate waste management, and reusable containers. It is also adopting alternate packaging choices. Even in nuclear families, innovations that extend the shelf life of mithai without adding too many preservatives and serve smaller portions cut down on food waste in the production and retail sectors.
With youthful, adventurous mithai wallahs experimenting with a variety of ingredients, techniques, and visual treatments from around India and even outside geographical limits, the art of mithai is seeing a creative upsurge. Traditional mithais, with their nostalgic, soothing appeal, are elevated to the pinnacles of immersive dessert art through modern plating and interactive customisation.
Chocolate alternatives found in supermarkets are capitalising on the rising demand for between-meal snacks. Professional employees as well as students on a student stipend can afford traditional treats like tiny kaju katas filled with jelly or chocolate and crispy-coated sohan papdi. Handcrafted processes and traditional methods contribute to trademark textures and maintain qualitative perfection as the ultimate USP amidst the expansion of innovation and variety, while regional legacies and timeless culinary knowledge define the narrative of premium mithai brands.
Experts in food forecast that concerns about health and lifestyle will lead to an increase in demand for hyper-regional sweets, especially diet versions of classic mithai. Experts who make up 75% of the panel anticipate more interest in these candies. According to 71% of experts, customers will favour traditional desi oils over imported ones, indicating the growing desire for indigenous cooking mediums. It is anticipated that demand for gourmet premium ghee variations would increase. India's newfound emphasis on health and wellness during celebrations is predicted to fuel demand for devices that support diets and improve health, such as air fryers and steamers.
A sudden inflow of capital has been observed in the FMCG sector due to the new government regulations pertaining to investments in FMCG companies and accepting foreign-directed investments. Government incentives and foreign direct investment (FDI) money have bolstered employment in the FMCG sector, developed a more resilient supply chain, and given FMCG companies prominent exposure in established retail marketplaces. While offline sales were essential to the expansion of the Indian confectionery market, online sales are predicted to rise significantly over the next several years.
(The author is assistant professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Vellalar College for Women, Erode)
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