ACCORDING TO THE International Cocoa Organisation, India’s per capita consumption of chocolate is between 100 gm and 200 gm a year, much lower than Japan, which consumes around 2 kg of chocolate per person per year, and even Europe, where the consumption lies between 5 kg and 10 kg a year. Yet, chocolates seem to have become a gift of choice for many consumers, making their way into households on occasions such as Diwali, Bhai Duj, Raksha Bandhan and even Ganesh Chaturthi.

DS Group, which introduced luxury Swiss chocolate brand Läderach in India this year, says the demand for chocolates can soar as much as 40% in the festive season.

“The sweet market is gradually shifting towards premium chocolate gifting and self-consumption.

The aspirations of Indians are growing and international, unique products are gaining acceptance,” says business head Jyotiroop Barua.

Prem Pogakula, executive chef, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, goes a step ahead.”We have noticed that chocolates are gaining popularity over traditional Indian mithais over the past few of years as a result of changing preferences due to urbanisation. If nothing else, they have a longer shelf life, and are a great option for gifting. They also appeal to younger consumers.”

With chocolates finding acceptance as a gifting option, many local and artisanal brands have also joined the party. The introduction of new flavours, formats, players and packaging are among the key factors driving growth in the Rs 17,000-crore category. But how did this product – which began to gain acceptance at least two decades after Cadbury set up shop in India in 1948-become so popular that some brands are marketing themselves as the new mithai.

Experts say it is a tale of smart advertising, growing urbanisation and influence of the West. Chocolates as a category have evolved greatly in the last decade, from being just a children’s treat to an age-no-bar indulgence, says Prachi Bali, executive vice-president and business head, Saatchi & Saatchi Propagate. With the advent of Qcommerce and the spread of modern trade outlets, the occasions for consumption have also increased. Mithais in their basic nature may not always cater to everyone.

It goes without saying that the advent of multiple global brands in the space has also ensured that the consumer is spoilt for choice. But these European chocolate brands Ferrero Rocher, Godiva and Lindt, for instance – won over consumers by positioning their offerings as luxury products. Cadbury, now Mondelez, became the category reference brand by doing just the opposite – it framed the brand within the context of India’s culture and marketed its products as an alternative to mithai.

To fully understand how chocolates came to challenge mithais, one must also look at Mondelez’s advertising in India. Faced with stagnation in the early nineties, the maker of Cadbury Dairy Milk began advertising chocolates not just as a kid’s snack but as an adult product. Its ‘Asli Swaas Zindagi Ka’ ad featuring a young woman dancing on a cricket field with a bar of chocolate in hand changed the course of category history.

In the early 2000s, actor Amitabh Bachchan encouraged audiences to consume chocolates during every major celebration in their lives with the ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye’ Cadbury ads. This campaign got an extension in 2018 when Cadbury completed

70 years in India, celebrating the milestone with the slogan, ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye, Kuch Accha Ho Jaye’. Says Nitin Saini, vice-president (marketing), Mondelez India, \”Our approach to changing chocolates into the new meetha is led by strategy and innovation. We acknowledged the importance of aligning our products with the cultural significance of shared moments of joy during any celebration, festival.  Mehul Gupta, co-founder CEO, SoCheers, says one of the deal breakers in festive gifting is packaging.

With fancy designs and safe materials, brands have been able to give chocolates a festive gifting feel. But will chocolates be able to replace mithais anytime soon? The popularity of chocolates has, in fact, forced traditional mithai-walls to innovate.

Chocolate-laced mithais have witnessed a surge in demand in recent years.  We perceive this trend as a culinary revolution, especially among the younger generation. They appreciate the fusion of traditional meetha with a subtle hint of Western chocolates, says Shivam Bhagat, director, Bhagat Halwai, one of the oldest Indian Sweet Shops in the city of Taj. Some would rather stick to tradition. Mithais and chocolates have their own markets but since India is a culturally driven country, people are still desi at heart, says Neeraj Agarwal, director, Haldirams. People may prefer chocolates for some occasions but mithais have their own franchise.

 Some things are best when they are traditional, they keep us grounded and keep reminding us about the rich heritage we have .

Source ” Financial Express Nov 13th 2023 Geetika Srivastava