Shraddha (name changed) expected the familiar taste of Chocolateburfi when she took a bite – instead her palate was met with sea salt, rich Belgian chocolate and a whisper from espresso. ‘It’s just like the Mithai Dad used to bring anand from (local Sweetmeat seller) kakha – Only enthusiasts, “she says laughing.
In Indian cities, traditional delicacies get a stylish upgrade through a large number of startups such as India Sweet House, Gandesi and Hatti & Giraffe.
Anand Ramanathan, partner -consumer products and leader of the retail trade, Deloitte India, explains that the revival of interest in Mithai Among younger consumers is fed by a mix of cultural nostalgia and modern reinterpretation.
‘MithaiTraditionally associated with festivals and family gatherings, is rediscovered as a lifestyle issue. Startups use this sentiment by offering traditional versions of classic sweets, often with a contemporary turn in taste, presentation and packaging.
“The rise of social media and influencer-driven content has also made Mithai More visible and ambitious, especially when positioned as a premium, clean label product that connects with developing health and aesthetic preferences, “he says.
The total addressable market (TAM) for the Mithai The industry in India is expected to reach £ 84,300 crore in 2025.
The question usually arises during festivals, which are good for almost 70 percent of the annual turnover.
With a value of £ 6,229 crore in 2023, the packaged candy segment is expected to hit £ 25,970 Crore by 2030.
Market information platform TracxN reports that the New-Age Sweets startups from India have obtained more than $ 43.12 million financing between 2020 and 2025. In 2024, the financing peaked $ 40.7 million over three rounds. This year it has been $ 152,644 so far.
Homemade plus
Hatti & Giffe, a luxury in Mumbai Mithai And Namkeen Fire, was launched in 2019.
“Our first products were what I grew up at home. We started with the anti-dessert LaaduMade from dry fruit. It has no refined sugar and the sweetness comes from dry dates and organic cane sugar. Then follow the crackling Besan Barfi, one of our most popular products made with freshly grated coconut, organic cane sugar and a dash of fresh ginger. The third was the Konkani Coconut Wadi-Like that is hard to find, even in sweet stores, ”says SHRIKAR Bhave, a co-founder.
The recipes-the first two of his mother and the third of his wife and co-founder Girija’s grandmother-Kegen a tweak, he says. Of their 15 SKUs, which are sold nationally, 12 were designed for global shipping with a longer shelf life.
Vinay Kothari, founder of Godsi, believes that the access of global packaged food brands has caused a change in consumer behavior.
Indian or Desi products from local players could not match the surf and consumer experience of these global players, he says.
“We wanted to shed light on the unorganized cottage industry. Some regional products are free of preservatives, have no artificial color or flavors and are suitable for the Indian palate. But they were not standardized. Our mission statement is to make Desi popular among gene and urban consumers,” he says.
The company’s flagship product is Desi Pops – an Indian look at the lollipop, made with cane sugar and fruit pulp, minus added colors. Godeni produces 60 lakh pops per month.
Other products include Single-Serve Barficoconut and rinse ladyand a chocolate -like foot boilers bar.
India Sweet House wanted to breathe new life into traditional delicacies that disappeared from urban markets. “Our recent launch of Chandrarara illustrates this. For decades, this sweet was limited to an exclusive circle, with food connoisseurs who made pilgrimages to experience it. We are expanding that access to bridge the gap between heritage recipes and contemporary consumers who appreciate tradition, but also expect quality and accessibility, ”says Shwetha Rajashekar, co-founder of India Sweet House.
Following this, says Godsi’s Kothari that the differentiation startups offer compared to legacy brands, mainly through online sales.
Heritage present
Sameer Seth, founder and CEO of Hunger Incitality – the company behind popular restaurants such as the Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Veronica’s and dads – says Bombay Sweet Shop to offer traditional Indian sweets that have been conceived with a unique turn.
The brand’s most popular product is a chocolate box inspired by Sohan Halwa. It has a thin butterscotch layer that captures the essence of the traditional sweet, enriched with dark chocolate, sea salt and roasted almonds.
Katli Bites has a basis of foot boilersGarnished by a rich dark chocolate ganache.
Located in the Byculla of Mumbai, the 5000 m² production facility of the company is open to visitors, who can see how the sweets are made, shopping and sample products can see fresh from the kitchen.
“We have traveled the length and width of India and understood how traditional Mithai was made … we try to bring stories to life, including the ingredients used, and the people behind it, “Seth says.
Points of sale
The products from Godsi are available on fast trade and e-commerce platforms, offline stores and at 50 kiosks in Bangalore. Almost 40 percent of its turnover is offline.
Bombay Sweet Shop has dark stores and physical stores in Mumbai and ships nationwide.
The Omni-Channel approach from India Sweet Shop comprises 45 stores in Karnataka. The Indian diaspora forms a significant part of its customer base, in addition to business and other bulk orders and wedding and festival gifting.
Long -range
In October last year, India Sweet House assured $ 1 million pre-ipo financing from Viney Equity Market LLP.
Gendesi got £ 41 crore from Aavishkaar Capital in a series B -round in May 2024. Two years earlier, the £ 31 Crore had picked up from Rukam Capital, Roots Ventures and DSG Consumer.
Archana Jahagirdar, founder and managing partner, Rukam Capital, says: “The Indian Sweets and Snacks category undergoes a transformation, with a strong potential for value creation. Although freshness, scalability and logistical challenges remain, brands that are placed early in Backend -Efficiency, Supply Chain innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product innovation and product
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Published on June 22, 2025
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