Healthier goes Kaju Katli as sweets too catch the trend

Hyderabad: Kaju katli is getting a protein fix and gulab jamun is cutting back on sugar as India's festive sweet tooth develops a taste for healthier indulgence.

From date-sweetened mithais and monk fruit-based recipes to protein-rich laddoos and sugar-free gulab jamuns, sweet makers are giving traditional favourites a nutritional makeover, as consumers increasingly check calories, sweeteners and nutritional content before buying their Diwali treats.

"People now ask how many calories a sweet has, what kind of sugar has been used and whether additional sugar or jaggery has been added," said Firoz H Naqvi, director general of Federation of Sweets and Namkeen Manufacturers (FSNM).


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Demand for healthier sweets is growing 20% annually, he told ET. Nearly all traditional mithai brands from Haldiram's and Bikanervala to Amul, Anand Sweets and even local stores now feature a guilt-free, sugar-free offering of mithai, thanks to the rising demand.

"Consumers are increasingly looking for products that combine health and indulgence," said Jayen Mehta, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that owns the Amul brand.

Amul's mindful indulgence sweets portfolio, which includes gur kaju katli, dry fruit burfi, sugar-free peda and sugar-free gulab jamun, grew 62% year-on-year (YoY) this festive season, while the sugar-free segment grew 80%, led by peda, gulab jamun and rasmalai. Its protein ice cream sales rose 200% this festive season, with volumes growing more than five times over the previous year, the company said.

An Amazon India spokesperson said jaggery and date-based mithais accounted for close to half of festive mithai sales on Amazon.in, while sales of healthier mithais, including sugar-free, protein- and millet-based options, grew 1.5 times during its Great Indian Festival. Flipkart Minutes, meanwhile, reported a threefold jump in orders for healthier snacks, sweets, and ice-creams compared with last festive season.