Haldiram’s reported a 49% increase in festive sweet sales this year, as Indians bought more traditional treats like kaju katli. Swiggy also saw a 10.7% rise in food orders between November 6 and 8. Many people now prefer premium gift hampers and healthier snacks made with jaggery or natural substitutes.
India's love affair with mithai shows no signs of slowing down, as sales of sweets and chocolates reveal a healthy upward trend. Haldiram's, one of India's largest packaged sweets and snacks players, reported a 49% year-on-year increase in festive sweet sales, driven by demand for traditional favourites such as kaju katli, motichoor laddoo and barfi, alongside festive gift hampers. "This Diwali, we have witnessed continued consumer preference for traditional Indian sweets, reflecting the enduring cultural and emotional significance of mithai during the festive season," said Tushar Mehta, vice-president, growth and marketing, Haldiram's.
Online food delivery platforms are also contributing to the growth. Swiggy reported a 10.7% increase in food delivery orders during the Diwali festivities between November 6 and 8, compared with Diwali dates of October 18-20 last year. Kaju katli emerged as the most popular sweet on the platform, followed by motichoor laddoo, rasgulla and gulab jamun. As per the platform, kaju katli was particularly popular across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Hyderabad. The scale of festive orders also reflected the importance of sweets in celebrations as one of the largest single orders in Hyderabad on November 6 comprised 57 packets of assorted sweets worth Rs 41,895. On the day of Diwali, a Mumbai-based customer placed an order worth Rs 41,772 for seven curated hampers of assorted sweets.
The shift towards organised gifting is also visible in the premium segment. Manam Chocolate, which specialises in Indian craft chocolate, reported a 75% growth in festive sales compared with the same period last year. More significantly, the company is seeing consumers spend more on individual gifting purchases. "Last year, we saw significant demand at an average price point of Rs 2,000. This year, we are seeing greater offtake in the Rs 3,000-3,500 range," said Chaitanya Muppala, founder, Manam Chocolate.
The company's curated celebration hampers recorded the strongest demand, with larger premium offerings performing better than in previous years. "What's exciting is that consumers are no longer viewing chocolate as just an add-on gift," Muppala said.
Another emerging trend is the demand for healthier alternatives to conventional sweets. Jaggery and date-based mithais accounted for close to half of festive mithai sales on Amazon India.
Natural sugar substitutes such as stevia and monk fruit, along with gluten-free and no-maida snacks, also recorded 1.5 times year-on-year growth. "This festive season, we are seeing customers indulge in a wider range of healthier snacking options alongside traditional festive favou-rites," said Srikant Sree Ram, director, everyday essentials, Amazon India.
"We are seeing the same preference on Amazon Now, where customers can get healthier options delivered within minutes. Popular choices include date bites, high protein snacks and sugar free dark chocolate," he added.
Mainstream confectionery brands cash in on the festive season by offering a mix of traditional flavours and contemporary formats. For instance, Cadbury's Milky Mithai. "It is a coming together of fine chocolate with the taste of iconic Indian mithais," said Vinay Subramanyam, vice-president, marketing, Mondelez India. Mondelez International's India business recorded revenue growth of over 20% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026, while its chocolate business registered a 2.8% increase in volume and mix.