- News>
- Newspapers
Sweets For My Sweet: The Pioneer
New Delhi, Dec 04: The urban middle class is getting high, courtesy a collective sweet tooth, and the confectioner is having himself a blast. Attractive packaging, colours and value for money make the candy market rather upbeat, says Pallavi Thakur Bose
New Delhi, Dec 04: The urban middle class is getting high, courtesy a collective sweet tooth, and the confectioner is having himself a blast. Attractive packaging, colours and value for money make the candy market rather upbeat, says Pallavi Thakur Bose
Candy has close to forever been an important part of growing up... never mind cavities, tartar growth or toothaches. Remember the round, orange Parry's lozenge we all grew up on? Things haven't changed, candy still occupies pride of place in every child's life. Save for the fact that like every other market segment, candy too has gone through its expansion phase.
"Age is hardly a constraint these days. Remember the still recent Cofitos advertisement which showed a woman toying with candy before finally popping it into her mouth. Candy, unlike before, has a very upmarket appeal and children have ceased to be the only consumer target," says Vrinda Rajgriha, who owns Sweet World confectionery at Ansal Plaza and Gurgaon's Sahara Mall.
That could help explain the rather liberal attitude seen in most parents these days, when it comes to candy eating. Even dental care is being given the royal ignore. Says father of two Anjan Chakravarty, "Candy once in a while is okay. And it can be fun for us as well."
Sneha Mehra, mother to a 14-year-old boy, thinks all the new packaging and variety have made candy a lot more fun. Says she, "I never got my hands on such a variety of candy but why should I deprive my child? With the proper dental care, candy once in a while doesn't really do much harm."
While Europe, Britain especially, lays claim to the world's sweetest tooth - the UK gobbled up some 2.2 billion pounds worth of sugar confectionery in 2002 while Germany came in a distant second - the Indian market doesn't seem far removed from acquiring a similar sort of taste.
The biggest selling gift packs nowadays, or so say retailers, are those made up of colourful jujubes and other such candy. Hundreds of top quality gift arrangements - gourmet, birthday, special occasion, corporate gift and many more baskets - are largely filled up with candy these days.
Delhi already boasts of as many as three candy bars. Vrinda Rajgriha's Sweet World at Ansal Plaza and Sahara Mall, Gurgaon, and Geeta Jain's Candy Treat at Centrestage Mall, Noida.
While confectioneries like Wenger's, Chocolate Wheels and Nirula's earlier had on offer jujubes and marshmallows, these candy bars house a range of products for the eating. Sweets largely imported from Europe and in various shapes and sizes attract much attention. Cola-shaped candy, colourful mint bracelets, banana-flavoured and banana-shaped candy, chocolate-coated nuts and an array of jellies call for mass attention.
Sweet World's Vrinda tells us about one of her regular customers, an old woman who comes in every week to buy her week-long quota of candy.
"Delhi has a large and growing market, both in terms of size and variety," says Pradeep Kant of Indus Union, who handle the Candico advertising account in Delhi.
Vrinda adds to that, "The Delhi market is very open to new ideas. People are extremely aware as also ready to try out new and different products. We have a number of customers walking in, trying out each and every type of candy on offer, and only then deciding on a buy. Gone are the days when chocolates were the only focus. Appearance plays a major role now. Colourful candies call for attention. Interesting packaging is also made possible due to the sweets' variety and colourful appearance."
"Apple and orange flavours, as compared to chocolate, make for greater demand," says Geeta. Adding, "Candy though is only an add-on. The chocolate market continues to stay buoyant. Chocolate-coated peanuts and eclairs are still being gobbled up by the dozen."
Says Vrinda, "Compared to chocolate, candy is good value for money. You end up paying Rs 15 for a 30 gm pack of gems. While a 100 gm pack of a variety of candies will cost you about Rs 50."
She adds, "In fact, candy is thought of as the most comforting food the world over. It helps fight stress, one reason why they're served before air journeys."
Interesting trivia: Post 9/11, when the US market went sluggish, the only segment that continued to record a profit was, you guessed it, candy. Primarily because candy helped people get over anxiety. Here in India, the chocolate worm scare had people turn to candy as an alternative.
"We received bulk corporate gift orders this Diwali," says Vrinda. Only a few weeks back, when Airtel celebrated its anniversary, Sweet World took up an order for some 5,000 packets of candy. They were meant to be corporate gifts.
From the trader's point of view, both Vrinda and Geeta agree that it is also more convenient to manage candy because of its longer shelf life as compared to that of chocolate. Especially during the summer, candy tends to stay longer than chocolate. And of course, you're not going to find a worm in your hardboiled lozenge!
Although the lozenge is something that has for long been ignored in India. There were earlier only the Parry's or Parley orange lozenges to be had. Now however the market is flooded with a variety of hardboiled lozenges, in a lot more flavours and colours. There's Cofitos, Alpenliebe, Minto, Polo, Hajmola Candy and so on. "Ever since Perfetti came in, the hardboiled sector has been getting a lot more organised," says Vrinda.
The domestic confectionery market in general can be divided into seven categories - hardboiled candy, toffee, eclairs, chewing gum, bubble gum, mints and lozenges. Hardboiled candy occupies the largest share of this market. "There are also a lot of local players moulting hardboiled candy at home," adds she. The hardboiled candy sector though does still remain largely unorganised.
While the half-year, ended September 30, 2003, report shows Parry's Confectionery as having made a profit of Rs four lakh, on a turnover of Rs 47.23 crore, against a loss of Rs 1.71 crore for the corresponding period in the previous year, the wholly-owned Indian subsidiary of the privately-held Perfetti Van Melle, makers of the hardboiled Alpenliebe, now ranks among the top five candy companies worldwide in terms of overall performance, with specific reference to volume sales and production facilities. India, along with China, the US, Holland and Indonesia, makes for a leading country when it comes to Perfetti Van Melle sales, outside of Italy.
While Perfetti Van Melle, Joyco and Nestle already have a comprehensive basket of confectionery brands, HLL too muscled its way into the market two years ago with the introduction of Max hardboiled candy. ITC's confectionery portfolio includes the brands Candyman and Minto which it acquired from Candico.
Hajmola, a core brand under Dabur India's healthcare segment, which occupies a three-fourths share of the digestive tablets segment, too plans to expand further from its only two existing aam (mango) and imli (tamarind) flavours.
From a small-scale unit manufacturing only candy in the early 60s, Nutrine Confectionery has grown into a multi-product, multi-market giant. The some six-year-old Candico group witnessed close to a Rs 150 crore turnover last year. "It's an immensely competitive market and while our earlier advertising expenditure could pass off without mention, it has over the past two years gone up substantially and we are spending somewhere in the region of crores," says Pradeep Kant.
However, old Indian notions, on the lines of candy causes cavities, continue to work against the growth of the candy market. "A number of Indian parents believe candy can be bad for the teeth. Nor do we deny that. Bad quality sugar and colour earlier used by local manufacturers were indeed quite harmful. Now though things are different. Better quality material is now being used. These are less harmful. However, any sort of sweet edible has a bad effect on our teeth and health. Candies though are no more harmful than chocolate," Vrinda tells us.
To address the health conscious, post sugar-free soft drinks and flavoured water, it's now sugar-free confectionery and bakery products that could well become a reality in India.
The production of sugar-free confectionery, gaining increasing popularity in developed markets, has not up to now been allowed in India under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) rules. However, industry representatives are now hopeful that a draft notification allowing sugar-free confectionery will provide the industry with a much-needed shot in the arm.
According to the notification, confectionery products such as chewing gum and panned sugar confectionery may contain food grade titanium dioxide up to a maximum limit of 1.0 per cent. Further, limited quantities of aspartame - the ingredient used in all sugar-free products - will be allowed in categories such as sugar-based confectionery, chewing gum a
Candy has close to forever been an important part of growing up... never mind cavities, tartar growth or toothaches. Remember the round, orange Parry's lozenge we all grew up on? Things haven't changed, candy still occupies pride of place in every child's life. Save for the fact that like every other market segment, candy too has gone through its expansion phase.
"Age is hardly a constraint these days. Remember the still recent Cofitos advertisement which showed a woman toying with candy before finally popping it into her mouth. Candy, unlike before, has a very upmarket appeal and children have ceased to be the only consumer target," says Vrinda Rajgriha, who owns Sweet World confectionery at Ansal Plaza and Gurgaon's Sahara Mall.
That could help explain the rather liberal attitude seen in most parents these days, when it comes to candy eating. Even dental care is being given the royal ignore. Says father of two Anjan Chakravarty, "Candy once in a while is okay. And it can be fun for us as well."
Sneha Mehra, mother to a 14-year-old boy, thinks all the new packaging and variety have made candy a lot more fun. Says she, "I never got my hands on such a variety of candy but why should I deprive my child? With the proper dental care, candy once in a while doesn't really do much harm."
While Europe, Britain especially, lays claim to the world's sweetest tooth - the UK gobbled up some 2.2 billion pounds worth of sugar confectionery in 2002 while Germany came in a distant second - the Indian market doesn't seem far removed from acquiring a similar sort of taste.
The biggest selling gift packs nowadays, or so say retailers, are those made up of colourful jujubes and other such candy. Hundreds of top quality gift arrangements - gourmet, birthday, special occasion, corporate gift and many more baskets - are largely filled up with candy these days.
Delhi already boasts of as many as three candy bars. Vrinda Rajgriha's Sweet World at Ansal Plaza and Sahara Mall, Gurgaon, and Geeta Jain's Candy Treat at Centrestage Mall, Noida.
While confectioneries like Wenger's, Chocolate Wheels and Nirula's earlier had on offer jujubes and marshmallows, these candy bars house a range of products for the eating. Sweets largely imported from Europe and in various shapes and sizes attract much attention. Cola-shaped candy, colourful mint bracelets, banana-flavoured and banana-shaped candy, chocolate-coated nuts and an array of jellies call for mass attention.
Sweet World's Vrinda tells us about one of her regular customers, an old woman who comes in every week to buy her week-long quota of candy.
"Delhi has a large and growing market, both in terms of size and variety," says Pradeep Kant of Indus Union, who handle the Candico advertising account in Delhi.
Vrinda adds to that, "The Delhi market is very open to new ideas. People are extremely aware as also ready to try out new and different products. We have a number of customers walking in, trying out each and every type of candy on offer, and only then deciding on a buy. Gone are the days when chocolates were the only focus. Appearance plays a major role now. Colourful candies call for attention. Interesting packaging is also made possible due to the sweets' variety and colourful appearance."
"Apple and orange flavours, as compared to chocolate, make for greater demand," says Geeta. Adding, "Candy though is only an add-on. The chocolate market continues to stay buoyant. Chocolate-coated peanuts and eclairs are still being gobbled up by the dozen."
Says Vrinda, "Compared to chocolate, candy is good value for money. You end up paying Rs 15 for a 30 gm pack of gems. While a 100 gm pack of a variety of candies will cost you about Rs 50."
She adds, "In fact, candy is thought of as the most comforting food the world over. It helps fight stress, one reason why they're served before air journeys."
Interesting trivia: Post 9/11, when the US market went sluggish, the only segment that continued to record a profit was, you guessed it, candy. Primarily because candy helped people get over anxiety. Here in India, the chocolate worm scare had people turn to candy as an alternative.
"We received bulk corporate gift orders this Diwali," says Vrinda. Only a few weeks back, when Airtel celebrated its anniversary, Sweet World took up an order for some 5,000 packets of candy. They were meant to be corporate gifts.
From the trader's point of view, both Vrinda and Geeta agree that it is also more convenient to manage candy because of its longer shelf life as compared to that of chocolate. Especially during the summer, candy tends to stay longer than chocolate. And of course, you're not going to find a worm in your hardboiled lozenge!
Although the lozenge is something that has for long been ignored in India. There were earlier only the Parry's or Parley orange lozenges to be had. Now however the market is flooded with a variety of hardboiled lozenges, in a lot more flavours and colours. There's Cofitos, Alpenliebe, Minto, Polo, Hajmola Candy and so on. "Ever since Perfetti came in, the hardboiled sector has been getting a lot more organised," says Vrinda.
The domestic confectionery market in general can be divided into seven categories - hardboiled candy, toffee, eclairs, chewing gum, bubble gum, mints and lozenges. Hardboiled candy occupies the largest share of this market. "There are also a lot of local players moulting hardboiled candy at home," adds she. The hardboiled candy sector though does still remain largely unorganised.
While the half-year, ended September 30, 2003, report shows Parry's Confectionery as having made a profit of Rs four lakh, on a turnover of Rs 47.23 crore, against a loss of Rs 1.71 crore for the corresponding period in the previous year, the wholly-owned Indian subsidiary of the privately-held Perfetti Van Melle, makers of the hardboiled Alpenliebe, now ranks among the top five candy companies worldwide in terms of overall performance, with specific reference to volume sales and production facilities. India, along with China, the US, Holland and Indonesia, makes for a leading country when it comes to Perfetti Van Melle sales, outside of Italy.
While Perfetti Van Melle, Joyco and Nestle already have a comprehensive basket of confectionery brands, HLL too muscled its way into the market two years ago with the introduction of Max hardboiled candy. ITC's confectionery portfolio includes the brands Candyman and Minto which it acquired from Candico.
Hajmola, a core brand under Dabur India's healthcare segment, which occupies a three-fourths share of the digestive tablets segment, too plans to expand further from its only two existing aam (mango) and imli (tamarind) flavours.
From a small-scale unit manufacturing only candy in the early 60s, Nutrine Confectionery has grown into a multi-product, multi-market giant. The some six-year-old Candico group witnessed close to a Rs 150 crore turnover last year. "It's an immensely competitive market and while our earlier advertising expenditure could pass off without mention, it has over the past two years gone up substantially and we are spending somewhere in the region of crores," says Pradeep Kant.
However, old Indian notions, on the lines of candy causes cavities, continue to work against the growth of the candy market. "A number of Indian parents believe candy can be bad for the teeth. Nor do we deny that. Bad quality sugar and colour earlier used by local manufacturers were indeed quite harmful. Now though things are different. Better quality material is now being used. These are less harmful. However, any sort of sweet edible has a bad effect on our teeth and health. Candies though are no more harmful than chocolate," Vrinda tells us.
To address the health conscious, post sugar-free soft drinks and flavoured water, it's now sugar-free confectionery and bakery products that could well become a reality in India.
The production of sugar-free confectionery, gaining increasing popularity in developed markets, has not up to now been allowed in India under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) rules. However, industry representatives are now hopeful that a draft notification allowing sugar-free confectionery will provide the industry with a much-needed shot in the arm.
According to the notification, confectionery products such as chewing gum and panned sugar confectionery may contain food grade titanium dioxide up to a maximum limit of 1.0 per cent. Further, limited quantities of aspartame - the ingredient used in all sugar-free products - will be allowed in categories such as sugar-based confectionery, chewing gum a