Indians Are Eating More Chocolate Than Ever And The Reasons Why Will Surprise You

Indians make no secret of their love for all things sweet; at every corner you’ll find a mithai shop and sugary desserts grace tables at every celebration. Recently data, however, shows that Indians are now looking to chocolate to satisfy their sweet tooths.

Tons and Tons of Chocolate

Market report firm, Mintel recently released a report which said that in 2016, India consumed around 228 tonnes of chocolate as compared to the 152 tonnes it had in 2011.

“Our research indicates that consumers in India believe chocolate to be beneficial and convenient – seemingly the key reasons behind the growth of the country’s chocolate confectionery market, both in value and volume,” Marcia Mogelonsky, director of insight at Mintel Food and Drink, said in a statement.

A Country Of Chocoholics

So, why the obsession with chocolate? We’ll, duh, chocolate is delicious. But it’s always been delicious – what’s giving it precedence over candies and mithai?

Mintel did some consumer research and found that two in five consumers believed that sweet and sugary snacks are healthy. They also see chocolates as a source of energy and a convenient snack in between meals.

Consumers are also turning to chocolates because of the price factor; chocolates retail for as little as Rs.5 for a packet and are widely available in stores, supermarkets and neighbourhood booths.

The chocolate market in India will continue to grow – it’s predicted that it will hit Rs 32,000 crore by 2020.