Inside the Seismic Shift in the Namkeen World

Health is wealth, so many brands are coming up with all kinds of products to reshape the way Indians snack

- Samiksha Goel

Humika Satpathy, 26, a software engineer who works for a Big Tech company in Bengaluru, has a rather sedentary job. She spends long hours at her desk and tries to counter the physical inactivity by hitting the gym when she can. When it comes to snacking, the non-vegetarian tries to consume something "healthy," but is too tired to make anything at home. And so, she picks up her phone, as millions of Indians do today, and orders something from a quick commerce app.

Satpathy's preferred snack of late is "Let's Try Lite Multigrain Mixture," which, to her mind, is healthy because it is made with groundnut oil. "I love it for its 'no palm oil' claim and the use of groundnut oil. It tastes great and is convenient since it's available on all the quick commerce platforms," she says.

Satpathy is one of a growing number of Indians who have become health conscious since the onset of the covid pandemic. These consumers watch what they eat, having become aware of the deadly toll junk food takes on the human body. When it comes to snacking, they look for "healthy," guilt-free options.

That change in preference has triggered a seismic shift in the world of namkeen. A host of new-age companies such as Farmley, Happilo, Evolve Snacks and Open Secret have been quick to capitalize on the shift in consumer preferences. From protein bars, makhana and quinoa puffs to oats bhujia and ragi chips, these young brands are coming up with all kinds of products to reshape the way Indians snack.

In doing so, they have created a new category for healthy snacks. And so, what was once a niche market catering to a small segment of health-conscious consumers is now evolving into a mainstream movement.

The numbers show just how quickly healthy snacking is growing as a segment. Happilo, the biggest of the new kids on the block, saw its revenue surge 80% to over ₹300 crore in FY23.