India’s festive shopping trends took an unexpected turn this season, with Kunafa chocolates, Bihari Thekua, and protein bars emerging as popular gifting choices over traditional sweets, according to a report by e-commerce enabler GoKwik.
Based on October shopping data, GoKwik found that nostalgia, viral trends, and wellness were the three defining forces shaping consumer preferences during the 2025 festive period. Chocolate sales volumes outpaced all other festive categories combined, driven by their long shelf life, universal appeal, and suitability for gifting through direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms.
“Festive commerce is no longer defined by geography; it’s defined by identity,” said Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO of GoKwik. “Whether it’s Thekua trending in Mumbai or Kunafa peaking in Kerala, migration, media, and modern lifestyles are reshaping how India celebrates and shops during festivals. For D2C brands, these are not just cultural curiosities, but signals of where the next wave of growth lies.”
Regional nostalgia also took center stage. Thekua, a traditional sweet made during Chhath Puja in Bihar, became the only regional mithai ordered across all Indian states and union territories. Interestingly, its biggest buyers were from West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Delhi—showing how migration and nostalgia are influencing festive gifting beyond geographical boundaries.
Meanwhile, global culinary influences were evident in the rise of Kunafa—a Middle Eastern dessert rebranded online as “Dubai chocolate.” Nearly half of its online orders came from Kerala, a reflection of the state’s deep cultural and economic ties with the Gulf region.
Health-focused choices also surged, with protein bars ranking among the most-ordered items in Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. This signals a shift toward “guilt-free indulgence,” as consumers seek to balance celebration with wellness.
However, GoKwik noted that fresh sweets like rasgulla and gujiya remain largely dominated by local halwais and quick-commerce players, leaving a “premium D2C fresh” opportunity yet to be explored. The ever-reliable Soan Papdi, India’s default last-minute gift, continues to resist digital reinvention — highlighting untapped potential in more curated and planned festive gifting.
The findings underscore a new chapter in India’s festive consumption story — one where tradition meets trend, nostalgia meets global taste, and wellness reshapes indulgence.