In a bid to tantalize taste buds and captivate snack enthusiasts across the nation, Kurkure has introduced its latest offering, ‘Chaat Fills’. This exciting new snack comes in two mouthwatering flavours, ‘Papdi Chaat’ and ‘Bhel Chutney’, and is set to revolutionize the street food experience into a convenient, ready-to-eat format.
Kurkure, known for its creative and delicious snack innovations, has been on a roll lately with a series of delightful new releases. Alongside the Chaat Fills, the brand recently welcomed the fiery ‘Sizzlin’ Hot’ snack variant to its diverse portfolio. In January, Kurkure ventured into the youth market with ‘Kurkure Playz’, a sub-brand featuring two flavours: Puffcorn and Pastax.
What sets the Chaat Fills apart is their unconventional manufacturing approach. These snacks feature paste-like fillings inside, meticulously designed to replicate the diverse flavours of chaat. To mark this exciting launch, Kurkure unveiled a captivating TV commercial featuring the Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan in a gangster-inspired role.
India’s street snack market, estimated at around $2–2.5 billion, has largely remained unorganized. According to Kurkure, there’s a growing consumer demand for salty snacks infused with chaat flavours.
Aastha Bhasin, category lead at Kurkure, PepsiCo India, emphasized that the Chaat Fills are a result of extensive research into consumer preferences and trends. She explained, “There is a significant market for street food, and Indian consumers are eager to explore new chaat flavours. This served as our inspiration, followed by comprehensive consumer research conducted with our global and local R&D teams to bring this product to life.”
Setting the right price point for a new innovation is crucial to enticing consumers. Kurkure’s Chaat Fills are available at Rs 10 and Rs 20 price points across all retail and e-commerce platforms in India. These prices are consistent with most of Kurkure’s other offerings, ensuring accessibility to a wide range of consumers. Bhasin noted, “Despite presenting this product as a premium chaat experience, we are conscious of offering it at affordable prices. The effective cost of the product is less than that of an actual plate of chaat.”
Traditionally, Kurkure’s advertisements have focused on product offerings and flavours, often infused with humour. With the Chaat Fills launch, the brand continues this tradition with a unique gangster theme. Sara Ali Khan plays the role of a thug in the TV commercial, searching for her ‘maal,’ which is delivered to her in a pack of Chaat Fills.
Bhasin shared that the communication strategy for the product aims to differentiate it from others in the category. She explained, “While our storytelling retains the burst of masala and irresistibility of taste, the ‘Maal Andar Hai’ proposition is meant to set our product apart.”
While chaat is immensely popular in North, West, and South India, there are still pockets where these flavours remain underexplored. Bhasin highlighted those consumers often embrace flavoured launches out of curiosity, which encourages Kurkure’s approach with a wide range of consumers across different platforms.
Geographical locations and cultural backgrounds play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences in the snack category. Bhasin pointed out, “For example, in the South, you see a different variant of Kurkure in Masala Munch. We’re mindful of regional differences in consumer taste.”
For Kurkure, traditional channels still dominate sales, but the brand is witnessing a surge in digital commerce, with e-commerce and quick commerce gaining momentum. Bhasin concluded, “We remain invested in all channels, ensuring that we are accessible to consumers no matter where they choose to make their purchase.”
Kurkure primarily targets the youth market, although consumers from various demographics also enjoy their wide range of variants and flavours. Bhasin summarized, “We offer different variants, flavours, and crunches, so our approach is broad. However, our core target is the Indian youth.”
In terms of media strategy, Kurkure continues to focus on mass-reach channels, with an increasing emphasis on digital platforms. Bhasin explained, “We’ve recognized the power of digital media in personalizing content and targeting our audience effectively. Our media mix includes all these channels, each with a specific role in our overall strategy.”