Homegrown FMCG major Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group is gearing up to turn its flagship product, Pulse candy, into a ₹1,000-crore brand within the next two years. The brand has already clocked ₹750 crore in revenue in FY25, riding on the sale of 750 crore candy units priced at ₹1 each.
Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar revealed that the group has achieved a 15% CAGR growth trajectory over the past three years, outpacing the overall hard-boiled candy market’s 9% growth. “We are the largest player in the hard-boiled candy space with a 19% market share. With sustained growth, reaching the ₹1,000-crore milestone in the next one-and-a-half to two years is well within reach,” Kumar said.
Launched in 2015, Pulse candy rapidly became India’s top-selling hard-boiled candy brand, known for its signature tangy centre. Now, the DS Group is preparing to transform Pulse from a single-product sensation into a multi-format, multi-occasion offering.
DS Group’s roadmap includes foraying into adjacent product categories, introducing innovative candy formats, and tapping into India’s diverse palette through regionally inspired flavours. “The vision is to evolve Pulse into a brand that resonates with every consumer occasion—beyond impulse consumption,” Kumar noted.
The company’s expansion strategy also hinges on strengthening consumer engagement and brand-building efforts. “Our focus remains on increasing brand recall, driving innovation, and deepening market penetration to retain our leadership in the ethnic confectionery space,” he added.
With a robust distribution network spanning over 3.5 million retail outlets across India, DS Group is also targeting overseas markets to expand the Pulse brand’s reach. “We are aggressively pursuing both domestic and international growth opportunities. Our infrastructure allows us to scale quickly and efficiently,” Kumar said.
The Indian hard-boiled candy market, valued at around ₹4,000 crore, has seen steady demand despite shifts in snacking behaviour. Pulse’s sustained popularity is credited to its bold flavour innovation and pricing strategy that appeals to a wide demographic.
As DS Group positions Pulse for its next phase of growth, industry observers see this as a classic case of a homegrown success story evolving into a global brand contender by staying rooted in local tastes while embracing innovation.