How about an ice cream so low on calories that you could eat a whole tub without remorse? Or a kulfi infused with protein and other nutrients to take your fitness goals to the next level? What if we gave you an indulgent post-meal mithai option made with clean ingredients?
With health and nutrition becoming mainstream priorities for consumers, brands are now finding a sweet spot between calories and cravings to offer indulgent food items that are both tasty and brimming with wellness. And minus the guilt trip, of course.
Traditional players go functional
Food & FMCG giant Amul recently launched its ‘protein kulfi’—the mango-flavoured version has 10 gm protein per 60 gm serving, with just 57 calories. Besides being low-fat, the kulfi is also sugar-free, lactose-free, prebiotic, and packed with 100 million colony-forming units (CFU) of probiotics. Priced at Rs 40, the product will soon be available across Amul’s official quick-commerce partners.
“We are excited about this innovation and many more upcoming high-protein products such as paratha, sandwich, snacks, ice cream, coffee, etc, to ensure that every Indian gets at least 1 gm of protein per kg of body weight every day,” said Jayen Mehta, MD, Amul, at the launch event that coincided with the IPL season this year.
Mother Dairy is also tapping into the mindful consumption trend. Its kulfi range—featuring artisanal flavours and now premium additions like nuts and rose petals—remains a summer staple. These products contribute around 10% to its overall impulse portfolio. This year, the company is piloting a unique ‘Koolfi Cart’ initiative, stationing dedicated carts at high-footfall areas across Delhi-NCR to serve iconic products like tilla kulfis. With this move, the company expects a 15% growth in its kulfi business over last year.
For health-conscious consumers, the Dietz range offers sugar-free ice creams in flavours like kesar almond and natural vanilla. “We’ve already doubled our volumes on e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms this summer,” says Manish Bandlish, MD, Mother Dairy, adding: “These two segments—traditional indulgence and mindful enjoyment—are helping us cater to diverse consumer needs.”
New-age brands redefine indulgence
In April, healthy dessert brand Get-A-Way teamed up with luxury date brand Bateel to launch a limited-edition ‘dates & almond ice cream’ that are naturally sweetened using premium Wanan dates with no added sugar. “The product was sold out in just weeks on Swiggy, Zomato, and our D2C platforms,” says Hamza Patel, MD and CEO, AP Group, that represents Bateel, adding: “The brand has observed a significant uptick in brand discovery and repeat purchases. It validated strong consumer demand for indulgences that are also functional.”
Get-A-Way’s wider portfolio includes high-protein ice creams, ice cream sandwiches, keto-friendly desserts, fruit pops, pastries, kulfis, and cassatas. All are made with clean ingredients, contain 8-10 gm protein, 80-160 kcal per serving, and zero added sugar—designed for everyday consumption. “Today’s consumers are label-conscious and value clean, benefit-driven alternatives,” says Pashmi Shah Agarwal, co-founder, Get-A-Way, adding: “Our repeat purchase rate of 47% shows that people want indulgence— but on their own terms.”
In the chocolate space, BAR (Baker’s Artisanal Recipe) is raising the bar by using only couverture chocolate—made with extra cocoa butter for better texture and flavour—while completely avoiding compound chocolate that contains hydrogenated vegetable fats. “Our 70%+ dark chocolate bars are naturally lower in sugar, and we offer vegan and sugar-free options,” says Dhayvat Udeshi, founder, BAR. “These now make up 10-15% of our revenue, and we expect this to grow to 25% as demand rises,” he adds.
As per market researcher Innova Market Insights’ Global Clean Label Trends Report 2025, nearly one in two consumers globally purchased more fresh, unprocessed foods over the past year. Around 30% are reducing processed foods, while 27% are trying to limit products or ingredients perceived as bad for them. They are limiting artificial preservatives, sweeteners, and additives.
Meanwhile, new product formats are also helping brands stand out. The Brooklyn Creamery, a pioneer in guilt-free ice creams, has sold over a million scoops since its launch in 2016. Its expansive portfolio includes low-calorie, zero-added-sugar cups, sticks, tubs, and cones—many of which were category firsts in India.
“We’ve just launched a range of 100% natural fruit juice popsicles in vibrant flavours like blueberry lemonade and mango mania, made with only four ingredients and naturally sweetened with agave,” says Shivaan Ghai, CEO, The Brooklyn Creamery. “Our mission is to prove that desserts can be both delicious and better for you,” he adds.
Taking a traditional turn with a modern twist, Indian B2B sweets brand Scandalous Foods is pioneering preservative-free Indian sweets made with jaggery and natural khand. The sweets are single-serve, preservative-free, and blast-frozen to extend shelf life to six months without compromising quality. “Our goal is to modernise mithai without losing its soul,” says Sanket S, co-founder of Scandalous Foods.
To reinterpret traditional sweets, Mumbai-based Saffron & Mishri, a premium artisanal mithai brand, is making sulphate-free sugar mithai—a conscious step toward cleaner, less processed sweeteners. Its offerings include stuffed dates and a variety of sugar-free options ranging from kaju katli to motichur ladoo, made using jaggery and stevia, depending on the type of mithai.