As India gears up with pride to celebrate its 74th Republic Day, citizens love snacking more on Indian and traditional snacks than western snacking categories. Revealed in a recent study titled ‘STTEM – Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease & Mood Uplifter’ - The India Snacking Report (Volume I) by Godrej Yummiez, a brand of ready-to-cook products from Godrej Tyson Foods (GTFL). When asked about India’s preference towards Indian snacks (likes of aloo tikki, samosa, pakodas, namkeen, and much more) as compared to Western snacks (likes of nacho, chips, sandwiches, biscuits, and much more), the Indian snacking version received the majority 61% votes nationally. 

Godrej Yummiez undertook a consumer study to understand the (changing) attitudes & perceptions of Indian consumers when it comes to snacks & snacking. Commissioned by Godrej Yummiez, this study is conducted by InQognito Insights. The report was released along with the launch of Godrej Yummiez Crispy Potato Starz, a unique star-shaped, crunchy snack made with the choicest potatoes. The study was conducted across the North, South, West, and East regions and covered ten cities like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. 

Commenting on the outcome of the research study, Abhay Parnerkar, chief executive officer, Godrej Tyson Foods, said, “As the foremost player in the ready-to-cook category, Godrej Yummiez aimed at understanding the dynamic patterns when it comes to snacking amongst people in the country. While consumers are more willing to try and adopt western categories, what comes out clearly through this research is that consumers have a close affinity for Indian snacks. Citizens are more deeply rooted in traditional and cultural roots than ever before. Going forward, the dynamics that will shape India’s snacking habits will be based on the acronym STTEM- Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease & Mood Uplifter- the five pillars. Speaking specifically of the Taste pillar, Indian snack categories will have a larger influence over consumers and brands.”

When compared across regions, people in the East region prefer Indian snacks more than an average of 65%. This is followed by the Southern region, where 63% of citizens prefer Indian homegrown snacks over western snacking categories. 59% in the Northern region of India and 58% in the Western region specified their preference in favor of Indian snacks. 

In metros such as Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad, the average stood much higher at 67%, indicating that citizens here would pick up Indian options over western. Amongst all cities covered under the study, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad prefer Indian snacks the most indicating that locals of these cities are skewed towards homegrown traditional snack options. 

Besides, the average for Ahmedabad stood at 61%, equivalent to the national average, followed by Delhi and Jaipur at 60 % each. The average for Pune residents opting for Indian snacks over their Western counterparts stood at 59%, followed by Lucknow at 57%. The average for Mumbai stood at 56%, while Bangalore stood last at 55%.