India’s snacking market is no longer just about volume, it is entering a phase defined by premiumization, ingredient consciousness, and brand-led differentiation.
With the Indian savory snacks market estimated at over ₹50,000 crore and growing steadily, the real shift is happening beneath the surface: consumers are moving from commodity snacks to experience-driven, format-innovative, and ingredient-aware options.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Pawanjot Singh Kohli, co-founder Twirtles. He believes the next wave of growth in India’s snacking industry will not come from price wars but from product reinvention and sharper brand positioning.
Q. Could you talk about the gap in the market where consumers want snack options that don’t only deliver good taste but also excellent nutrition that led to the launch of Twirtles by Deccan Food Ventures?
When we launched Twirtles, we identified a clear gap in the Indian snacking market. Taste was optimised, distribution was optimized, but nutrition had not evolved at the same pace. Consumers were no longer satisfied with snacks that were either indulgent or positioned as niche health products. They wanted everyday snacks that delivered both taste and meaningful nutritional value.
This led us to build Twirtles with cleaner ingredients and no palm oil. However, as we studied consumption patterns more closely, we realized India faces widespread micronutrient gaps beyond protein. That insight led to Superpuffs, a fortified, science led snacking format designed to make everyday consumption smarter without compromising on flavor.
Q. For 2026 what goals have been set and what is the gameplan to get there?
2026 is a scale year driven primarily by Superpuffs. Our goal is to establish it as a nationally recognized functional snacking brand.
We plan to expand across metros and Tier 1 cities through Q-commerce and modern trade while driving depth of distribution, not just width. The focus is on velocity, repeat purchase, sharper positioning, and operational efficiencies to improve margins. The ambition is national, executed through structured expansion.
Q. How are premiumisation, ingredient consciousness, and brand-led differentiation redefining India’s snacking market?
Premiumisation today is value-led rather than price-led. Consumers are evaluating ingredient quality, oil type, fortification, and functional benefits.
Superpuffs reflects this shift. Each variant is designed with a defined nutritional profile, from Vitamin D and Calcium to B12, Iron, Zinc and Protein. The market is moving toward purposeful premium products that justify their positioning with tangible benefits.
Q. Consumers are moving from commodity snacks to experience-driven, format-innovative, and ingredient-aware options. Is that forcing the players in the snacking category to be innovative and throw out what worked a decade ago?
Yes. Earlier, scale was driven largely by distribution muscle and advertising. Today, format innovation and functional differentiation are equally critical.
Superpuffs represents that reset. It is not incremental innovation but a move toward mainstream fortified snacking. Consumers are open to new textures, formats, and ingredient stories, and brands must adapt accordingly.
Q. In scaling challenger brands against legacy giants who have been around for decades what are Twirtles and Superpuffs keeping in mind from product innovation to marketing and product packaging?
As a challenger brand, clarity is essential. Every Superpuffs variant has a clear nutritional reason to exist.
Packaging is designed to communicate benefits instantly. From a marketing standpoint, we focus on sharp positioning rather than heavy spending. Precision, speed, and differentiation are our competitive levers.
Q. Is transparency also crucial for a challenger brand to succeed?
Transparency is non-negotiable, especially for fortified products. Consumers can verify claims instantly.
We clearly communicate what nutrients are included and avoid exaggerated health messaging. Superpuffs is positioned as a smarter snack, not a medical product. That honesty builds long-term trust.
Q. Twirtles’ aim is to present Superpuffs as a science-backed option within the mainstream snacking category. How much R&D and science has gone into it?
Superpuffs was developed after studying micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in India.
The R&D process involved selecting relevant nutrients, ensuring stability during processing, maintaining taste integrity, and balancing texture and shelf life. The biggest challenge was ensuring fortification did not compromise flavor. Taste remains the primary driver of repeat consumption.
Q. What marketing campaigns and innovations can we expect from Twirtles and Superpuffs? Which are the key markets being targetted in 2026?
In 2026, Superpuffs will lead our marketing efforts. We are targeting metro and Tier 1 urban markets through Q-commerce, modern trade, and experiential activations.
Campaigns will combine creator-led storytelling, sampling programs, and educational digital content to normalise functional snacking within mainstream consumption.
Q. To what extent will the aim of marketing be to sharpen brand positioning?
Sharpening positioning is central to our strategy.
Twirtles chips represent clean, grain-based snacking. Superpuffs represents fortified, functional everyday snacking. Clear differentiation ensures stronger recall and reduces consumer confusion.
Q. In terms of the social media strategy what tactics will be adopted to ensure that the message hits consumers on social media platforms like Youtube, Instagram, Whatsapp when consumers are most receptive? Are noon, 4 pm the best time to hit consumers with messaging?
While snacking peaks mid-day and evening, timing alone does not drive impact.
We rely on data-driven performance tracking, analyzing engagement, watch time, saves, and conversion metrics. Creator partnerships, educational micro-content, and contextual messaging are prioritized over fixed posting windows.
Q. Could you talk about how Twirtles and Superpuffs will leverage the creator economy to get the message across?
We collaborate with micro-creators across fitness, parenting, and lifestyle segments who align with ingredient-conscious communities.
Rather than scripted endorsements, we focus on contextual storytelling that explains the relevance of nutrients like Vitamin D, B12, Iron, and Zinc within everyday diets.
Q. What shape will experiential marketing take in 2026 through product tastings, having a presence in malls, multiplexes?
Experiential marketing will include retail sampling, mall kiosks, multiplex activations, and campus outreach.
Superpuffs benefits significantly from tasting. Once consumers experience both flavor and understand the nutritional angle, repeat rates improve.
Q. On the distribution front is Q-commerce a major disruptor? Having said that is the fact that they cannot use the 10-minute promise anymore an issue?
Q-commerce is a structural shift in discovery and impulse buying.
For differentiated products like Superpuffs, digital shelves allow immediate ingredient comparison. Whether delivery is 10 or 20 minutes, the convenience habit is firmly embedded and continues to benefit the snacking category.
Q. How is Twirtles leveraging AI to make better, more informed decisions like pricing?
We leverage AI for demand forecasting, pricing sensitivity analysis, consumer review clustering, and pin-code level performance tracking.
For a growing challenger brand, AI reduces decision lag and improves capital efficiency.
Q. What impact will Gen Alpha have on the snacking category in the coming years? Are their preferences very different from Gen Z and Millennials?
Gen Alpha is growing up in ingredient-aware households where conversations around protein, vitamins, and health are common.
They are visually influenced and format-driven, but also increasingly function-aware. Superpuffs is designed to meet that shift, combining vibrant formats with measurable nutritional value.
