This National Croissant Day, ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations and Swiggy Decode How a French Pastry is Becoming One of India’s Favourite Snacks

29 Jan: ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations and Swiggy, India’s pioneering on-demand convenience platform, unveils interesting trends on ‘How croissant is becoming India’s favourite snacks’ ahead of the National Croissant Day (January 30).

Today, nearly one in every three croissants ordered across major metros comes from ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations, and to celebrate this growing croissant culture, the brand is partnering with Swiggy to bring the full world of croissants to consumers through CroissantVerse, a curated discovery experience with 18 variants of croissants across sweet and savory. These include protein-rich variants from ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations such as High Protein Chicken Bechamel Cropie and High Protein Paneer Bhurji. These croissants will be exclusively available on EatRight, the health focused category on Swiggy.

One of the most exciting shifts is not just in flavours but in how croissants are showing up on plates. It’s no longer sticking to the classic crescent avatar. Some of the recent launches include Pinwheel croissants with peanut–chilli–garlic flavours are inspired by thecha-style spice cravings, and CroPies, that are croissant shells filled with hearty savoury fillings, turning flaky pastry into snack-meal hybrids with fillings such as Paneer Bhurji, Chicken Béchamel, Chicken Tikka & Mutton Keema. Consumers are choosing these the same way they’d choose snack rolls, mini meals or quick evening bites. 

Croissants in India are no longer waiting for brunch plans. They are showing up at chai breaks, after-work snack runs and midnight hunger pangs and in big numbers. In the last one year, over 1.5 million croissants were ordered on Swiggy across key metros, with orders growing by nearly 20% year-on-year, showing how quickly this flaky favourite has moved from a “special treat” to a regular craving. From office snack breaks to post-dinner dessert cravings, croissants are no longer just café add-ons, they are becoming a standalone choice.

The data reveals the following trends:

• India Likes Croissants with Extra Masala: While croissants globally are associated with sweet flavours, Indian consumers clearly prefer them with more bite.
• 56% of croissant orders in India are savoury: In cities like Mumbai and Pune, over 60% of croissant demand is for savoury variants 
• Popular choices include chicken-filled croissants, egg and cheese combinations, mushroom and hearty sandwich-style fillings. Croissants are now competing directly with burgers, puffs and wraps, in the same hunger window, just a lot flakier 
• Croissant Capitals of India: India’s largest metros are fast becoming hotbeds for croissant culture, with cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune driving high demand and shaping new ways of enjoying the flaky favourite. Within these trend-setting markets, ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations emerges as the most preferred croissant brand in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, while continuing to scale up its presence in Mumbai and Pune as the category gains momentum across cities 
• Classics still rule: While new flavours and formats are gaining popularity, almond croissants continue to be the most loved choice among classic options, with ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations’ Frangipane Almond Croissant ranking among the top-ordered croissants across key metro cities.

Commenting on the evolving consumption patterns, Rohit Bhalla, Business Head – Food Tech, ITC Limited, said: “At ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations, our goal is to bring the world of croissants to Indian consumers and make them a regular, everyday choice in Indian households, rather than an occasional café indulgence. Our chefs take pride in innovating formats and flavours suited to Indian palates, while staying true to the craft of croissant making. Our recent launches of CroPies, an interesting format innovation combining croissants and pies with hearty savoury fillings like Paneer Bhurji, Mutton Keema and Chicken Béchamel and Pinwheel croissants have been an instant hit with consumers, reflecting the growing preference for croissants as snack-meal hybrids. At the same time, our classics such as the French Butter Croissant, Frangipane Almond Croissant, and the indulgent Dark Fantasy Chocolate Loaded Croissant continue to garner strong consumer love and high repeat rates, showing that Indian consumers are embracing both authentic and innovative croissant formats. With a wide range of variants, our ‘CroissantVerse’ is designed to stay relevant across different cravings, moods and moments. We will continue to bring first-to-market innovations in croissants and keep the category exciting, accessible and thriving across Indian cities.”

Added Sidharth Bhakoo, Chief Business Officer, Swiggy Food Marketplace “What’s interesting is how croissants are being chosen across very different eating moments from evening snack cravings to late-night dessert runs. As flavours and formats evolve, consumers are clearly treating croissants as full-fledged snack options rather than just café accompaniments, which reflects how the category is moving into everyday food choices.”