The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mithai boxes too are downsized

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Thursday, Oct 23, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mithai boxes too are downsized

Bangalore Bureau

Effects of the U.S. meltdown

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY: Sweets seem to have become ‘additional expense’ for many corporates this Deepavali.

BANGALORE: The American meltdown seems to have hit everything, including the desi tradition of giving away mithai as gifts during Deepavali.

With many corporates keen on cutting down on all additional expenses, including the money spent on giving away sweet boxes during Deepavali to their clients, business at some sweet shops is not exactly brisk. The owners are hoping that over-the-counter sales will make up for what they have lost by way of bulk orders this season.

A few leading sweet shops in Bangalore are planning to cut down on production anticipating lesser demand. Anand Sweets and Savouries has decided to reduce production to around 20 tonnes this year from 30 tonnes that was sold during the last Deepavali.

Arvind Dadu, Head of Sales and Marketing of Anand Sweets and Savouries, said: “IT (information technology) companies, hotels and the airline industry, which contributed up to 25 per cent of our business during festivals, have cut down on additional expenditure in their budgets. Since Deepavali this year comes at the end of October, people might not really be that extravagant.” Murugan, manager of Arya Bhavan, said: “The prices of raw material have increased sharply, leading to a 20 per cent increase in the cost of the finished product.” This too has affected the quantum of sweet production this year.

Sweet shops hope to counter such adversities with innovations in their range of sweets. Dry fruits, including cashew nuts, almonds, figs, apricots, walnuts and pistachios, are the prime temptation of the season. Others are planning to tempt the buyers with good packaging. Chunari boxes (fancy boxes) from Punjab and Delhi are being used to attractively package the sweets.

B. Giridhar, Manager of Bhagatram Sweets, said: “North Indian favourites, such as burfis and besan laddoos, packaged in fancy boxes are in demand this year.”

However, one of the largest bulk producers of sweets in the State, Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), seems to be unaffected by the downtrend. I.R. Ramalingegowda, Managing Director of Karnataka Milk Federation, said that sales have remained consistent, though prices of sweets have gone up this year because of inflation.

(With inputs from Anup Oommen, Clyde D’Souza and Suhasini Sriram)

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