Business · Companies · 3 hrs ago
Indian households buying dark chocolate rose 45% in year to August
The number of Indian households buying dark chocolate rose 45% in the year to August.
The increase follows growth of 28.2% in 2024 and 11.3% in 2025, but dark chocolate is still bought by only 8.5% of households.
Urban consumers account for 87% of home purchases, and growth is concentrated in cities with more than one million people.
Dark chocolate, defined as chocolate containing more than 50% cocoa, remains a small part of India's chocolate market.
Quick-commerce orders and changing tastes are helping drive demand, alongside interest in health and wellness.
Wider growth faces barriers including price, consumer preferences and limited distribution in rural areas.
If the trend continues, dark chocolate could become a bigger driver of chocolate-market growth.
The number of Indian households buying dark chocolate rose 45% in the year ended August, according to Worldpanel by Numerator data.
Household adoption had grown 28.2% in 2024 and 11.3% in 2025.
Dark chocolate had household penetration of 8.5%, and urban consumers made 87% of purchases for home consumption.
Industry executives cited rising incomes, quick-commerce orders, health trends and changing preferences as factors supporting demand.
The category remains a small part of India’s chocolate market, with growth concentrated in large urban centres.
- Who
- Indian households are increasingly buying dark chocolate.
- What
- The number of households buying it rose 45% in the year ended August.
- When
- In the year ended August; the sources do not specify the year.
- Where
- India, with purchases concentrated in urban areas.
- Why
- Executives cited rising disposable incomes, aspirations, awareness, quick commerce, health trends and changing consumer preferences.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Household adoption of dark chocolate grew 28.2%.
Household adoption grew 11.3%.
The number of households buying dark chocolate rose 45%.
- Household buying growth
- 45% in the year ended August
- Previous growth
- 28.2% in 2024; 11.3% in 2025
- Household penetration
- 8.5%
- Urban share of home purchases
- 87%
- Dark chocolate definition
- More than 50% cocoa
- India chocolate market
- Roughly 15,000 crore rupees
What people are saying
Rising disposable incomes, aspirations and greater awareness are driving this evolution in consumer palate and acceleration in premiumisation
Dark chocolate remains a relatively small segment, but its momentum is striking
Dark chocolate is a key growth segment in India, fuelled by quick commerce and evolving consumer preferences
Dark chocolate is growing 3.8 times faster than the overall chocolate category