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Soan papdi defended: a Rs 280 box beats kaju katli on Diwali re-giftability, with Haldiram's and Bikano owning the meme
Our read
Soan papdi stays the joke-friendly, value-for-money gift and the brands that own the meme will use it in campaigns.
For strategy teams
The column hints that shelf-stable, value-priced packaged sweets with strong brand memes may hold up well against perishable premium mithai in gifting, which could make scaled packaged-sweets players more interesting, but the evidence is anecdotal and any thesis needs real category sell-through and pricing data first.
Watch
Haldiram's or Bikano festive campaigns that explicitly reference re-gifting or the soan papdi meme
The report,
An ET Brand Equity column by Sandeep and Carol Goyal says a 500gm Soan Papdi box at Rs 280 (Rs 560 per kg) wins Diwali gifting on re-giftability, safety and shelf life. It cites Haldiram's and Bikano owning the meme.
- Kaju katli price per kgRs 1200-1600
- Soan papdi price per kgRs 560
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Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| Soan Papdi half-kilo price in a good box: | Rs 200-300 |
|---|---|
| Kaju Katli price per kg: | Rs 1200-1600 |
| Diwali gifts re-gifted within 48 hours: | 60% |
| Claimed Soan Papdi boxes sold every Diwali: | 100 million |
| Soan Papdi shelf life: | 3 months |
| New Diwali gift startups last year: | 400 |
What to track next
- Brand or retailer commentary on Diwali soan papdi sales versus last year, which would test the authors' unverified sales claims
- Movement in kaju katli prices away from the Rs 1,200-1,600/kg band, or discounting and smaller premium boxes
- Gift-box listings and shelf space for soan papdi growing on e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms
- Social media and press pickup of the column's argument beyond the trade audience
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Haldiram's and Bikano are likely to keep leaning into the soan papdi meme in Diwali marketing, since the column credits them with owning it and the joke costs them little.
- Haldiram's and Bikano may foreground the Rs 280 500gm box and the three-month shelf life in gift-pack promotions and retail displays.
- Premium and local mithai makers are likely to defend kaju katli, which sells at Rs 1,200-1,600/kg, with smaller boxes, assortments or freshness claims rather than price cuts.
- Corporate and bulk gift buyers are likely to keep favouring cheaper, longer-lasting boxes. The Rs 560/kg price gap is the main reason.
- Other packaged-snack and sweets brands may copy the self-aware humour for their own festive lines if the soan papdi joke keeps drawing attention.
The source
Published
First seen