Pulse, a candy brand from Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), has over ₹750 crore at consumer price in the FY 2024-25 translating into 750 crore Pulse candies being sold in one year.
The company now plans to become a ₹1,000 crore brand in the next two years.
Over the past three fiscal years, Pulse has registered an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% against a CAGR of 9 % in the hard-boiled candy segment industry.
According to market data, Pulse candy currently holds a 19% market share in India’s hard-boiled candy segment and has been growing consistently.
The DS Group claims to hold the largest share of the ₹4,000-crore hard-boiled candy market, competing with Perfetti Van Melle India’s Alpenliebe, Parle’s Mango Bite, and ITC’s Candyman, among others.
DS Group sells Pulse through 3.5 million distributors and plans to expand into new consumer categories, including products for children to increase penetration among the under-18 demographic, and sugar-free options targeting health-conscious consumers.
Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, DS Group, said, “DS Group’s vision for Pulse, a leading Indian ethnic confectionery brand in India, is to evolve it into a multi-format, multi-occasion offering. We plan to achieve this by strategically moving into adjacent product categories, exploring innovative new formats, and capitalizing on the rich tapestry of regional flavors. Our consistent focus on brand building, enhanced consumer engagement, and achieving deeper market penetration will help us maintain our leadership position. We’re aggressively pursuing both domestic and international markets for expansion. On the domestic front, we’re leveraging our robust distribution network that has a reach of over 35 lakh outlets across India.”
He added, “Pulse, with its delightful fusion of fruity and surprisingly tangy flavors, particularly the familiar raw mango with a zesty core, offered an unparalleled sensory experience to the consumer. This distinctly appealed to India’s preference for tangy tastes which was a significant departure from the Western-format candies prevalent at the time. Pulse candy stands as a testament to the evolving Indian consumer who is more value-conscious today and DS Group truly leveraged this understanding by disrupting the market with its pricing strategy. At a time when 86% of the hard-boiled candy market was at the 50-paise price point, Pulse boldly launched at ₹1. This wasn’t just a higher price; it was a perceived higher value that resonated deeply with our palates and our pockets.”
“Pulse revolutionized the confectionery market by challenging the notion that candies were solely for children. It strategically tapped into an overlooked demographic, the adults, thereby significantly broadening the consumer base for impulse confectionery. Why should kids have all the fun? That was the premise. We leveraged our keen understanding of local palates and unmet consumer needs, allowing Pulse to redefine the segment and establish itself as a trendsetting brand with remarkable consumer loyalty. Even our packaging and design for Pulse was clutter-breaking,” he said.
