Not too long ago, the croissant was an unfamiliar word for most Indian consumers, often mispronounced, occasionally misunderstood, and largely confined to niche bakery shelves. Today, however, it has quietly
entered the country’s mainstream snacking vocabulary, reflecting a broader shift in how India consumes and interprets global food formats.
“In India, croissant is no longer a niche, unfamiliar word. It has steadily become part of mainstream snacking vocabulary, driven by a generation that is curious, experimental and constantly seeking new formats,” says Shekhar Agarwal, General Manager, Marketing Adjacencies, Britannia.
This shift has been shaped by changing consumer behaviour, particularly among younger audiences who are more open to experimentation. For this generation, food is not just about taste but also about discovery, identity, and participation in shared cultural moments.
Recognising this evolving mindset, efforts have been made to make the croissant more accessible and relevant to everyday consumption. “Over the last two years, Britannia recognised this shift and set out to democratise the category. With Britannia Treat Croissant, the brand brought the format into everyday snacking moments, offering flavours such as Choco, Vanilla, Mixed Fruit, and Triple Choco to cater to diverse tastes,” explains Agarwal.
But familiarity with a product often begins with familiarity with its name. In this case, even pronunciation became an unexpected cultural entry point.
“To build familiarity, the firm leaned into the culture. The initial approach centred on pronunciation, brought alive through a unique Croissant Pronunciation Internship, which offered a one-day internship with a stipend of Rs 3 lakh, and a Snapchat lens that invited users to say ‘croissant’ and receive a croissant crown,” he says.
What followed was more than just a marketing exercise. The croissant began to take on a life of its own in the digital world.
“What began as a light nudge quickly turned into a larger internet conversation. The word was remixed, joked about and adapted in everyday interactions. The narrative moved from pronunciation to participation, with croissant becoming a cultural reference point rather than just a product,” adds Agarwal.
Perhaps the most telling sign of this cultural adoption was when the croissant was reinterpreted in a distinctly Indian way.
“That shift became evident when a creator mispronounced croissant as ‘Prashant.’ Instead of correcting the moment, Britannia embraced it,” he notes.
The moment reflected something deeper about how global influences are absorbed locally not by rigidly preserving their original form, but by reshaping them through humour, language, and familiarity.
“The idea expanded through ‘Bahar Se Croissant, Andar Se Prashant’ (#BCAP), featuring Jamie Lever, a take on how one may put up a croissant exterior, while the core remains distinctly Prashant, rooted in a love for the simple and familiar. Over 25 brands joined the trend, creating their own #BCAP moments,” says Agarwal.
These cultural moments have helped move the croissant beyond product shelves and into shared public experiences.
“National Croissant Day became another moment of celebration. From Sahil Khattar surprising people with croissant malas on the streets to this year’s Croissant’s Birthday rally with music, public celebrations, the brand continued to build familiarity and fun around the category by finding relevant ways to show up where consumer interest exists among younger Gen-Z,” he explains.
At its core, the croissant’s growing popularity in India reflects how cultural vocabulary evolves not through instruction, but through participation.
“As croissant continues to grow in India, Britannia remains focused on long-term category development, using flavour innovation and culturally relevant storytelling to build salience, with an aim to make croissant synonymous with Britannia Treat Croissant,” says Agarwal.
The journey of the croissant in India illustrates a larger truth about modern consumption. Products become part of everyday life not simply when they are available, but when they are understood, adapted, and woven into cultural conversation. In that sense, the croissant’s transformation from an unfamiliar foreign pastry into a familiar Indian snack is as much a cultural story as it is a culinary one.
