Pune: Sweet Shops Prepare For Ganeshotsav Rush, Focus On Hygiene And Quality

Pune: As Ganeshotsav celebrations are set to begin in a few hours, sweet shops across Pune are preparing for an increase in demand for traditional mithai, dry-fruit delicacies and festive gift boxes.

From pedhas and modaks to kaju katli and assorted sweet hampers, retailers are expanding their displays while paying greater attention to hygiene, ingredient quality and food safety compliance.

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At Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale on FC Road, traditional favourites such as pedhas, besan ladoos, kaju katli and varieties of barfi remain important offerings. The store’s online catalogue also lists special Ganpati products in amba, kaju and mawa flavours. Prices vary according to the product, quantity and packaging.

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Akshay, a spokesperson for Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, FC Road, said, “Ganeshotsav is an important period for sweet sales. Customers generally look for fresh pedhas, ladoos, barfi and special offerings for puja and distribution among relatives. We are focusing on maintaining product quality, hygienic handling and proper storage. Customers are also becoming more conscious about the ingredients used in sweets.”

According to prices listed by Chitale Bandhu, selected sweets are available in different pack sizes. Listed prices include ₹180 for besan ladoos, ₹200 for pedhas and modaks, ₹220 for malai Mysore Pak and ₹250 for kaju katli. Ganpati-special products are listed at ₹225 and ₹260 for packs of 21 pieces, depending on the variety.

At Haldiram’s, the festive range includes kaju katli, peda, orange barfi, gulab jamun, rasgulla, anjeer dry-fruit barfi and assorted dry-fruit products. The company’s online listings show prices ranging from ₹125 for 250 grams of soan papdi to ₹325 for 250 grams of kaju katli and ₹455 for 250 grams of anjeer dry-fruit barfi.

“Customers are looking for both traditional sweets and premium products for gifting. Dry-fruit sweets and attractive gift packs are popular choices. We are also paying attention to packaging, storage conditions and the freshness of products throughout the festive period,” said Amit Sharma, an employee at Haldiram’s in Shivajinagar.

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Local sweet shops are also witnessing demand for traditional preparations.

“Pedhas, motichoor ladoos, besan ladoos and coconut barfi are among the products customers commonly seek during Ganeshotsav. Ingredient costs, especially milk products, sugar, dry fruits and ghee, influence our pricing. We are trying to maintain quality while offering different quantities to suit customers’ budgets,” said Sandeep Jadhav, owner of Shree Ganesh Sweets.

Nilesh Pawar, manager of Pradeep Sweets, said, “Customers are increasingly asking about freshness, preparation dates and the ingredients used in sweets. We are keeping our preparation areas clean, covering products and ensuring that sweets are stored according to their requirements. While premium dry-fruit sweets cost more, traditional ladoos and pedhas remain accessible to a wider section of buyers.”

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for enforcing food safety laws in the state. Its food safety framework requires food businesses to comply with licensing, hygiene and safe food-handling standards.

The FDA has also introduced a festival food safety enforcement framework covering inspections, sampling and anti-adulteration measures during festivals and religious events.

Under FSSAI directions, shops selling loose sweets must display the date of manufacture and best-before date on containers or trays holding the products. Food businesses are also expected to maintain hygienic preparation and storage conditions, protect sweets from contamination and use food-grade packaging. Newspaper should not be used to wrap food.

Priya Deshmukh, a customer at Chitale Bandhu, said, “Food safety is an important consideration when purchasing sweets. I prefer established stores because I feel more confident about their product quality, hygiene and packaging. During Ganeshotsav, I also check the freshness of the sweets before buying them.”

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