Written By: Resham Daswani

India's Dessert and Ice Cream (D&IC) business is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% and could become a thriving centre for making ice cream. People who care about their health and are willing to pay more for high-quality, locally sourced products are driving this growing market.

Dessert and Ice cream brands also benefit from expanding existing markets and developing novel means for reaching those customers.

So this article is for all those aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start a dessert franchise in India, and searching for the best dessert and ice cream franchises in India to begin with.

But before we dive into the details of the top dessert franchises in India to consider in 2023, let us look at the various categories that this business can be segmented into.

1. Ice Cream Parlors - These businesses typically sell ice cream in various forms (cones, sundaes, shakes, and so on) and in a variety of flavours. You may be able to personalise your ice cream with a variety of toppings and other options.
2. Frozen Yoghurt - Franchises in this category focus solely on selling frozen yoghurt, and typically offer a wide variety of flavours and toppings.
3. Bakeries & Dessert Cafes - Desserts such as cakes, pastries, muffins, cookies, and other baked foods are available from franchises in this market. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate could also be available.
4. Donut Franchises - Doughnut and related product franchises that typically sell a wide selection of doughnut flavours and toppings.
5. Waffles & Pancakes - Waffle, pancake and pancake franchises offer delicious treats including syrups, fruits, and fillings.
6. sugar free Or Health-Conscious Desserts - Dessert franchises that offer sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free, and vegan options to health-conscious customers.
7. Fruit-Based / Natural Flavoured Desserts - Dessert-focused franchises serve items such as fruit salads, parfaits, and ice cream made from fruit.

It's important to keep in mind that some dessert and ice cream franchises may give the same things and belong to more than one segment.

Top 10 Dessert Franchises in India for 2023

India has one of the largest populations and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. So, the food business in India, including the dessert business, is doing well. There are many dessert franchises in the country, and they all have different ideas, goods, and services.

The best dessert franchises in India give their owners full support, including training on how to run the business, help with marketing, and dessert recipes.

If you want to start a sweet franchise in India, here’s our list of the Top 10 Dessert Franchises in India.

1. Uncle Peter’s Pancakes

Uncle Peter's Pancakes was started in 2018, and since then it has become Bangalore's favourite pancake brand. It flew to Kolkata, Lucknow, and Pondicherry in 2021. Uncle Peter's Pancakes wants to have more than 50 locations in the United States by 2023.

Uncle Peter's Pancakes has put in a lot of hard work to come up with a menu that not only has a lot of different options but also keeps moving forward by coming up with new ideas. We're proud to have types that aren't sold anywhere in India.

​​A committed brand that wants to bring pancakes to every home in India. Since more and more people in India are eating pancakes and there aren't that many options on the market, we've made it our goal to be India's favourite pancake brand.

• Investment - Rs 10-15 Lakhs

2. The Belgian Waffle

If we had to pick a single moment when The Belgian Waffle Co. came to be, it would be when Shrey was working abroad and trying out different foods. He was on a food experimentation spree when he found this delicious, symmetrically patterned, and unique dessert food that he couldn't wait to bring back to his country.

He carefully wrapped up this idea and took it all the way back to India, where it finally turned into the popular food franchise The Belgian Waffle Co. The Belgian Waffle Co. opened in 2015 and is owned and run by Bloombay Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. It was built on the values of quality, simplicity, and affordability.

This brand offers full support, which includes the design of the store, training on how to run it, help with marketing, and, of course, the product and its ingredients. We would love to talk to suitable people who share our goals and interests.

• Investment - Rs 12-15 Lakhs

3. Thanco’s Natural Ice Cream

Our goods have literally been made for your consumption just moments ago. Since we are aware that our customers place a premium on cleanliness and comfort, we take great care to ensure that our retail locations reflect the high standards to which we hold ourselves.

The journey began in 2006, and it continues to be both interesting and hard to this day. Since opening our first Thanco's Natural Ice Cream franchise in 2009, we have expanded across India to include more than ninety locations. Neither the high-quality, nutritious product nor "YOU" would have allowed us to succeed. With your unwavering support, we know we can make our all-natural ice cream the best in Bangalore and all of India.

We pose a significant threat to established ice cream companies both domestically and internationally because we are rapidly expanding our distribution network and have established ourselves as a market leader in the natural ice cream category in India.

• Investment - Rs 10-15 Lakhs

4. Giani’s

In 1956, Giani Gurcharan Singh moved to Delhi, the capital of India, from Faisalabad, Pakistan. He started the original store, which was called Giani Di Hatti. It might be of interest to learn if your family has been a customer of ours for generations.

Giani's Rabri Faluda quickly rose to prominence as Delhi's favourite gourmet dish. It has been a fan favourite for over fifty years. Giani's in Fatehpuri, Chandni Chowk, Delhi-6, the very heart of Delhi, still uses the original, legendary recipe.

What a wild and crazy ride it has been; this is when the roots of your love for the past 63 years began to grow and blossom into our beautiful tree. Mr. Anandpreet Singh, Mr. Amarpreet Singh, Mr. Gurpreet Singh, and Mr. Kawarpreet Singh, all of whom serve as Directors of Giani's Ice Cream, came together to ensure the company's continued success.

Because you keep us around, we've been able to experiment with new and exciting flavour combinations. We launched our nationwide expansion to bring you the finest ice cream possible, wherever you may be.

• Investment - Rs 15-20 Lakhs

5. Cream Stone Ice Cream Concepts

This belief, along with the fact that we are ice creams, led us to consider how we could make these refreshing treats even more irresistible, and thus the idea of the Cream stone was born. Cream stone began its adventure as ice cream designers in 2009 and has not stopped moving forward since.

The process of creating an exotic dessert is just as fascinating as our consumers have said our ice creams are. The ice cream is hand-mixed and beaten on a frozen cold stone, with the correct proportions of ingredients and ice creams added and twisted as needed.

Even though ice cream is typically enjoyed on the go, we have specially constructed cream stone stores for people who prefer to relax in comfort while satisfying their sweet appetite.

• Investment - Rs 30-50 Lakhs

6. Mad Over Donuts

In 2008, Mad Over Donuts was established in Singapore, and that same year, the company opened a branch in India. Since then, they've expanded into more metropolitan areas and retail centres, where they sell a wide range of tasty donuts with interesting fillings.

The brand's success can be attributed to its novel tastes, premium ingredients, and inviting retail settings. To keep things interesting for customers, they regularly roll out new seasonal and limited-edition donuts.

Our Mad Over Donuts franchise is founded on the principle of making all our donuts from scratch, daily. Dozens of different glazes, fruit, chocolate, savoury, and spicy doughnut flavours are available, as is the company's belief that there should be something for everyone.

• Investment - Rs 15-30 Lakhs

7. Twisting Scoops

The ice cream at Twisting Scoops is unlike anything you've ever tasted. We take care to maintain a wide variety of historic customs, buildings, artefacts, and cultural practises that have been passed down to us. There are no chemicals in our ice cream, and we only use natural ingredients.

In short, the ice cream at Twisting Scoops is created with all-natural ingredients, so vegetarians can eat with complete peace of mind.

• Investment - Above Rs 30 Lakhs

8. Cocoberry

Cocoberry is the pioneer and market leader in the Indian frozen yoghurt industry, having launched in 2009.

The Cocoberry name and product are 100% Indian. Our items are tailored to everyone’s preferences. Cocoberry's Sugar-Free Yoghurt is also wheat-allergy-friendly, making it the only brand of its kind. Flavoured In comparison to ice cream, frozen yoghurt is more nutritious.

It has around a third of the calories of high-quality ice cream, or little more than 1 calorie per gramme. Along with the other ingredients, the probiotic cultures it contains provide a wide range of health advantages.

Cocoberry's many toppings and sizes provide the perfect complement to our flavours.

• Investment - Rs 40-50 Lakhs

9. Cakes N Craft

Cakes N Craft, with its headquarters in Indore, is a fantastic speciality cake business. They launched in 2013, and since then, they've been offering entrepreneurs and creative types of Cakes N Craft franchise opportunities.

They have a wide selection of delicious sweets and savoury treats, such as cupcakes, pastries, and both homemade and professionally designed cakes. They are a top name in the industry and are well-known throughout Central India.

They have the highest fame and recognition of any Patisserie. Their mission is to get everyone to check out their cake boutique, where they provide a wide variety of gourmet treats, gift baskets, chocolate-filled savoury delicacies, luxury macaroons and more.

• Investment - Rs 20-30 Lakhs

10. 99 Pancakes

The first 99 Pancakes opened in June 2017 to reasonable success in Mumbai's Kala Ghoda neighbourhood. Since then, we've expanded rapidly, and now our 40+ stores can be found in 10 different cities around India.

Mr. Vikesh Shah, the man who started our company, has always had a deep love for culinary exploration and innovation. His visionary leadership helped 99 Pancakes become the first company to market Mini Pancakes in India, which led to unprecedented growth for the company.

However, it does not rest on its laurels. We continually updated our menu with some spectacular relationships with nationally and internationally loved companies like Epigamia, Nutella, Kit Kat, My Fitness Rage Coffee, etc. because he thinks creativity is the key to success for every firm in any area.

• Investment - Rs 20-30 Lakhs

To Conclude,

The quest for healthier options, an increasing middle class, and shifting customer tastes have all contributed to the dessert and ice cream industry's promising future.

If you found our blog useful and are interested in setting up your own dessert franchise in India, get in touch with us at FranchiseBazar.  To know how to grow your food business in India, click here to find out.

Disclaimer: The brands mentioned in this blog are the recommendations provided by the author. FranchiseBAZAR does not claim to work with these brands / represent them / or are associated with them in any manner. Investors and prospective franchisees are to do their own due diligence before investing in any franchise business at their own risks and discretion. FranchiseBAZAR or its Directors, disclaim any liability or risks arising out of any transactions that may take place due to information provided in this blog.