Traditional Indian Beverages Get a Modern Reset With TeaFit's New Thandai and Karak Chai

NAVI MUMBAI, India - May 11, 2026 - PRLog -- As Indian consumers become increasingly conscious of sugar intake and ingredient quality, beverage startups are revisiting traditional Indian drinks through modern formulations. One such example is TeaFit, the Mumbai-based functional beverage brand that recently launched an unsweetened Thandai blend and an authentic unsweetened Karak Chai.

The launch comes at a time when India's functional beverage market is witnessing rapid growth, driven by rising awareness around wellness, reduced-sugar consumption, and demand for simpler ingredient lists.

Reworking Traditional Recipes

Traditionally associated with heavily sweetened tea served across cafés and roadside stalls, Karak Chai has become a staple beverage across urban India. TeaFit's version aims to retain the strong, tea-forward flavour of authentic karak while removing added sugar entirely.

According to the company, the Karak Chai contains only three core ingredients:

• Assam tea extract,
• real milk powder,
• and a natural anti-caking agent.

The formulation avoids maltodextrin, artificial creamers, and synthetic flavouring agents commonly found in instant chai premixes.

"With plain karak there is nowhere to hide; the tea has to be good or the cup falls flat," the company notes in its product documentation.

TeaFit's Thandai, meanwhile, has been positioned as a modern Indian summer cooler rather than a festive-only beverage. The caffeine-free blend contains nuts, seeds, saffron, and spices without added sugar.

The company says the product was designed to preserve the traditional balance of ingredients often missing in commercial thandai products that rely heavily on sugar and flavouring agents.

"Most commercial thandai products are mostly sugar with a flavouring of thandai. Ours focuses on nuts, seeds and spices instead," the company states.

A Larger Beverage Trend

Industry observers say the launches reflect a wider shift in consumer preferences toward traditional beverages with modern convenience and simplified formulations.

Instead of positioning chai and thandai as nostalgic products, brands are increasingly presenting them as contemporary beverages shaped by changing lifestyle habits, ingredient awareness, and evolving consumption patterns.

TeaFit's latest launches highlight how traditional Indian drinks are being reformulated for a new generation of consumers seeking both familiarity and convenience in everyday beverage choices.