India, Aug. 14 -- It started, as so many things did, in the pandemic. People started posting about fragrances that smelled like food, the videos went viral, they spilled on to Instagram and then the real world got a whiff. At cafes, parties, restaurants and malls, there are trails of delicious aromas - caramel chocolate, pista gelato, mango mousse. You may think you're following your nose to a new bakery or pastry counter. You'll end up realising, more than once, that it was merely somebody's perfume.

Fragrance-manufacturers call the category Gourmand Scents. And it's the big trend in perfumes. Kayali's Yum Pistachio Gelato | 33 advertises notes of pistachio, whipped cream, roasted hazelnut, sweet rum, fluffy marshmallow and fizzy cotton...