Alt-protein in India: Formulators capture local tastes, flavors and culinary traditions

11 Mar 2024 --- Alternative protein innovators are making strides in India, where the sector has gathered pace as consumers embrace substitutes to animal-derived protein. Health, ethical and environmental concerns over conventional meat production are the key drivers for the country’s alt-protein domestic advancement, while the government agency, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, is actively promoting the export of plant-based food.

We take an in-depth look at the burgeoning sector with key players from India who are helping to bridge the protein gap in a country where nearly 84% of vegetarian diets are said to be protein deficient.

They posit that plant-based protein is the answer to this nationwide problem.

Dr. Navneet Singh Deora, CTO at Blue Tribe Foods, which manufactures plant-based meat from pea protein and soy protein, calls for a comprehensive strategy to explore alt-protein opportunities in India, to ensure the country drills down on future opportunities.

“We can bridge this gap by the route of alternative protein products considering affordability and socio-cultural factors,” he tells Food Ingredients First.

Varun Gadodia and Shantanu Dhangar, co-founders of Seaspire (Image credit: Seaspire).F&B launches with alternative protein in India had a 11% increase (CAGR) between 2019–2023, Innova Market Insights’ data indicates.

One way to add appeal is to “Indianize” food to tempt the country’s growing middle class who are willing to pay more for healthier options.

“The Indian middle class is seeking Indianized forms of Asian cuisine items such as ramen and sushi and our products exemplify this,” Varun Gadodia, co-founder and director of innovation and strategy at Seaspire, which formulates plant-based seafood, tells us.

However, alt-protein must become price comparable to their animal-protein counterparts, accessible for at-home familiar cuisine and be a bigger part of foodservice menus.

Capturing local tastes
Studies back up the call for alt-protein products in India to be adapted to local flavors and textures, allowing integration into existing diets and culinary traditions.

“On a typical Indian dinner plate, protein is just a part of the whole plate, never a centerpiece. Such dynamics influence the adoption of food products in India, unlike in the West, where standardized products are easy to scale in different regions,” notes Gadodia.

“Westernized products still have good adoption in metros and tier-one cities, yet they have to have local flavors for mainstream adoption.”

Products mimicking popular Indian dishes like chicken curries appeal to consumers (Image credit: GoodDot).Sairaj Dhond, founder and CEO of Wakao Foods, which formulates plant-based meat from jackfruit with its neutral flavor and meat-like texture, agrees.

“While the US and Europe have witnessed significant growth and investment in the alt-protein space, India presents unique challenges and opportunities shaped by its diverse culinary traditions, dietary habits and affordability considerations.”

But Indians are opening up to plant-based meat, observes Sandeep Devgan, co-founder of Shaka Harry, a ready-to-cook plant-based meat company.

“The booming plant-based market, with a projected growth to US$1.5 billion by 2025, reflects strong consumer demand for plant-based alternatives, supported by a 72% willingness among Indian consumers to try these options.”

Notably, companies like Udaipur-based GoodDot focus on taste and familiarity with products mimicking popular Indian dishes such as kebabs, tikka and chicken curries. 

Meanwhile, Shaka Harry collaborates with flavor supplier Stonefield Flavors to mimic the taste and texture of traditional meats, including ranges of “just like” mutton and chicken.

There is also an “explosion” in product formats — from plant-based chicken nuggets and samosas, to plant-based biryanis, curries and keemas.

Jackfruit, with its fibrous texture and neutral taste, presents a compelling plant-based meat alternative, says Dhond (Image credit: Wakao Foods).India has 377 products across 41 formats and 73 plant-based brands across meat, eggs and dairy available in retail and e-commerce channels.

Leveraging foodservice
“The green shoots are everywhere. Consumers are looking for innovative plant-based solutions and demand the same from food outlets,” Abhishek Sinha, co-founder and CEO of alt-meat company GoodDot, tells Food Ingredients First.

Mansi Virmani, communications manager at the Good Food Institute India, also believes “if consumers like the product in a foodservice space, they may be more likely to then pick it off grocery shelves.”

Wakao Foods is planning to tap into foodservice too, with its quick-service restaurant Wakao Eats, reveals Dhond.

“We plan to capitalize on these opportunities by introducing new plant-based products, scaling our manufacturing capabilities and strengthening partnerships with retailers and foodservice providers.”

India has over 500 standalone restaurants and hotels with plant-based menus in the top eight cities.

Tackling texture
According to Gadodia, alt-seafood is the most challenging in terms of recreating the right texture. 

Diversity of food habits and preparation methods make alt-meat's taste and texture complicated (Image credit: Blue Tribe Foods).“Developers must understand the physical science around protein and fats to develop close mimics for seafood textures.” To reach the conventional flavors, formulators have to rely on generic fish-like flavoring compounds such as algal derivatives and nature-identical flavors.

Seaspire focuses on generic lean fish textures, which are relatively “easier to approach” and avoid “over-promising” to consumer expectations, he adds.

Replicating traditional meat’s “savory flavor and juicy texture” characteristic also poses a challenge that Wakao Foods tackled with extensive R&D, ingredient selection, flavor enhancement and texture optimization.

“Texture and taste are complicated terms to overcome in the space of alt protein meat considering the diversity of food habits and multiple ways of preparation of food before it is consumed,” explains Dr. Deora.

To improve consumer acceptability, formulators need to scientifically understand the flavor compounds representing taste and their interaction with food components.

Formulators also need to explore techniques like “high moisture and low moisture extrusion” for creating the required texture in plant-based meats, he flags.

The way forward
Currently, alt-meats in India are costlier than animal meat, owing to higher taxes and ingredient costs.

Indian agriculture is primed to provide inputs, raw materials and end-products for the global plant-based foods market, says Virmani. (Image credit: GFI India).“On the taxation front, animal meats often enjoy subsidies and lower tax rates, whereas plant-based alternatives are subject to a higher rate of GST, currently at 18%,” states Virmani from GFI India.

Manufacturers also have to import ingredients like pea and wheat protein, flavors and binder systems, which further drive up the costs. Local production of these ingredients can go a long way in reducing costs, notes Sinha.

Moreover, specialized compounds such as “algal derivatives, konjac and specialized fats” for alt-seafood reach India at a premium because of low volume imports and duties, says Gadodia — who believes techniques like precision fermentation and local production of proteins can help the sector achieve price parity with conventional meat.

As the category evolves, alt-protein brands in India will also reduce additives and enhancers.

Moreover, India’s diverse agricultural land is expected to drive export potential for plant-based meat alternatives from US$278 million–US$864 million in 2030 as per GFI’s economic analysis.

By Insha Naureen