What does India need to become the protein powerhouse of the future?

When Huber Butchery in Singapore became the first butcher shop in the world to sell cultured chicken sourced from Good Meat in 2023, it wasn’t just a watershed moment for food innovation, it was a demonstration of the future of sustainable food. Customers browsing the familiar glass displays encountered meat never seen on a farm, grown directly from animal cells in bioreactors. This marked a transition away from traditional sources of protein which are also sources of cruel animal slaughter, carbon emissions and unsustainable use of land, water and feed resources. While countries like Singapore are taking bold steps to pioneer smart proteins, the question remains: can India, with its vast agricultural diversity, talented workforce and growing protein requirement, lead this transformation to become the protein powerhouse of tomorrow? could?

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Indian consumers are caught in the “protein paradox”. We produce the largest quantities of pulses, dairy and other protein-rich foods in the world, yet millions of us still fall short of getting enough protein every day. According to the Indian Dietetic Association, 73% of Indians do not meet their daily protein needs. It’s not just about availability, it’s about priorities. We are a carb-loving country where rice, roti, and dal often take center stage on the plate, but the protein part is either missing, misunderstood, or ignored. Affordability is a barrier for many people. For others, it’s a lack of awareness about why protein matters or a cultural mindset where “protein deficiency” seems like something that happens somewhere else, not in a country with farms and dairies.

Despite these challenges, India is seeing rapid growth of smart protein startups, with more than 100 companies dedicated to developing alternative proteins. The region is seeing rapid innovation in plant-based, fermentation-based and cultured proteins, each offering a sustainable alternative to animal-based products. The market is already showing impressive diversity, with over 500 products available across retail and online channels. This growing presence in the market indicates that consumers are beginning to embrace alternatives, driven by concerns about health, sustainability and ethics.

There is immense growth potential for India’s smart protein sector. It is projected to reach $4.2 billion by 2030, a reflection of growing consumer demand for sustainable protein sources. Globally, the alternative proteins market is estimated to be worth $15.7 billion by 2024, with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% to reach $25.2 billion by 2029. With India’s growing middle class, urbanization and health awareness, there is a strong case for the country to become the future protein market leader.

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Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet.
Photo Credit: iStock

Additionally, India’s agricultural strength, especially the diversity of indigenous crops such as millets and legumes, can be harnessed to develop cost-effective and locally relevant alternatives. Cutting-edge technologies such as precision fermentation, which use microbial systems to produce specific proteins such as non-animal whey, are creating opportunities to mimic traditional animal-based protein functionality without the environmental drawbacks. Similarly, biomass fermentation, using microorganisms such as fungi to produce dense, nutrient-rich proteins, is gaining momentum as a scalable solution.
The government’s support, including policies and funding, for research into smart proteins underlines its commitment to food security, sustainability and tackling climate change while opening up new economic opportunities.

However, there are challenges to overcome. Consumer awareness remains limited, with only 27% of early adopters knowing about plant-based meats, and only 11% having tried them. A cultural mindset, where processed food is viewed with suspicion and “protein deficiency” is not widely recognized, further complicates the adoption process. The sector will need to focus on educating consumers about the health and environmental benefits of smart proteins and overcoming the barriers of taste and affordability. Advances such as texturization and extrusion technologies are already helping to bridge this gap, improving the sensory mimicry of meat to satisfy Indian tastes. Innovations in formulation are also addressing nutrition, ensuring that plant-based alternatives can match or exceed the protein profiles of traditional sources.

Furthermore, while alternative proteins generally offer nutritional benefits such as higher fiber content and less saturated fat than animal-based products, the nutrient profiles of these products still show variability. Continued innovation and biofortification will be key to ensuring that plant-based and cultured proteins meet the nutritional standards of conventional proteins. With the development of farmed meat technologies globally—such as the use of bioreactors to grow animal cells without farming—India has the potential to build the greenfield infrastructure to scale this innovation domestically, provided Necessary R&D and pilot facilities should be established.

About the Author: Sneha Singh is Managing Director, GFI India

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