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India’s Protein Boom Has a Taste Problem

23h ago · 2 sources · trend

Protein is everywhere in India right now. Bars, shakes, flour, ice cream, even smoothies with 6g per serve. ITC’s Yoga Bar runs from 5g to 10g and up to 20g per serve. Its Right Shift oats pack 23g per 100g. Amul has been building a functional protein range for four years. Marico bought Cosmix. Hindustan Unilever took full control of OZiva. The land grab is on.

And yet, the average Indian diet is still cereal heavy. Between 2023 and 2024, 45.9% of rural consumers and 38.7% of urban consumers got protein from cereals. Only 12.9% of urban and 11% of rural consumers relied on milk and milk proteins. Intake is rising, urban consumption moved from 58.8g to 63.4g per day, rural from 59.3g to 61.8g. But quality and diversity are still gaps.

Now zoom out to beverages. Everyone wants protein soda. Few can make it taste good. Proteins break, cloud, and throw off-notes in carbonated systems. Industry voices say 10g per can is the ceiling if you want mainstream appeal.

That is the tension shaping the category. Demand is real. The science is evolving. But taste still rules. The brands that win will not just add more grams. They will make protein feel normal, daily, and actually enjoyable.

Key facts

  • Protein is currently dominating India’s nutrition sector, with formats ranging from protein powder and bars to protein ice cream and protein flour.
  • Between 2023 and 2024, 45.9% of rural Indians and 38.7% of urban Indians consumed cereal as a source of protein, while only 12.9% of urban and 11% of rural Indians consumed milk and milk proteins for protein.
  • Average protein intake per capita per day increased from 58.8 grams to 63.4 grams in urban areas and from 59.3 grams to 61.8 grams in rural areas.
  • ITC’s Yoga Bar offers products with 5g to 10g and 20g of protein per serve, while Sunfeast Breakfast Smoothie contains 6g of protein per serve.
  • Right Shift oats contain 23g of protein per 100g and 11g of fiber per 100g.
  • Protein soda is harder to formulate because most proteins break, cloud or create off-notes in a carbonated system.
  • Experts say staying at or below 10g of protein in soda is key for taste, and 10g is becoming a standard figure per can.
  • In India, companies such as Marico and Hindustan Unilever have acquired protein-focused brands like Cosmix and OZiva, while Amul has been building its functional protein range for the past four years.
  • 45.9%
  • 38.7%
  • 12.9%
  • 11%
  • 58.8g
  • 63.4g
  • 59.3g
  • 61.8g

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