SMART INDULGENCE

JUICY SEEKH KEBABS, CHICKEN NUGGETS, MUTTON KEEMA, EGGS AND YOGURTS, ALL MADE OUT OF PLANT EXTRACTS. ARE INDIAN CONSUMERS READY TO EMBRACE THESE NEW-AGE 'GOOD-FOR-YOU PRODUCTS?

- AJITA SHASHIDHAR

When american elite special forces trainer and the winner of the reality TV series, The Ultimate Fighter, James Wilks, takes a trip around the world in pursuit of an optimum diet that would improve the performance of sportspersons in the Netflix documentary, The Game Changers, he debunks the age-old belief that animal protein is the only way one can build muscle, sustain energy levels and recover from stubborn injuries. The documentary, which critics call propaganda against the meat industry, gives a 360-degree view of the world of vegetarianism.

Wilks is not an exception. The idea of plant-based protein is catching on big time, especially in countries where meat consumption is high. In the US, where an average American consumes anywhere between 80 and 85 kilograms (kgs) of meat annually and can’t imagine a meal without beef or chicken, plant-based mock meat, eggs and dairy products have found their way into restaurant menus as well as homes. There is a whole generation of consumers substituting their favourite beef burger patty with a plant-based beef patty sold by the likes of Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods. In fact, the current plant-based meat market globally is already $5 billion, and growing rapidly The trend has been amplified further with celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Arnold Schwarzenegger embracing veganism. The trigger is the strong belief that plant protein is more nutritious and effective and consumption of animal protein has an adverse impact on the environment. “It is led by health, ethical and planetary considerations,” says Geetu Gidwani Verma, a management consultant in the global FMCG space, and former Global Vice President, Nutrition and Natural Platforms, Unilever.