The Smooth Move

Collagen, the protein supplement, is the new must-have ingredient in your drinks, dishes, and café cravings

- By SHILPI MADAN

From sleep-inducing shots to beauty capsules, bars, and convenient stick packs, collagen has officially graduated from supplement shelves to the spotlight of lifestyle culture. These "collagen ninjas" have been quietly infiltrating your feed, and now they're turning up in cafés and restaurants, blending wellness with indulgence. like anti-aging waters at Malaika Arora's Scarlett House or the ethereal 'Walk On Clouds' on Mokai café's monsoon menu—yes, it's literally raining collagen.

"When I lived in London, a lot of healthy cafés offered things like lion's mane and collagen for coffees, and that's when it struck me why can't we do the same for matchas?" says Karreena Bulchandani, founder of Mokai café in Mumbai. She has brought that concept home, infusing collagen into drinks and smoothies in collaboration with Wellbeing Nutrition. The response has been quietly phenomenal, attracting a diverse crowd from 25 to 50 years old.

The allure is clear. With more people prioritising joint health, glowing skin, and staying fit, collagen's benefits are becoming impossible to ignore. "Collagen has incredible science-backed benefits, but we wanted to break it out of the supplement cabinet and make it part of your everyday rituals like your morning coffee or a casual café catch-up.