September 18, 2025
Indian consumers are putting higher-value, protein-forward foods made from pulses to the test — kebabs, nuggets, even biryani-ready proteins. Taste and price remain challenges, but could this quiet experiment in one of the world’s biggest pulse buyers redefine demand, formats, and trade flows across the globe?
India is no longer only a buyer of pulses — it is also a proving ground for higher-value, finished formats, especially in familiar favorites like biryani and kebabs.
There is cooking, there is packaging… and there is perception. GFI India’s Meat Your Match study (2024) compared plant-based and conventional versions of popular dishes: kebabs, nuggets, samosas, and keema. Consumers consistently rated plant-based packaging as superior — modern, premium, and clear on vegetarian credentials. In the kitchen, most treated these products like animal meat, relying on intuition over instructions.
Taste results were mixed but promising. Plant-based products came close to animal meat in overall appeal, though texture and juiciness still lagged. Some tasters noted dryness or a soy-like mouthfeel, especially when overcooked. Yet many described the experience as satisfying enough to consider these options when traditional meat wasn’t available.
Young, urban — and curious. With 30 percent of consumers aware of plant-based meat, companies are innovating to win on taste and texture.
"Indian consumers are definitely experimenting with more elaborate plant-based foods, with the market growing by 18% in the last three years and new product formats like high-protein blocks gaining traction, especially among health-conscious urbanites looking for functional options beyond traditional staples", says Sonalie Figueiras, founder and editor-in-chief of Green Queen, a leading global food tech news and analysis media platform. “The real momentum for plant-based proteins in India is definitely with younger, urban, and well-educated flexitarians, who are increasingly seeking sustainable, high-protein foods as part of a more modern and health-focused lifestyle, and this audience is being targeted by celebrity-driven marketing and branding.”
The country already counts 370+ plant-based products across 70+ brands (GFI India, 2024), spanning both Western formats like nuggets or patties and Indian favorites like seekh kebabs and biryani proteins. The innovation pipeline is not only growing but diversifying rapidly.
The bigger picture underscores why this matters. Global retail sales of plant-based foods reached US$28.6 billion last year (GFI, State of the industry report 2024), and Asia-Pacific remains the fastest-growing region. For India, where meat consumption is low but protein demand is rising, this opens strategic space. Pulses, a dietary cornerstone and import priority, are at the heart of these formulations.
Affordability is the main hurdle. Many Indian consumers view plant-based meats as costly relative to portion size, framing them as substitutes rather than staples. But when taste and price align, willingness to switch rises sharply.
Recent market data help frame that shift. According to IMARC Group (March 2025), the Indian plant-based meat market was worth US$98.6 million last year, and is forecast to grow to US$737.9 million by 2033 at a CAGR of ~22.3%.
Consumer awareness and trial are rising. A 2024 study by GFI India and Kantar World Panel found that while familiarity with plant-based meat and dairy is growing — with 30 per cent and 50 per cent awareness respectively —, the trial rates stand at a lower 11 per cent for meat and 23 per cent for dairy. GlobalData’s research complements this, revealing that 37% of consumers consider plant-based attributes essential when buying food, while a further 42% see them as a desirable feature.
So, what could accelerate adoption? “Bringing prices down and delivering better texture hinges on investing in local ingredient sourcing, scaling up production, and working with food tech startups to develop products that truly meet Indian tastes and budgets. A good example is the recent collaboration between [popular Indian restaurant chain] Haldiram's and [Indian huge player in plant-based meat] GoodDot”, explains Figueiras.
For the global pulse industry, the implications go well beyond India’s role as a buyer of raw peas and beans. This wave of tech- and product-driven growth signals rising demand not just for commodities but for extraction, formulation, texturising, flavouring.
India seems to be running a live customer lab, testing how well plant-based products can compete on taste, price, nutrition, and familiarity. Traders, exporters, innovators, and input suppliers should be monitoring this development: the premium is in delivering on multiple fronts (texture, price, nutrition), not just raw ingredient volume.
India’s experiment should be building demand for new processing pathways, product formats, and ultimately, new trade flows — yet another reason making it a market to watch very closely.
Plant-based meat in India / Agri-food tech / alt protein / Indian market trends / pulses innovation
Disclaimer: The opinions or views expressed in this publication are those of the authors or quoted persons. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Global Pulse Confederation or its members.
