Parul
A delegation of the newly-formed Plant-Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) recently met with the minister of state for Food Processing Industries, Prahlad Singh Patel in New Delhi.
The delegation, led by the Association’s Executive Director, Sanjay Sethi, informed the union minister on the state of the developing but rapidly expanding plant-based food sector in India. Noting that the sector was poised for explosive growth, Sethi sought the union minister’s guidance and support to turn it into a major industry catering to both domestic and global markets through policy changes, capacity building, enabling ease of business, and other interventions. The global plant-based food market is expected to reach 77.8 billion US$ in 2025.
Sethi asked PBFIA to have a special meeting with the Ministry to discuss Cold Chain logistics and explore what can be done to smoothen daily parcel operations between major cities for the industry. Patel asked the AVP of Invest India, Gaurav Sishodia who was also present at the meeting, to collaborate with PBFIA for its various initiatives.
Sethi said that he is delighted that the minister has sought the PBFIA’s assistance to organise two major events, one involving all the Indian stakeholders in the plant-based ecosystem, and another where international players would be invited as well, to understand and address all the challenges faced by the industry. The minister also appreciated the youthful energy and enthusiasm of the PBFIA delegation.
Plant-based food can also be a meat alternative, and according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) industry report, India seems to be a nascent market for plant-based meat substitutes.
Indians have traditionally consumed soybeans, jack fruit, dairy, and pulses for protein. According to the UN Livestock Long Shadow Report, around eight out of 21 alternate meat start-ups were launched during 2019–20 and five international and domestic players forayed into this segment during 2020–21.
India has emerged as the largest consumer base in the world, with a massive scale of urbanisation and transition in income groups. As per a survey conducted by the University of Bath and the Good Food Institute in 2019, 63 per cent of Indians were either very or extremely likely to buy plant-based meat daily.
