In the latest advancement in India’s smart protein sector, Tata Consumer Goods has launched its own brand of plant-based meats. Tata Consumer Products (TCPL, a US$9 billion giant and one of India’s leading FMCG players) has begun selling their new ‘Tata Simply Better’ line of plant-based meats across India through their store on Amazon Prime and Flipkart! This nationwide launch of plant-based meats, from a company that is strongly committed to delivering better nutrition to their consumers, is a significant milestone in India’s smart protein story.
Smart protein – also referred to as alternative protein globally – focuses on pioneering foods that are viable alternatives to animal-derived meat, eggs, dairy, and seafood. And plant-based meats are at the forefront of smart protein. Today’s plant-based meats go far beyond the previous generation of soya nuggets to provide meat eaters with a simple switch, not a sacrifice.
Speaking about the launch, Varun Deshpande, MD, at expert smart protein nonprofit Good Food Institute India, says, “The Tata brand is synonymous with trust and India’s multicultural heritage – which makes them perfectly placed to take plant-based meats to India’s true mass market.
Tata Consumer Products has a reach of over 200 million households, and an avowed focus on health and nutrition. Protein is being carved out as a key area within this strategy, and with the growing demand for delicious, sustainable plant-based meats available across the length and breadth of the country, the launch of Tata Simply Better could help unlock huge potential in a multi-billion dollar category over the next decade.”
Tata Consumer Products is home to beloved brands like Tata Tea, Himalayan Water, and Tata Salt, and their entry into the plant-based sector is a true validation of the fact that 2021-22 is plant-based protein’s breakout moment in India.
Over the last year, a host of smart protein startups launched and at last count, the market has 200+ plant-based meat, egg, dairy products available from 40+ companies (as per GFI India’s startup database). TCPL’s joining these ranks reinforces that momentum.
