India’s Smart Protein Taste Test
A Blind Sensory Analysis of
Meat & Egg Alternatives
India’s largest publicly-available sensory analysis of 26 plant-based protein products
across 8 categories tested with 700 omnivores in Mumbai & Bangalore
India’s Smart Protein Taste Test is a first-of-its-kind sensory analysis of plant-based meat and egg alternatives in India. The result of a partnership between NECTAR, the Good Food Institute India (GFI India), and India Animal Fund, this report explores:
Taste performance of 26 products against animal benchmarks
Top R&D opportunities to improve consumer liking
Key positioning strategies for Indian consumers
Protein demand is rising across India’s population of more than
1.4 billion, and nearly three in four participants want to eat more meat to meet their protein needs. Plant-based products that deliver on taste can help meet this demand while strengthening food security, supply chain stability, and climate resilience.
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Indian Products Data Dashboard
Access the data behind the India’s largest public sensory analysis of meat & egg alternatives
in a free, easy-to-use digital dashboard.
Executive Summary
Quickly understand overall results with AI generated summaries on category performance and R&D opportunities.
Review a comprehensive overview of key metrics by category to surface results and hypotheses for further investigation.
Category R&D Roadmap
Navigate detailed sensory heat maps for each category to identify top R&D priorities across flavor, texture, appearance, and nutrition.
Use Qualitative responses to see what consumers are saying about India’s alternative proteins, by category, and to validate R&D roadmaps, gather proof points, and discover innovation white spaces.
Performance Snapshots
For each category, explore performance across a variety of sensory modalities (flavor, texture, appearance, similarity, etc). Use Preference Testing to compare performance of the average plant-based product to the leading plant-based product and the animal benchmark, with statistical significance testing, to see how the category stacks up!
Positioning Strategy
Investigate category performance by key demographic attributes (e.g., age, gender, education, purchase drivers, category consumption frequency) to guide marketing decisions and audience targeting.
Compare consumer expectations of and emotional responses to plant-based and animal-based meat and egg products.
Webinar
Join us on Tuesday, November 17th (9 am PT / 12 pm ET) for a first look at India’s Smart Protein Taste Test. We’ll explore where plant-based products already match their animal benchmarks, where the largest taste gaps remain, and which R&D opportunities can most increase consumer liking. The session will close with implications for product developers, investors, and researchers scaling smart proteins across India.
“Indian consumers already see plant-based products as natural and kinder to animals and the planet. With more R&D to further improve flavors and more localization to the Indian context, we believe these products are well placed to become a trusted source of protein.”
— Rajashekhar Reddy
Executive Director
Ipsos India
Photo credit: Evolved Foods