What if we told you that your favorite butter chicken was a lie? Sounds absurd, right? In a country where dishes like butter chicken and chicken tikka reign supreme, a quiet food revolution is underway.
Plant-based proteins are making their way onto plates, from biryanis to kebabs, challenging the deep-rooted tradition of meat consumption. But can these alternatives truly match the taste and nostalgia of real meat? The global plant-based protein market is projected to reach $40 billion by 2027, and India is not far behind in embracing the trend.
According to reports, India’s meat substitute market was valued at $253.4 million in 2023 and is expected to grow at a 6.2% CAGR until 2032. This surge is driven by rising health awareness, environmental concerns, and a shift toward sustainable eating habits. Startups are capitalizing on this growing demand, introducing a range of products from soy chaap to hyper-realistic mock meats that claim to replicate the texture and flavor of traditional meat.
While these alternatives offer a healthier and more sustainable option, the big question remains—will India be willing to trade its butter chicken for plant-based meat? As plant-based protein gains momentum, consumer acceptance will be the key factor in determining its success. Would you make the switch?
Eco-friendly? Perhaps not -
Lab-grown meat involves first harvesting cells from a living animal or a fertilized egg, to establish a cell bank that can be kept for decades in deep freeze. They are then cultivated in steel tanks where they are fed nutrients similar to what animals would eat. After several weeks, the result product is "harvested" from the tank and molded into shapes, such as chicken filet or satay.
While lab-grown meat has been billed as an environmentally friendly alternative, researchers from the University of California, Davis pushed back against this assumption in a study out last month, which hasn't yet been peer reviewed. They found cultivated meat's environmental impact is likely to be "orders of magnitude" higher -- at least in the case of beef, based on production methods.
This is because of the energy required and greenhouse gasses emitted across all stages of production. One of the most significant factors is the use of "purified growth media" or the ingredients used to help animal cells multiply, in methods similar to those used by biotechnology firms to make pharmaceuticals."If companies are having to purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, it uses more resources, which then increases global warming potential," said lead author Derrick Risner.
