The launch of chicken and mutton alternatives by Imagine Meats, an Indian plant-based protein company, marks the company’s commercial launch. In collaboration with US company Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bollywood actors Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh founded the company to develop meat-free products inspired by Indian cuisine. The initial line-up of products includes keemas, kebabs, nuggets, burgers and biryanis, apparently delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Imagine Meats provides them on its website and in stores of Reliance Retail, one of India’s largest retailers, and local online retailer Nature’s Basket.
The company said new products would follow in ‘coming months’, along with new distribution channels. Mr. Deshmukh said: ‘As a former carnivore, I know that millions like me are looking for a solution to their meat cravings. We spent years looking for the perfect fix until we decided to make it ourselves – and we’ve worked for over two years to make this a reality. With our wide range of craveable plant-based meats, we want to enable everybody to Imagine Meat’. On Friday (10 September), the launch coincided with the 10-day Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaviti. India’s majority of people are Hindu, but not all of them are strictly vegetarian.
Read more: What the Navratri festival has to offer for kids: 9 facts
Imagine Meats’ development has been shaped by The Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting plant-based alternatives to meat, dairy and eggs within the framework of environmental sustainability. In his statement, Varun Deshpande, managing director of GFI’s India division, noted that the clock is ticking on issues including climate change, food and water insecurity, and future pandemics. With the launch of Imagine Meats, we hope to make sustainable food a reality and help the Indian market for smart protein intake. Plant-based meats offer huge promise to consumers and producers alike.
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