D2C fresh meat and seafood company, Licious, has decided to foray into the alternative protein segment with the launch of a new brand called UnCrave, which will offer plant-based meat products. This is in line with the company’s strategy of portfolio diversification.
Simeran Bhasin, Business Head, Alternative Protein- Licious told businessline, “We have been working on developing products in the alternative protein product segment for the past two years. We set up a team to develop these products relying completely on in-house R&D and innovation capabilities. Licious is the only Indian company to house both animal and alternative protein under one roof. We aim to become the market leader in this segment within the first year of launch.”
Under the brand UnCrave, the company has launched chick~n & mutt~n seekh kebab variants in the ready-to-cook format with a shelf life of 12-14 days. “Initially, UnCrave will be available in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR. Over the next couple of months, we will expand the brand’s reach to other key metros. Every quarter, we will add new products to our plant-based meat products portfolio,” Bhasin added.
A fast-growing industry
The plant-based meat segment though is still small compared to markets, such as the US, but growing at a fast pace as per industry estimates. “We are addressing the needs of the large meat-eating population in the country, serving nearly 2.5 million consumers per month. India has a unique cultural landscape with a flexitarian population. Consumers also choose not to consume meat on certain days and occasions for various reasons but still miss it. While the alternative-protein segment is still small, we feel the right products can enable the growth of this category,” she added.
In recent times, leading packaged food companies, such as Tata Consumer Products and ITC, have begun offering plant-based meat RTC products. Food services companies, such as Starbucks and Domino’s, also now offer plant-based meat products at their restaurants in the country. In addition, there are a slew of start-ups offering such products. Earlier this year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India notified standards including a logo for vegan food products.