In southern India, the McDonald’s store has recently seen a surge in sales of vegetarian protein slices priced at just 30 cents each. Developed jointly by McDonald’s and the Indian government’s food research institute, this ingredient made from soybeans and peas is the first of its kind globally for McDonald’s. On the first day of its launch, 32,000 slices were sold, with most stores quickly selling out.
According to Reuters, India has the highest percentage of vegetarian population globally and a lower intake of meat. Based on United Nations data, the average annual meat consumption per person in India is only 6.6 kilograms, far lower than the 123 kilograms in the United States. Officials estimate that as many as 73% of the population in India do not consume enough protein, leading companies to promote protein products as a nutritional supplement.
McDonald’s is now emphasizing protein content over calories on its burger machines. Westlife, the franchiser of McDonald’s in South India, stated that this product reflects the increasing interest of Indian consumers in protein. Scientists from official research institutions pointed out that it took them six months to improve the initial formula of the protein slices, which was initially “too dry and hard,” to better suit the local taste.
The protein trend is not limited to fast-food chains; dairy giant Amul and startup brands like SuperYou have also introduced protein milkshakes, cookies, ice cream, and “protein potato chips”. SuperYou, invested by Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, has sold over 10 million protein wafers since the end of 2024.
Despite the generally higher prices of protein products compared to traditional foods, their sales performance is remarkable, especially in urban markets. Amul produces 3 million liters of whey by-product daily in the production of dairy products and is aiming to transform it into high-protein dairy products, flatbreads, and beverages for sales.
According to market research company Euromonitor, the high-protein dairy market in India reached $1.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow by 12% this year. Google search trends also show that “protein potato chips” and “protein bars” have reached the highest popularity in five years from June to August this year.
Government researchers state that promoting nutrition needs to start with people’s habits: “To save our population, protein needs to become tasty and appealing.”