What Happened
Researchers from NECTAR, working with GFI India and India Animal Fund, ran a blind sensory study with 700 omnivores in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Participants scored 26 plant-based meat and egg alternatives in eight categories, each against a conventional animal reference. Product liking averages spanned 4.3 to 6.0 on a 7-point scale, and no category matched its reference on average. According to the organisations, six in ten respondents gave favourable ratings and 85% said they would consider buying in principle. Two chicken items, a patty and a tikka, reached what NECTAR calls taste parity, with no meaningful liking gap versus meat. Egg, chicken chunk and keema products lagged most; stronger buttery, animal-like flavour and fewer off-notes were linked to the biggest gains.
Why It Matters
Rather than brand claims, the study gives developers targeting India category-level sensory benchmarks. Category leaders trailed their animal references by 0.3 points on average, half the gap of the typical plant-based product, and spotting protein on the label lifted purchase intent by 0.42 points.
A sensory panel shows where the gap is, but closing it still takes work on the protein base and the fat system.
FET's Takeaway
FET view: these are hedonic scores, not compositional or instrumental data, so they define targets rather than solutions. In our analysis, early formulation work would focus on reducing off-flavours in protein ingredients and choosing fat systems that deliver buttery, animal-like notes, especially for egg and keema analogues. The announcement does not name brands, processes or ingredient costs, leaving scale-up and pricing implications unresolved.
Verification source: vegconomist ↗