Breaking: Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh Announce Their Plant-Based Meat Company

20 July 2020 | India

With the help of The Good Food Institute (GFI) and US-based global ingredients manufacturer, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), popular Bollywood actor couple Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh have turned into plantrpreneurs. They have joined the growing list of global celebrities to have invested in plant-based foods. They are soon going to launch their new, plant-based venture – Imagine Meats (Yes, it’s very real!).

With Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods gaining popularity around the world and billions of dollars of investment being made in plant-based foods in USA, it was only a matter of time that the sustainable trend caught up in India. But they aren’t just imitating the developments in the west. With Imagine meats, reports suggest that they will be keeping Indian traditions and taste buds in mind and manufacture products/dishes like juicy kebabs, biryanis, and curries. These would be available to the public via multiple retail channels.

Genelia Deshmukh, co-founder of Imagine Meats, said,

"As a mother, and as a citizen of India and the world, I have always been focused on the kind of planet we are leaving behind for our children. Seeing firsthand the innovation underway in the global food industry, Riteish and I were encouraged to take this big step and bring to you delicious foods which are so much better for the planet. We want Imagine Meats to be the choice for anybody seeking the taste of meat, without the guilt of environmental and public health impacts - just as it will be for our own family. It is our mission to make the world kinder and safer for our children, and this is a great start.”

For the uninitiated, plant-based meats aim to replicate the taste, texture, (mouth)feel and nutrient content of animal-flesh (meat) of chicken, goats (mutton) etc. They do so by using various techniques and advancements in the food industry that have been mastered by many already, like the Good Food Institute, who promote plant protein sources and help plant-based start-ups with their expertise. 

Riteish Deshmukh, co-founder of Imagine Meats, candidly talked about one of the major roadblocks for meat eaters,

“I have been a hardcore meat eater who turned vegetarian 4 years ago. Let me be honest - there have been times when I have craved the taste and indulgence of meat. With plant based meats around, I am a much happier vegetarian now. I would rather just imagine meat!”

Brands like Good Dot and Vezlay that already exist in the India markets manufacture and distribute ‘mock meat’ products like ‘vegan meat’, ‘vegan chicken’, ‘vegan rogan josh’ and much more. They commonly make use of pea protein, wheat gluten, soy isolates, a variety of oils and more to produce cruelty-free and delicious plant-based meats. As far as the vegan (and not vegetarian) scene of India is concerned, dairy alternatives of yogurt, cheese and mylks are also much-needed. Goodmylk is probably the first brand which completely focuses on plant-based dairy alternatives and has raised a total of Rs. 5.5 crores+ via two rounds of seed funding.
 

Learn how to make plant-based 'chicken'  in this video

Genelia and Riteish reportedly attended the nonprofit, GFI's Good Food Conference in San Francisco in September. They also visited the headquarters of the major players of the plant-based industry there. Soon they struck a partnership with ADM Nutrition, unlocked access to the ins and outs of the working of the global plant-based meat sector  all around USA, Berlin, Singapore etc. They religiously worked on the various aspects of launching their brand in India – food technology, product development, flavours, textures and more, throughout the pandemic as well.

Sanjay Laud, Managing Director at ADM Nutrition (India), said,
 

“ADM Nutrition India is excited to be on board with this major initiative. These smart protein products are the ideal way to cater to today’s conscious consumers, who are increasingly looking to balance the idea of craving meat with eating a planet-friendly diet. ADM’s extensive expertise and complete range of plant protein solutions from raw materials to expertly crafted ingredients mean we are uniquely placed to address this evolving landscape. We are proud to be a partner in the launch of Imagine Meats, and in building the sector in the country along with the Good Food Institute India.”

Summing it all perfectly, highlighting the holistic and sustainable nature of plant-based meats, Varun Deshpande, Managing Director at the Good Food Institute India, said,

“Plant-based meats have immense potential to help us safeguard planetary health, without sacrificing our tastes. India is taking its first steps, in a sector which is soaring globally and demonstrating a model to save the planet. With our agricultural biodiversity and the opportunity to benefit our farmers and talented workforce, India can be a lynchpin of growth for the global sector. Covid-19 has underscored that we can no longer take our planet for granted. We’re thrilled to support entrepreneurs like Genelia & Riteish along with our partners like ADM, and are looking forward to building a more healthy, sustainable, and just food system together.”

This is certainly a huge step in the forging of a new, more sustainable world that we 'imagined' and giving a much-needed boost to veganism in India. What do you think? Tell us in the comments!

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