Who doesn’t love a keema samosa or a nicely grilled chicken Replacing animal meat with plant-based or 'fake' meat is the gonna be the way forward. From jackfruit meat to soybean chops these 'vegetarian' meat have taken the market by storm with these alternatives to meat that are now seen in the market.
Sairaj Dhond is the Founder and CEO of Wakao Foods says “The mock meat trend is going to only increase in coming times. It's just started and we can see a wave coming in, especially in a country like India. Consumers are looking for options that are healthier and also save the planet. I would say the last year has been a trailer only and we will now see a further increase specially in the ready to eat category. The consumption will be for in home dining and people want to opt for clean eating. The category has been driven by many new entrants in the country. It is making consumers more educated and offering them a lot more choices
With conscious living and being more concern for the environment, in the recent past it’s also seen that the mock meat market has seen a considerable rise. Its low calorie levels and fat content, makes for better and healthier alternative
Chef Vaibhav Bhargava is of the opinion that “Mock meat options are great for people who are advised to avoid or limit their red meat consumption. Infact many of my clients were happy when they found out that I will be curating mock meat options in my menu, they tried and they couldn't find the difference. Afterall, health comes first and with the fast pace life we have to make sure that our body takes what we are feeding it.
Tempeh (made of fermented soya), Seitan (made from wheat gluten) and soya chunks are popular meat substitutes and with the current focus on healthier, minimally-processed options, plant-based substitutes are not only the first priority for Europeans and Americans but is now gaining popularity in the Indian market too. Unlike alternatives of the past which were aimed at vegetarians, these products are meant to taste like meat so vegans and meat lovers who can no longer eat meat for health reasons enjoy this as a sumptuous delicacy”.
From time to time a lot of meat eaters have always been influenced and decided to change their course of lifestyle and change into vegetarian. With movies like ‘Game Changers’ on Netflix, there was sudden shift in people turning vegan. The variety of mock meat that’s in the market is also huge with brands selling mock duck, mock pepper salami, mock keema and more.
Chef Ansab Khan Head, culinary operations, Burma Burma “I believe the trend for mock meats is going to be very positive with the increasing number of vegan community plus even the vegetarian diners opening up to trying mock meats & from the supply side with many local producers coming up with interesting variations and creating awareness about mock meats am sure the trend is gonna hold strong”
This trend that has already made its mark and as mock meat finds it’s way to the Indian plates the traditional meat is slowly getting overlooked.