India’s Newest Entrant to the Plant Protein Category is Dubbed Its ‘Lightest’ Powder Yet
Indian supplements brand Immunosciences has introduced a plant-based protein powder that it claims is the category’s “lightest” product, thanks to an enzyme blend that boosts digestibility.
India’s $1.6B plant-based protein market continues to expand rapidly, with a newly launched powder positioned as an easy-on-the-stomach option for consumers.
New Delhi-based Immunosciences, a wellness and supplements brand founded by longevity expert Deepika Krishna, has rolled out a clean-label vegan protein powder described as “India’s lightest, most digestible plant-based protein supplement for everyday nutrition”.
The Pure Plant Protein product contains DigeZyme, a multi-enzyme complex that improves protein digestibility, as well as prebiotic and probiotic fibres, and monkfruit sugar. It delivers 24g of complete protein per 30g scoop.
Immunosciences is targeting India’s protein-deficient consumers with the new launch. Research suggests that 73% of Indians don’t consume enough of the macronutrient, and 60% of urban residents don’t eat protein-rich foods daily.
“Most protein supplements on the market are designed for gym-goers and athletes. We built Pure Plant Protein for the 73% of Indians who are quietly deficient – busy professionals, vegetarians, and anyone who simply needs clean daily nutrition without bloating or heaviness,” said Krishna.
Immunosciences bets on DigeZyme to aid protein digestibility
While the Indian Council of Medical Research advises eating 0.66-0.80g of protein per kg of body weight, millions of Indians fail to meet this target. This isn’t due to a lack of protein products, however – according to Immunosciences, it’s a result of poor digestibility, excessive artificial ingredients, and products designed for athletes rather than everyday consumers.
This is backed by research arguing that there’s more to the protein digestibility discourse than meets the eye, suggesting that the problem is protein quality, not quantity.
Indian diets are carb-driven: over 62% of daily calories come from carbohydrates. Staples like rice and wheat help sustain energy, but their amino acid and digestibility profiles are considerably lower than those of higher-quality protein sources.
To address that, Immunosciences employs a blend of pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, and pumpkin seed protein in its powder. This results in a complete amino acid profile designed to support daily metabolic function, with each scoop delivering over 4g of branched-chain amino acids.
These are complemented with DigeZyme, which has been found to improve protein breakdown and amino acid absorption. Digestive enzymes amylase, protease, lipase, lactase, and cellulase convert protein molecules into bioavailable amino acids that the body can utilise efficiently, reducing bloating and digestive heaviness. It’s central to Immunosciences’s claim of making the country’s “lightest” plant protein supplement.
The powder also contains inulin, glycine, and Bacillus coagulans, an array of fibres and amino acids that boost gut health, muscle strength, and metabolic function. It’s infused with cocoa powder and natural chocolate flavour, and is sweetened with monkfruit instead of sugar.
India’s plant protein demand boosted by GLP-1 boom
Despite – or perhaps because of – concerns around deficiency, Indians are consuming more protein than ever before. This market is poised for explosive growth over the next decade, thanks in large part to the alternative protein ecosystem.
Surveys show that 37% of citizens want to add more plant proteins to their diet, and a larger share of consumers want to increase their intake of protein from plant-based sources than from animal sources.
Immunosciences says its protein powder is meant for vegans and vegetarians seeking a dairy-free protein source, time-strapped working professionals, those interested in clean eating, and older adults looking to counteract age-related muscle loss.
The demand for protein comes as GLP-1 drugs infiltrate India’s health ecosystem at much lower prices than in the West. This market has already skyrocketed from $16M in 2021 to nearly $100M today, and analysts expect more than 50 branded semaglutide medications to enter the country within months.
Users of drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro experience a 25-40% decrease in muscle mass over 8-16 months (several times greater than non-medicated weight-loss approaches and age-related muscle loss), making protein an important dietary tool.
It’s why plant protein startups have piqued the interest of investors and industry giants in recent months. Cosmix Wellness agreed to sell a 60% stake to CPG giant Marico in a deal worth $25M this month, and Earthful raised $2.9M to support the expansion of its women’s health products. Both companies are Shark Tank alums and sell vegan protein powders (among other things).
Celebs are jumping into the space too. Bollywood star Ranveer Singh’s SuperYou brand launched a yeast protein powder last year and found instant success – it can now be found in every Starbucks India store, as part of the coffee chain’s new line of protein cold foams.