Former Indian captain MS Dhoni backs plant protein startup Shaka Harry

MS Dhoni has invested in a plant protein startup Shaka Harry as the Indian market has started gaining momentum for meat alternatives.

Even though Dhoni confessed his love for butter chicken, he said he was seeking a more balanced diet and that's also the reason why he is now backing a plant-based meat startup.

Plant-based meat are alternatives to meat items but are made of natural flavours like soya, jackfruit among others. Amid growing health and environment concerns, these products have been gaining significance.

Shaka Harry which is derived from the word 'Shakahari' meaning vegetarians has already amassed a customer base of 30,000 and is available across 10 cities on Swiggy, Bigbasket, and other online platforms. The startup will also start expanding offline and plans to launch in European markets in the coming months.

"Our R&D team is constantly adding new products to our everyday essentials, celebrations, grab & go, and world-cuisine ranges. We currently have an ongoing consumer trial of our plant-based dairy line. With this investment, and our partnership with Dhoni, our customer reach and new product launches will increase multifold," said Sandeep Devgan, co-founder of Shaka Harry.

Commenting on the partnership, MS Dhoni said, "I love everything chicken, but increasingly, I am looking at a more balanced diet. It is much easier with products from Shaka Harry, which has a wide range that delivers a healthier experience than traditional meat dishes. For a growing population, current protein sources aren't sustainably scalable. We now have a choice to shift to smarter protein alternatives without compromising on taste and texture."

Good Food Institute India's research with Deloitte indicates that the right investments in talent, R&D, manufacturing, and distribution could drive the Indian smart protein sector to a market size of nearly Rs 19,000 crore by 2030, including a sizable export market.

This space has been gaining traction with a number of celebrities backing this space. Online meat seller Licious has also forayed into the segment with its new product called UnCrave. The other startups in this space include Greenest, Evo Foods, and Mister Veg among others.

According to the Plant-Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA), India's plant-based meat sector is slated to grow to $400 million over the two years. There are more than 200 plant-based meat, dairy, egg, and ingredient startups in India.