Two former investment bankers, Abhinav Chawla and Sadhika Agarwal, have launched a new alt-meat brand called Sudo Foods in Bengaluru, India.
Chawla and Agarwal decided to start the business after giving up meat due to environmental concerns. The brand’s first products are plant-based chicken samosas, chicken seekh kebabs, chicken popcorn, and mutton galouti kebabs. A fifth product — plant-based chicken burger patties — is set to launch soon.
“We were clear we wanted to solve for taste, nutrition, and convenience”
The meat alternatives are clean label and said to be made with fresh and natural ingredients. Sudo Foods has spent the past year quietly developing the products, which have recently launched in Bengaluru via the brand’s website and platforms such as Vegan Dukan.
Health as key factor in acceptance
“It’s fantastic to see startups like Sudo Foods recognizing that health is an important factor that determines the acceptance and uptake of plant-based meats. This could help them carve out a niche in the plant-based market in India,” said GFI India’s Senior Innovation Specialist Nicole Rocque.
Alt-meat in India
Back in 2019, research was already showing that perceptions of plant-based meat were positive in India, with 63% of the population saying they would be willing to eat it instead of conventional meat. A Frontiers report the following year made very similar findings, with 62.8% of Indians saying they were very or extremely likely to purchase plant-based meats.
However, plant-based products imported from the West often don’t cater to Indian tastes. This is something Chawla and Agarwal are very conscious of.
“A couple of months from the genesis of the idea, we started experimenting in our kitchen. We were clear we wanted to solve for taste, nutrition, and convenience — all while upholding food ethics. So, we decided to make plant-based foods like kebabs for the Indian palate, made without any preservatives or chemicals. Our products are made from fresh and natural ingredients, and don’t taste like packaged food!” said Agarwal.
