The Rising Demand for Vegetarian Food: How It’s Transforming the Baking Industry in India
3 min readPUNE: Till the 90’s the bakery industry was a highly unorganized sector. It was dominated by the local bakeries where a clear demarcation between vegetarian and non-vegetarian products, health, and hygiene was always questionable.
People hesitated to go to bakeries that were selling baked nonvegetarian products along with vegetarian products. Most of the baked goods were prepared from fats that were derived from animals and were highly unacceptable by vegetarians.
Bakeries that serve pure vegetarian products are few due to the implications of substituting ingredients. However, the consistently growing demand for vegetarian bakery products is on the rise.
The rising demand for pure vegetarian snacks and confectionaries is fuelling the expansion of India’s vegetarian food business. The vegetarian food business might account for 7.7% of the global protein market by 2030, worth US$ 162 billion. Furthermore, the global demand for animal and dairy protein is expected to reach US$ 1.2 trillion by 2030. The plant-based dairy market is predicted to increase from US$ 21 million to US$ 63.9 million at a CAGR of 20.7%. (SOURCE IBEF)
The baking industry needs to cater to this growing dietary trend by providing vegetarian options in all their products, whether they be pre-mixes or ready-to-eat baked foods. Extensive research has been carried out to formulate recipes using suitable substitutes for non-vegetarian ingredients like eggs and animal fats.
It is important to note that the substitute which is chosen must also serve the functional purpose of the ingredient without compromising on the taste or texture of the final baked product. The egg is perhaps the most critical non-vegetarian ingredient that needs substitution and it is important to note that both the egg white and egg yolk play multiple different roles in baking and each of their specific properties needs to be substituted by separate ingredients.
Animal fats are another ingredient that requires substitution however replacing this is easy and this can be done by using vegetable oils that best resemble animal fats without adversely affecting the taste and texture of the final baked product.
Consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and health consequences of their food choices, and they are increasingly opting for plant-based alternatives. This shift in consumer behavior is propelling the growth of plant-based foods and is predicted to continue in the coming years. Between 2022 and 2027, the global vegan food industry is predicted to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 11.32%. (SOURCE: IBEF)
Given the situation, it led to an idea to create and develop Shudh Shakahari (Pure Veg) a vegetarian bakery product range in 1999 to address the core issue and manage the demand gap for veg bakery products.
Speaking about the concept, the Official Spokesperson of Malpani’s Bakelite said, “Bakelite is one of the brands to commercialize individual packed goods and introduced baked products that are packed in the best hygiene conditions with utmost stringent quality checks. Bakelite uses high-end automation and various modern techniques to achieve mass production without compromising on hygiene and quality. The aim is to serve 100 % pure vegetarian products, prepared using purest and best quality ingredients, infused with the warmth and comfort just like home cooked food-Ghar Jaisa Khana.”
He further added, “The brand believes in strengthening bonds with family and friends during tea time and offers a range of chatpata snacks to make tea times exciting.
The brand today has secured its place as a synonym for vegetarianism in people’s hearts. Recently it has launched the Upwas Chiwda range – Sabudana Chiwda, Potato Chiwda, Red Chilli Potato Chiwda. These snacks are ideal for fasting…
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