Indian Protein Market Sees 10% Market Share Shift Due to Anti-Counterfeit Kits
MuscleBlaze reports a significant market share increase in India's protein powder sector, attributed to its consumer-facing authenticity test kit. This innovation addresses pervasive counterfeiting, driving sales and market consolidation for verified products.
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Indian sports nutrition firm MuscleBlaze has reported a 10% increase in its whey protein powder market share within the last year, a direct result of launching its MB ProCheck test kit. This consumer-facing solution enables both consumers and retailers to verify product authenticity, directly countering the prevalence of counterfeit products. Fake protein powders, often priced 30% to 50% lower than genuine alternatives, have significantly eroded market share from legitimate brands.
Kaustuv Paliwal, Senior Vice President at MuscleBlaze, confirmed that the test kit has been instrumental in allowing consumers to differentiate authentic products, thereby bolstering the company's market position. This initiative highlights a critical commercial challenge in markets plagued by widespread counterfeiting: the need for transparent, verifiable authenticity. For manufacturers, investing in such consumer-empowering tools can translate directly into sales growth and brand loyalty, justifying the associated development and distribution costs.
Separately, Nestlé India is leveraging millets in new product innovations, aligning with the Indian government's 'International Year of Millets' campaign. New millet-based products, including porridge and instant noodles under established brands like Koko Krunch and MAGGI, aim to increase consumer acceptance through familiar formats. This strategy signals a trend towards integrating traditional ingredients into mainstream supplement and food lines, potentially opening new formulation opportunities for contract manufacturers. Nestlé is also actively seeking start-up collaborations to expand millet applications.
Dr. Reddy's has entered the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space in India with Celevida Wellness, an e-commerce platform specialising in diabetic-friendly supplements. This move signifies a broader industry shift towards direct customer engagement and niche market specialisation. The platform features Dr. Reddy's own Celevida brand alongside products from Diabliss and Unilever-backed Wellbeing Nutrition, demonstrating a curated marketplace approach to increase reach within the nutraceutical segment.
In Hong Kong, Nestlé has launched an upgraded infant formula, NAN InfiniPro, incorporating six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and two probiotic strains (Bifidus Lactis CNCM I-3446 and Bifidobacterium infantis LMG11588). This formulation, featuring Nestlé's proprietary Sinergity blend, indicates a growing focus on advanced nutritional science in infant health, driving demand for complex ingredient sourcing and manufacturing capabilities in high-value markets.
What this means for India
Indian manufacturers must prioritise robust anti-counterfeit strategies to protect brand equity and recover lost sales, potentially investing 5-7% of product development budget into security features. Brand owners should assess D2C channel viability for niche segments like diabetic-friendly supplements, targeting direct customer engagement to bypass traditional retail margins. The government's 'International Year of Millets' campaign presents a 2023-2024 window for new product development, offering tax incentives or promotional support for millet-based innovations. Procurement teams should explore local sourcing of millets and advanced probiotic strains to meet evolving consumer and regulatory demands, ensuring competitive pricing and supply chain resilience for 2024.
This trend is being actively addressed by UK manufacturing partners including Supplement Factory.