India’s health and wellness landscape is undergoing a powerful transformation. What began as a niche space dominated by global sports nutrition labels has now evolved into a dynamic, innovation-driven sector — led by Indian brands redefining the protein supplement category. From clean-label vegan proteins to Ayurveda-infused blends, the Indian consumer’s expectations around health, transparency, and efficacy have changed — and local players are leading the charge.
🏋️♀️ The Rise of Protein as a Daily Essential
Driven by post-pandemic health consciousness, increased fitness penetration, and growing urban disposable income, protein supplements are now mainstream. They cater to everyone from gym-goers to busy professionals and seniors focused on longevity. As a result, Indian brands are scaling rapidly — challenging global incumbents with deep localization, smart marketing, and category innovation.
Top Indian Protein Brands: Their Vision, Scale, and Founders
1. HealthKart (Brands: MuscleBlaze, bGreen, TrueBasics)
Founders: Sameer Maheshwari & Prashant Tandon
FY25 Revenue Target: ₹500 crore from in-house brands
Investors: Temasek, A91 Partners
Philosophy: Democratizing access to science-backed health supplements. HealthKart houses three major verticals:
- MuscleBlaze – a leader in the whey protein segment, offering lab-certified products for performance.
- bGreen – tailored to India’s plant-based and vegan consumers.
- TrueBasics – a premium line for preventive wellness through multivitamins, omega-3s, and immunity boosters.
Strengths: Over 75% of HealthKart’s revenue comes from in-house brands. Its omni-channel focus includes expansion into offline retail and Tier 2/3 cities.
2. Oziva
Founders: Aarti Gill & Mihir Gadani
Acquired By: Hindustan Unilever (HUL), 2022
Philosophy: Bridging modern nutrition and ancient Ayurveda for holistic wellness. Oziva focuses on clean-label, plant-based supplements targeting women's health, hormonal balance, immunity, and mental wellness.
Strengths: Oziva combines scientific credibility with lifestyle branding and personalization. The HUL acquisition supercharges its distribution, R&D, and regulatory scale.
3. Plix Life
Founders: Rishubh Satiya & Akash Zaveri
Philosophy: Making wellness tasty, aspirational, and plant-first. Plix creates vegan protein powders, effervescent tablets, and gummies aimed at Gen Z and millennials.
Growth Trajectory: The brand has achieved 10x growth in two years, fueled by influencer-driven digital campaigns and rapid D2C + offline expansion.
4. The Whole Truth
Founder: Shashank Mehta
Philosophy: Radical transparency in packaged food. Born from a personal battle with obesity and food industry mistrust, The Whole Truth eliminates all additives, hidden sugars, and preservatives from its protein bars and shakes.
Strengths: Strong brand resonance among health-conscious urban consumers who value honesty over hype in food marketing.
5. Cosmix
Founder: Vibha Harish
Philosophy: Plant-based, gut-friendly, and rooted in nature. Cosmix offers vegan protein blends made from pea and rice protein, carefully designed to support gut health, immunity, and skin without artificial additives.
Positioning: Appeals to wellness purists seeking minimalist, clean-label, additive-free products with holistic health benefits.
6. Fast&Up (by Fullife Healthcare)
Founders: Vijayaraghavan Venugopal & Varun Khanna
Philosophy: Science-backed, high-performance nutrition. Fast&Up is a favorite in the sports nutrition and active lifestyle segment, offering effervescent formats for better absorption.
Reach: The brand has expanded to 40+ countries and is backed by athlete endorsements, including cricketer Mayank Agarwal.
7. Wellbeing Nutrition
Founder: Avnish Chhabria
Philosophy: Clean, organic, daily nutrition through innovative delivery formats like oral strips, melts, and slow-release capsules.
Focus: Targets the busy urban consumer seeking convenient wellness without compromising on quality. Offers protein in combination with other functional blends for immunity, energy, and metabolism.
📈 Market Forces Accelerating Growth
- Fitness normalization post-COVID: Protein is now a household staple, not just a gym product.
- Rise of clean-label awareness: Consumers are scrutinizing labels, demanding full disclosure and quality.
- Tier 2 & 3 city boom: As fitness and digital access spread, regional India is adopting supplements rapidly.
- Digital-first brand playbooks: D2C marketing, influencers, and personalization drive growth.
- FMCG entry: Acquisitions by HUL and others validate the sector's scale and potential.
🧠 Our Opinion on the News
The Indian protein market is undergoing its most significant transformation yet — from muscle-building to mainstream well-being. Brands like MuscleBlaze and Plix are driving scale, while innovators like The Whole Truth and Cosmix are setting new standards in transparency and formulation integrity.
The next phase of growth will hinge on:
- Regulatory rigor
- Scientific innovation
- Personalized nutrition
- Functional blends that go beyond just protein
In a market now prioritizing efficacy, ethics, and convenience, homegrown players are not just scaling—they’re shaping the future of health in India.