There's a quiet revolution happening on Indian plates. Not in fine-dining restaurants or niche health cafes, but in everyday kitchens, school lunchboxes, and weeknight dinners across the country.
Imagine Meats is at the centre of that shift. Founded by Bollywood couple Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh, Imagine Foods India is one of the most ambitious plant-based brands to emerge from the country, not just offering an alternative to meat, but reimagining what Indian food can be.
This is the story of how Imagine plant-based meat went from concept to cultural conversation, and why it matters for every Indian family thinking about what's on their plate.
What Is Imagine Meats?
Imagine Meats is an Indian brand that produces plant-based meat alternatives specifically designed for Indian cooking styles, spice profiles, and taste preferences.
Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, the brand partnered with ADM Nutrition India, a global leader in plant protein science, to build products that use pea protein, soy protein, and sunflower oil to replicate the texture, taste, and cooking experience of conventional meat, without any animal ingredients.
The result is a product line that works in biryani, kebabs, curries, and wraps, not just Western-style burgers and nuggets. This deliberate focus on Indian flavours is what makes Imagine Meats genuinely different in a market filled with imported plant-based options.
The Story Behind the Brand
Imagine Foods India was born from a deeply personal decision. Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh, both committed to plant-based living, wanted to create a product they themselves would cook and eat at home.
They launched with guidance from the Good Food Institute India, blending global food science with traditional Indian culinary expertise. The goal was clear: make plant-based meat that tastes like the food Indians grew up on, not a compromise, but a genuine upgrade.
From day one, Imagine Meats has been more than a food brand. It's been a conversation starter about what conscious eating looks like in the Indian context, and how changing one meal a week can make a real difference.
Imagine Meats Products, The Full Range
Imagine Meats products are built around India's most-loved protein dishes. The range currently includes:
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Vegan Keema, plant-based mince for curries, parathas, and wraps
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Seekh Kebabs, spiced and shaped for the grill or tawa
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Nuggets, kid-friendly and school-lunchbox ready
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Vegan Sausages, breakfast or snack, without animal ingredients
All Imagine Meats products are made without preservatives, without hormones, and without any animal ingredients. They are high in plant protein and lower in saturated fat compared to conventional meat equivalents.
What Makes Imagine Plant-Based Meat Different?
The Indian plant-based meat market has seen several entrants, but Imagine plant-based meat stands apart for a few specific reasons.
Built for Indian Cooking
Unlike Western plant-based meats that are designed around burger patties and hot dogs, every Imagine Meats product is designed to work inside Indian recipes. The keema cooks like keema. The seekh kebab holds its shape on a tawa. The biryani absorbs masala the way rice expects it to.
This isn't a minor detail, it's the whole point. For most Indian families, switching to plant base meat is only viable if it works in the dishes they already cook and love.
Clean Ingredient List
Imagine plant-based meat uses pea protein, soy protein, and sunflower oil as its primary base, scientifically formulated by ADM Nutrition India to match the functional properties of animal protein in cooking.
There are no artificial preservatives, no chemical binders, and no animal derivatives. The result is a product that is genuinely protein-rich, with a clean, readable ingredient list.
No Compromise on Taste
Imagine Meats' blind-tasting events, where participants try their vegan biryani without knowing it's plant-based, regularly result in people being unable to tell the difference.
That's the benchmark the brand holds itself to: not "good for vegan food," but genuinely good food.
India's Plant-Based Meat Market, Why It's Growing
The India plant-based meat market is at an early but accelerating stage of growth. Several converging forces are driving this shift:
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Health awareness, Urban consumers are increasingly connecting meat consumption with hormones, antibiotics, and lifestyle disease risk
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Environmental concern, Younger generations are more conscious of the carbon and water footprint of animal agriculture
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Religious and cultural flexibility, India's large vegetarian population creates natural curiosity about high-protein meat alternatives that fit existing dietary patterns
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Improved product quality, Brands like Imagine Meats have raised the bar significantly; the early generation of dry, flavourless plant-based products is behind us
Wellness experts and nutritionists increasingly suggest that reducing conventional meat intake, even partially, has measurable long-term health benefits. Plant-based meats offer a practical entry point for people who want the protein without the drawbacks.
Is Imagine Meat Healthy? What You Actually Get
A common question about imagine meat products is whether they are genuinely nutritious or just a marketing story. Here's a clear, factual breakdown:
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Nutritional Factor |
Imagine Plant-Based Meat |
Conventional Meat |
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Protein content |
High, comparable per serving |
High |
|
Saturated fat |
Lower |
Higher |
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Cholesterol |
Zero |
Present |
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Hormones/antibiotics |
None |
Often present in conventional supply |
|
Fibre |
Higher (from plant protein base) |
None |
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Preservatives |
None |
Often present in processed meats |
|
Caloric density |
Comparable |
Comparable |
From a health perspective, Imagine plant-based meat offers a cleaner protein profile, particularly for people looking to reduce processed meat or conventional animal products without giving up on protein intake or cooking familiarity.
How India Is Responding to Imagine Meats
The reception to Imagine Meats among Indian consumers has been genuinely positive, and the data reflects it.
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Products are now available across major metro supermarkets including Nature's Basket and Reliance Retail
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Available for delivery on Swiggy, Zomato, and direct-to-consumer via imaginefoods.in
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The brand doubled its product range within its first two years based on consumer feedback
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Named "India's Most Exciting Vegan Start-up" at the 2024 FoodTech Awards
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Google searches for "plant-based meat India" and related terms grew over 80% year-on-year in 2025
The India plant-based meat market is still early, but Imagine Foods India has done the hard work of proving that the category can work here, on Indian terms, with Indian flavours.
Imagine Meats and Suspire, A Natural Fit
Suspire curates health and wellness products built on trust, quality, and thoughtful ingredients. Imagine Meats products align with that philosophy directly, clean protein, no preservatives, no animal ingredients, designed for everyday Indian cooking.
If you're curious about exploring plant-based meat as part of your daily wellness routine, Imagine Meats offers one of the most accessible, flavour-forward entry points available in India today.
Explore the Imagine Meats range on Suspire, and see what one ingredient swap can do for your weekly meals.
FAQs
Q. What is Imagine Meats?
Ans: Imagine Meats is an Indian plant-based food brand founded by Bollywood couple Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh. It produces plant-based meat alternatives, keema, kebabs, biryani, sausages, and nuggets, designed specifically for Indian recipes, using pea and soy protein with authentic Indian spices and zero animal ingredients.
Q. What are the main Imagine Meats products?
Ans: Imagine Meats products include vegan keema, seekh kebabs, shami kebabs, tandoori kebabs, plant-based biryani, nuggets, sausages, and a range of heat-and-eat frozen meals. All are preservative-free, protein-rich, and built around Indian cooking styles and flavour profiles.
Q. How is Imagine plant-based meat made?
Ans: Imagine plant-based meat is made using pea protein, soy protein, and sunflower oil, formulated in partnership with ADM Nutrition India. The proteins are processed to replicate the texture, binding, and cooking behaviour of conventional meat, then blended with authentic Indian masalas.
Q. Is Imagine meat healthy to eat?
Ans: Yes. Imagine meat products are high in plant protein, lower in saturated fat than conventional meat, completely free of cholesterol and hormones, preservative-free, and contain no animal derivatives. They are a genuinely cleaner protein source for people reducing conventional meat intake.
Q. Where can I buy Imagine Meats products in India?
Ans: Imagine Meats products are available at Nature's Basket and Reliance Retail in major cities, online at imaginefoods.in, and through food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato. They are also available through curated wellness platforms like Suspire.
Q. What is the India plant-based meat market like in 2026?
Ans: India's plant-based meat market is growing rapidly, driven by rising health awareness, environmental concern, and improved product quality. Brands like Imagine Meats have demonstrated strong urban consumer acceptance, with search interest and sales volumes growing consistently year-on-year since 2022.
Q. Is Imagine Meats suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Ans: Yes. All Imagine Meats products contain zero animal ingredients, no meat, no dairy, no eggs. They are suitable for vegans, vegetarians looking to add high-protein options, and flexitarians reducing their conventional meat intake.
Q. What is the difference between Imagine Meats and other plant-based meat brands?
Ans: Imagine Meats is specifically designed for Indian cooking, keemas, biryanis, kebabs, and curries, rather than Western formats like burgers and hot dogs. This Indian-first product design, combined with clean ingredients and no preservatives, sets it apart from imported plant-based meat alternatives.
