Genelia D’Souza: The eco-conscious entrepreneur behind plant-based meat
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Genelia D’Souza’s charming and bubbly personality makes her a popular Bollywood actor and model. She has predominantly appeared in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil language films. Recently, this spontaneous actor and her husband, Ritiesh Deshmukh turned entrepreneurs with their startup ” Imagine Meats”- a plant-based meat brand. Available online and in retail locations across the country, the range includes plant-based chicken, mutton, kebabs, and keema. “For over 3 years, Riteish and I have nurtured a dream to work towards food choices that are good for you, the animals, and our planet,” Genelia says.
Imagine Meat- Without the guilt
The United States is home to plant-based alternative meat startups such as BeyondMeat, Amy’s Kitchen, Impossible Foods. etc. Genelia and her husband had decided to turn vegan, and a brief stay in the U.S. exposed them to plant-based meat substitutes. They felt that the products tasted, felt, and smelled like real meat, enabling them to overcome non-vegetarianism with ease. Also, just like conventional meat, these next-gen plant-based options are composed of proteins, vitamins, minerals, water and fat, and offer complex carbs and fiber. Due to the low availability of proteins in vegetarian foods in India- Indian households, even though guiltily, include an element of animal protein such as meats, eggs, or milk.
”That got us thinking, what if Indians had the option to eat plant-based meat that tasted the same — modern Indians would make a shift towards sustainability and against animal cruelty,” Genelia adds. And that was the inspiration to launch Imagine Meats.
Veganism: A healthy way of life
There is ample proof that there is no nutritional need for humans to eat any animal product. All their dietary needs, even as infants and children, are best supplied by a meatless diet.Apart from being richer in nutrients, a vegan diet helps in excess weight loss and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and arthritis. Veganism is an environment-conscious and ethical choice, as it helps in preserving habitats and preventing the extinction of animal species. Also, raising livestock for human consumption is one of the leading causes of pollution as livestock is responsible for over 18% of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
“From being a meat eater and never imagining myself to making the shift to a plant-based diet – to a point where I feel why I didn’t do it earlier, “Genelia has indeed come a long way.
The Launch of Imagine Meats
Genelia studied nutrition at Cornell University in the U.S to understand the science behind plant-based meats. The couple attended the Good Food Conference in San Francisco, which was an eye-opener for them. They eventually partnered with US-based global ingredients manufacturer Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Good Foods Institute to bring out products under the Imagine Meats brand. It took endless discussions and countless reworks with food scientists from America, Germany, and India before the bootstrapped venture was launched on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi( 10th September)2021.
Disha Daswani, creative director of Schbang X—a specialized unit of the creative and technology transformation company Schbang—was a part of the team that developed the logo, packaging, visual design, and rolled out the launch campaign for Imagine Meats.
Products and Reach
The startup is currently asset-light. It sources its plant-based protein from Poland and the US, and ensembles the vegan meat in partnerships with manufacturers.
“These plant-based meats are produced directly from plants or crop ingredients such as soy protein, pea protein, and sunflower oil,” Genelia adds.
When it comes to food, Indians do not compromise on the taste factor. Also, the regionalization of the products is vital to cater to the diverse taste buds. Imagine Meats offers nine variants of ready-to-prepare meats, including keema, seekh kebabs, biryani dishes, nuggets, and sausages via plant-based varieties sans real meat.
The products are available on Imagine Meats’ website and in stores of Reliance Retail, one of India’s largest retailers, and local online supermarket Nature’s Basket in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Pune, alongside Delhi/NCR, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
Recently, Imagine Meats have won the accolade for the Best Vegan Meat at the 2021 PETA India Vegan Food Awards.
Covid Effect
Covid led to an uptick in plant-based substitute startups and the adoption of veganism. Led by the theory that coronavirus mutated due to consumption of bats, fear of meat consumption also became prominent through the rise of other diseases such as swine flu (H1N1), avian flu (H5N1), and bird flu.
Globally, the plant-based meat sector is growing. Data from the Good Food Institute, the leading nonprofit advancing the sector, shows 2019 was a watershed moment with hundreds of millions of dollars in global investment and retail sales in this segment and increasing advancement into Asian markets. Imagine Meats can lay the groundwork for similar success in India.
The pandemic has also altered the shopping habits of Indian people, and most of them are comfortable buying groceries online.
Plant-based Meats for a sustainable lifestyle
The clock is ticking on climate change, food and water insecurity, and public health crises like future pandemics. Plant-based meats offer a huge promise to provide consumers and producers with a simple switch rather than a sacrifice. These protein-based products by Imagine Meats are made with no cholesterol, no animal hormones, or antibiotics, making it a healthier solution for those who want to indulge in the rich experience of meat-eating without the guilt of harming animals.
“As a mother, and as a citizen of India and the world, I have always been focused on the kind of planet we are leaving behind for our children,” Genelia adds.
Future Plans
The company plans to expand its presence to 25-30 cities by the end of the financial year 2022. The food-tech startup is looking at proteins from fungi, algae, fruits to diversify their product range and make their products healthier.
“When we launched Imagine Meats, we thought we would take a while to go into other cities – but the response was amazing with people all over India asking us when we were entering their cities. With the kind of response and curiosity we saw, we sped up, and we’re already planning to launch our next four products,” Genelia informs.
“It is our mission to make the world kinder and safer for our children, and this is a great start. Imagine Meats is our labor of love, allowing people to upgrade their meat and eat without guilt in line with their values,” Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh.
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