We expect to reach a top line of a million dollars by year-end: Dibyendu Bindal

MIGHTY, a ready-to-eat plant protein based food brand, began its journey to address the growing issue of protein insufficiency in India, where people have not been consuming a required amount of comparable protein in their daily diets. The plant-based protein sector had only a very basic awareness of how its customer base’s preferences were changing when MIGHTY first started out. These factors inspired them to develop a variety of plant-based protein-based foods that are both palatable and sufficiently nutritious.

MIGHTY’s products have been shown to be a significant source of essential proteins and nutrition. For their clients, the gap between taste and health has been closed, and MIGHTY is now recognised as a brand that caters to anyone who enjoys a dish with great flavour while also ensuring it is healthy.

In conversation with Adgully, Dibyendu Bindal, Founder & CEO, MIGHTY Foods, said “The USP of MIGHTY products is taste with health. Taste is paramount in all our offerings which make you relish the exact texture, flavour, and goodness of a conventional non-vegetarian delicacy”. Excerpts:

What is the insight behind launching the brand MIGHTY?

In the last few years, plant-based food products have received attention from both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, who would want to try out an alternate source of protein. People are now ready to experiment with plant-based diets because of the rise in flexitarian lifestyle. They seek sustainable, protein-rich food choices. Addressing that demand, the alternative protein industry is on its track to constantly innovate food production that matches the taste, texture, and flavour of meat.

What are the offerings of MIGHTY? How does the brand cater to the evolving Indian palette, while keeping the nutritional value in check at the same time?

We at MIGHTY Foods offer a range of plant-based protein food products which are ready to cook and eat. Being one of the few companies in India to have a fully integrated production and research facility in Mumbai, we serve a surprising array of artisanal and handcrafted fast food items. Ranging from global offerings such as ‘Spinach Quesadilla’, Plant prawns in Thai curry and MIGHTY Keema Bao, to local favourites such as ‘Keema Samosa’ and Lucknowi Galouti Kebabs, we cater to the evolving palate while adhering to optimum health standards.

It’s not a surprise that a sense of responsibility to protect the planet has been the key factor to drive consumers towards plant-based foods. These meatless options have proved to be a great alternative to animal protein because of their flavour development and high protein content. We are for anyone who loves a dish with a great taste and we make sure it is healthy too.

This unique combination carves a niche in the evolving food-tech industry as it serves consumers across all dietary preferences. MIGHTY products help one enjoy food with the taste they like and the health they deserve.

What is the USP of the brand?

The USP of MIGHTY products is taste with health. Taste is paramount in all our offerings, which make you relish the exact texture, flavour, and goodness of a conventional non-vegetarian delicacy. MIGHTY Foods is a first-of-its-kind innovation that addresses the rapid shift to healthy eating in India. Compared to other plant-based products in the market, MIGHTY products do not use any preservatives at all. Loaded with high-quality protein from Green Gram, Chickpeas, Soya and Peas, every recipe is curated to resemble taste, texture, and flavour of its non-veg counterpart and thus, make plant-based protein mainstream for the food industry.

A lot of research has gone into safe, smart, and attractive packaging as well. MIGHTY packed boxes are unique in shapes, brim with bright colours and ensure a long shelf life of the products. The variable tone and typography system in packaging highlights dynamism that is not yet seen in the Indian market.

Through such product and service offerings, MIGHTY strives to be unique and overcome the severe protein deficiency amongst Indians who love a dish with a great taste and we make sure it is healthy too.

What are the health benefits of having plant based protein? How does MIGHTY aim to appeal to the non-vegetarians?

Adopting a sustainable diet helps an individual maintain a healthy and balanced life, while ensuring that the planet has enough resources for the future generations. The plant-based protein diet is not everywhere, but it is certainly part of the future of food. Lower calories, low saturated fat, and low cholesterol – all of these things make plant-based protein foods a healthier option, as compared to non veg food products such as meat, fish, and egg. Above all, plant-based protein food boosts fibre, increases protein intake, and provides plenty of vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients that are vital for a healthy diet. Besides, it also helps an individual check chronic health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

MIGHTY Foods aims not to convert vegetarians and non-vegetarians, but to provide protein-rich, tasty, ready-to-eat food for the customers. Interestingly, our products have been appealing to a sizable share of non-vegetarians since launch.

How is the brand addressing protein deficiency in India in a tasty way?

Globally, there is a huge gap on the availability of plant-based food that suits the Indian palate. This opens up a big opportunity for Indian players to explore. The pandemic has prompted many people to switch to a more organic, plant-based diet that includes nutraceuticals or supplements that fight chronic diseases. Adoption of such diets has gained popularity globally and is picking up its pace in India as well. Through its unique plant-based products that are rich in protein, MIGHTY intends to address the nascent needs of Indians and their protein deficiencies.

Over the past decade, we have seen the plant-based protein category grow exponentially with a great demand for meatless burgers, crab cakes, bacon, etc. MIGHTY Foods joins the ranks with its own range of tasty, plant-based, meatless protein foods.

How has COVID played a significant role in understanding the need for protein consumption?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot in the daily lives of people, in the sense that optimum protein intake can help a person stay healthier for longer than those who don’t have a protein-based diet. While no food or dietary supplement can prevent COVID-19 infection, a healthy diet keeps our immune system strong for fighting the disease. This is where protein-rich foods create all the difference. Lack of protein can not only make a person prone to COVID-19, but also trigger several other viral infections. Therefore, protein-rich food provides a better defence against any form of viral attack.

How has the consumer behaviour changed towards plant-based protein over the years? What is the potential of the market for plant-based protein foods?

The F&B industry has been seeing several trends recently, one of which is the rising popularity of plant-based foods. In the battle against COVID-19, protein has emerged as an essential macronutrient during recovery. Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians are ready to experiment with plant-based diets now, as they are getting the taste of meat and protein from a totally guilt-free, plant source. The potential of plant-based food companies is supplementing that of real meat, which has given a push to this industry.

However, there are several of the following factors that contribute to the growth of plant-based foods:

a) Rise of The Flexitarian Lifestyle – One of the reasons why plant-based foods are appealing to all kinds of consumers, particularly the flexitarians, is their taste and flavour. Be it plant-based meat, dairy products or seafood, the ability to replace tastes and flavours of real meat products interest flexitarians.
b) Innovation of Plant-Based Foods – Consistent research and development in the taste, flavour and texture of plant-based foods are increasing demand for an ideal, protein-packed diet. This is leading to a significant part of our customer base opting for a total shift to plant-based diets.
c) Plant-Based Snacking – With plant-based food also creating delicious snacks that are popular in the Indian households, it is a win-win situation for consumers’ conscious of their eating habits. They now realise the nutritional benefits of grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, and are welcoming the surprisingly delicious food items that are created from them.

What are the future growth plans and projections for MIGHTY?

Currently, we are working with several restaurants and QSR chains in Mumbai to develop unique MIGHTY products. These products will be used as the main ingredient of plant-based dishes and eventually benefit the HoReCa (hotels, restaurants and cafes) business. We will then replicate this model in other Tier-1 cities in India. By doing so, we expect to reach a top line of a million dollars by December 2022.

Besides the HoReCa market, we have already launched an array of 12 D2C products that are available for order on our site. We are also approaching brand promotion differently through social media influencers, who drive organic reach of our products. We market our content on all platforms and target unique customer cohorts through digital performance marketing. Other brands wouldn’t target these cohorts, and thus we maintain exclusivity anda a strong brand amongst these customers. Overall, we have strategized our growth trajectory to become a pan-India entity with a national footprint across 40 cities, and eventually make our presence felt in Europe, America, and the Asia Pacific region as well.