S02 E04: Paving the Way for Plant-Based Dairy in India

<p><span style="font-size: 0.875rem;">In 2019, Dean Foods, America’s largest dairy producer filed for bankruptcy prompting analogies of the proverbial canary in the coal mine as the 94-year old company’s struggles narrowed down to one undeniable fact: conventional milk sales have declined for the last 4 years in the U.S. Alternatives like plant-based dairy products have meanwhile soared to a $17.4 billion industry, staking claim to 13% of dairy sales by value. During Covid-19, plant-based milk sales have gained further with brands like Oatly becoming predominant. Technology think tank </span><a href="https://www.rethinkx.com/food-and-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: rgb(90, 90, 90); font-size: 0.875rem;">Rethink</a><span style="font-size: 0.875rem;">X predicts that this is just the beginning, and within a decade, the U.S. dairy and cattle industry will collapse and a slew of technologies will satisfy consumer demand, effectively rendering the cow obsolete as a food producer. What does this trend mean for India - where the cow is holy, dairy products are not just on our plates but also used for worship and dairy brands like Amul have a storied legacy in our economic development? GFI India’s Sci-Tech Specialist Siddharth Bhide joins us for this special episode to talk about pathways to growth for plant-based dairy in India with the gains made by companies like pioneering plant-based dairy company, Good Mylk and yoghurt brand Epigamia, which recently launched its first coconut-milk based yoghurt. Siddarth explains how food technology is key to the 2.0 version of plant-based dairy products.</span><br></p><p>NOTES:</p><p>COMPANIES MENTIONED:</p><p><a href="https://www.oatly.com/int/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Oatly</a></p><p><a href="https://goodmylk.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GoodMylk</a></p><p><a href="https://www.chobani.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chobani</a></p><p><a href="https://www.perfectdayfoods.com/" targ