Food Industry is one of the biggest and most flourishing industries in the world. Over the past two decades, there has been mass production of food to ensure that no one goes hungry which led to access to more calories, sugar and fat laden processed food. Along with this, the incidents of obesity, High blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease began to increase all over the world. So today most of the conversations and online content are about exercise, nutrition and health. But now the pandemic has led to universal recognition of the reality backed by science, that health is more about nutrition than exercise. The emphasis on diet and nutrition as a way to be healthy has been incredible. Vitamins and minerals, supplements of proteins and energy drinks and other Nutrition tech In India have become a part of daily routine.
Nutrition tech is an emerging field of science and technology that caters to the special nutritional needs of people. Nutrition and dietetic technicians help people take control of their wellbeing by helping them learn how to make healthier food decisions. Also they operate in hospitals , nursing homes and facilities for long-term care. Nutrition and dietetic technicians are also hired by schools, day care centres, weight loss facilities , government departments, and prisons.
In this pandemic, the focus on health and diet have increased due to fear of the virus and new emerging health problems. But this is also creating opportunities for Nutrition Tech in India. Three main areas where nutrition tech can be seen growing are:
R&D helps to broaden the field
The use of deep science and R&D has contributed to a broader range of new foods, alternative protein sources, health-benefit botanicals, and plant fibres that can substitute fats or sugar. These are the secret to the food and drink futures.
Individual nutrition
AI, genetic markets, metabolism trackers and advanced deep technology will now allow tailor-made and customised offers tailored to your specific nutritional, lifestyle and medical needs, rather than cookie cutter off the shelf formulations.
Tech start-ups
With more than 1.3 billion people, over 93 percent of whom have macro or micronutrient deficiencies, the Indian market provides enormous potential for nutritional tech start-ups. Multiple start-ups in developed economies have already captured the imagination of consumers and scaled up rapidly. India ‘s pharmaceutical and food processing knowledge and skills, raw material availability, deep-rooted Ayurvedic culture, and herbal nutrition can be leveraged to make India a global powerhouse in the nutrition technology space.
Increase of immunity boosting products in pandemic
According to a firm’s study, Pronto Consult, immunity boosters are now a rising trend across categories not only in medicines but food-related products as well. This survey found that over 92 per cent of the bills for medicines were for immunity boosters in June. Products containing honey, chyawanprash, ginger, moringa oleifera, probiotics, green tea, amla (gooseberry), tulsi (basil), haldi (turmeric), lemongrass, karela (bitter gourd), jamun (berry), saffron seen a trend upwards, including detox brands,” it said.
The survey, which analysed about 4,000 medical bills issued by pharmacies to the consumers, predicted that the pharma industry “might see new launches across these categories in the coming months. “The purchases include chocolate-based drinks, whey protein drinks, malt-based drinks, haldi doodh (turmeric milk), probiotic drinks and coconut water. There was a less uptake in soda-based drinks as compared to earlier times.”
The investors take notice too. In the field of fitness, wellness, food and nutrition a multitude of start-ups have recently been established. The rise in disposable income, increased market awareness, changed urban elite tastes will continue to fuel demand for the right nutritional offerings, with plenty of room for many winners.
