'This is a watershed year for Plant-Based Foods at Aahar 2023' - Sanjay Sethi

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) present the 'Dawn of a Plant-Based Age' Conference, co-organized by the Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) and Ph.D. Chamber, supported by Franchise India, powered by USSOY, Ernst & Young (EY) as Knowledge Partner, Brenntag as the principal sponsor, and endorsed by the Government of Canada.

Conference Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/gE-XMWCp

The conference will happen at Hall No 8, in Pragati Maidan, on 14th March, on the 1st day of AAHAR, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and will be attended by the top minds of the industry and entail discussions on the importance of getting the flavors and textures right, the plant-based dairy innovations and policies, investor insights, the need for India to establish itself as an Ingredients Hub through infrastructural projects like the plant-protein cluster, to create an ecosystem supporting the growth of plant-based foods.

Sanjay Sethi, executive director, PBFIA, said, "As the world faces the challenges of climate change, food security, and ethical concerns related to animal agriculture, it is crucial for India to fully embrace and invest in this growing industry. 'The Dawn of a Plant-Based Age' conference is a necessary step towards unlocking India's potential as a major supplier of plant-based proteins globally, pursuing cost-effective sources of supply and building an innovation ecosystem. We are thrilled to collaborate and receive support from APEDA and our other partners. For the first time, there is a PBFIA Plant-Based Foods Pavillion in the 37th AAHAR, where more than 25 plant-based food companies are exhibiting in Hall Number 3 (ground floor) and Hall Number 5 (first floor). I invite everyone to be a part of this important conversation and contribute to a sustainable and compassionate future for all."

Plant-Based Foods, are those that replace animal-based foods/ingredients, such as plant-based meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood. The 'Dawn of a Plant-Based Age suggests that this is a relatively new phenomenon that is just beginning to gain momentum. However, it also suggests that this shift is likely to continue and become more widespread as more people embrace plant-based foods and the benefits they offer.

The conference will be graced and inaugurated by Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, as the Chief Guest. The Parliamentarian Session includes Sanjeev Arora, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Punjab), Amrendra Dhari Singh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Bihar), K.R.N. Rajeshkumar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Tamil Nadu), Beeda Masthan Rao Yadav, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Andhra Pradesh), Binoy Viswam, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Kerala), Amar Patnaik, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Odisha). Some of the other keynote speakers at the conference include Sudhanshu, secretary, APEDA; Sanoj Jha, additional secretary, MoFPI; Pradeep Singh Kharola, chairman and managing director, ITPO; Sanjay Sethi, executive director, Plant Based Foods Industry Association; VK Vidyarthi, general manager of APEDA; Saurabh Sanyal, secretary general, Ph.D. Chamber; Gaurav Marya, president, Franchise India; Nitin Verma, counselor agriculture, High Commission of Canada in India; and Ramkumar PS and regional commercial director, Brenntag.

To cater to the plant-based foods market and offer the exact meaty taste at an affordable price, it must start the work on the supply chain side. Utilizing superior-grade raw materials and enhancing plant-based food processing can make India penetrate the export market. The first step is procuring raw materials such as human-grade soybeans, which inherently possess higher protein content, lower oligosaccharides, and have no beany off-taste. Certain approaches, which include the cluster strategy, can aid in the development of efficient and cost-effective sources of supply, positioning the country as a major supplier of plant-based proteins globally, such as the announcement of one such plant protein cluster in Bhiwadi by PBFIA.

The conference is sponsored by Right to Protein, AAK, Ahimsa VC, Brinc, Continental Greenbird, So Good, Unibourne, Nourish You, Greenest, Symrise, Vezlay Foods, Wakao Foods, Le Meridien (New Delhi), Krystal Ventures, Innovation Asia, Veganta, Indian Culinary Forum, International Institute of Hotel Management – Delhi (IIHM), AgPulse Analytica, Sanitech Engineers, Vegan First, Roquette, Rishiraj Nutra Foods, Fair Exports (India), JBT and Innova Market Insights.

Organizations displaying their plant-based products and solutions include Vezlay Foods, Alt Foods, Blue Tribe Foods, Continental Greenbird, Shaka Harry, Wakao Foods, UniBourne Food Ingredients, Nourish You, Alimento Agro Foods, Azista Industries, Grabenord, Marine Hydrocolloids, Nutricircle, So Good, Vista Foods, Seaspire, Hello Tempayy, Innobliss Solution, The Cone Company, OMG Labs, UEngage, Urja Protein India, Taj Group of Companies, Multivac Laron India, Born Reborn, Dancing Cow, Mangat Ram Dal Mill, Bajo Foods, QOOT Food, Tora Creations, Thee Packaging Company, Welkin Foods, Mother’s Kitchen, Loving Hut Vegan Paradise, Zoipreet Enterprise, WhiteCub, PFC Foods, Plant Power, Jinie.

It will be exciting to see global food industry stakeholders take an active part in the conference while presenting multiple panel discussions on plant-based foods and tasting by various plant-based brands, activities, networking opportunities, and thought leadership perspectives, and provide an immersive experience.

It must cultivate, develop, and mainstream the plant-based foods industry to assist India to attain the Net Zero Carbon Emissions objective by 2070, move closer to the Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure food and nutritional security.

The conference is a big step forward in this direction. So, join on 14th March at Pragati Maidan for the 'Dawn of a Plant-Based Age conference'.

About Plant Based Foods Industry Association

Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) is an apex, CEO-led body with 100 members in 1 year of its formation. PBFIA supports the development of a robust ecosystem for the plant-based foods industry in India through strategic collaborations, by the creation of networks between stakeholders, facilitating research to enhance the capabilities of the sector, pushing for positive policymaking and dissemination of key trends and information in the interest of its members. 

For Further information, please contact Sanjay Sethi, Executive Director of Plant Based Foods Industry Association at +91 9004777119 or +91 6383510538 and sanjay.sethi@pbfia.org.