From burgers to bhel to water: Has protein marketing gone too far in our diets?

New Delhi: Protein is no longer confined to powders, gyms, or shakes. In brands’ playbook, it has become the new ‘super-ingredient’, appearing in everything from burgers and coffee to bhel, water, and even dosa batter.

Walk into a quick-service restaurant, pick up a snack bar, or scroll through your social feed, chances are you’ll find protein staring back at you.

Brands are falling over themselves to slap the magic word onto whatever they sell. But does every bite, sip, and snack really need to scream high protein? Or are we in the middle of yet another marketing overkill?

Brands across categories leaning on protein

Brands have been quick to move protein out of fitness clubs and into the food mainstream. Quick-service restaurants are leaning in hard. Now it’s invading your burger bun too!

“The Chatpata Chana burger has got a protein patty, is deliciously crunchy and guaranteed to floor even the most hardcore chicken loyalists,” Aparna Bhawal, CMO, KFC India & Partner Countries, insisted.

McDonald’s, too, is using protein as a lever of choice and customisation. “At McDonald’s India, we are giving our customers the power to personalise their protein intake. The Protein Plus Range allows them to enjoy their favourite burgers without compromising on their protein needs or the taste,” said Akshay Jatia, CEO of Westlife Foodworld.

It doesn’t stop there. Coffee, India’s urban comfort drink, is also getting a protein makeover. Once a caffeine fix, it is now being positioned as a delivery vehicle for protein and nutrition.

“We believe protein shouldn’t be complicated, it should be a natural part of everyday life,” said Shrikant Sharma, Managing Director of Sanjeevani Agrofoods, at the launch of protein-packed coffees and an Everyday Protein Mix.

Snack categories have been equally aggressive. Bhel, the most street-side of snacks, is now dressed up as a functional food. “Traditional Bhel isn’t exactly something you can eat on the go, and it doesn’t give you the protein you need to stay full and energised. Our Bhel Bars keep the crunch, tang, and spice while adding 10 grams of plant protein to fuel busy days, workouts, meetings, or even your evening drink plans. It’s the snack I always wanted for myself, so we created it,” Gayatri Chona, founder of Phab, asserted.

Hydration, too, has become a protein story. Suniel Shetty’s Aquatein launched with a bold positioning. “With a portfolio including Protein Water, a light yet effective source of protein for those on the move; Electrolyte Water, to restore essential minerals lost during exercise; Vitamin Water, to support immunity and vitality; and Amino Water, crafted for recovery and muscle performance,” as stated in their press release.

Even the most homely staples now come with a protein upgrade. Meghana Narayan and Shauravi Malik Co-founders of Wholsum Foods, are sneaking protein dal, dosa and more. “Protein has often been seen as something meant for the gym, heavy shakes, dense bars, and a whole lot of jargon. But most people aren’t looking to count macros; they just want to eat well. With Mille, our goal is to bring protein back to the Indian kitchen, into your dal, your dosa, even your morning coffee,” said the Co-founders.

Manufactured demand or genuine shift?

Hamsini Shivakumar, founder of Leapfrog Strategy Consulting, sees protein less as an organic trend and more as orchestrated marketing. She said, “In my view, protein is the first big case of orchestrated social media and online marketing with all food D2C entrepreneurs and their influencers delivering the same set of messages. Yes, many Indians are indeed protein-deficient, maybe slightly or significantly. But converting that mild deficiency into a demand space for protein-enriched products, supplements requires integrated orchestration, and that's what we are seeing.”

“The ‘protein deficiency’ is the central hook for the protein wave in India. The brands are responding to the new findings and using this as an opportunity to either ride this wave or enter it. There is no doubt that India needs to consume sufficient protein and can do more to bridge the gap. However, there are nuances to this data, and a larger gap was found. E.g. higher protein deficiency in vegetarians Vs non-vegetarians or the deficiency levels between urban Vs rural consumers differ, which gets missed when one just focuses on the larger messaging and stops at that,” Anjali Malthankar, Global Strategy Director, Co-Head GIPSI, Tonic Worldwide, noted.

Protein: the “new currency of wellness”

But for some, none of this is accidental. Data shows Indians are actively googling protein. Soumya Mohanty, MD & Chief Client & Solutions Officer - South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, called it a cultural currency shift.

“Protein has become the new currency of wellness in India; it’s no longer confined to powders and gym-goers. While search volumes for terms like ‘protein powder’ (261K, +46%) and ‘whey protein’ (297K, +52%) show how supplements are now mainstream, everyday foods are being reframed through a protein lens, queries like ‘paneer protein per 100g’ (+63%), ‘soya chunks protein per 100g’ (+74%) and ‘low cost high protein foods in India’ (+70%) highlight a clear cultural shift toward quantifiable, affordable protein in daily diets,” Mohanty underscored.

The evidence is stark in product searches. “Amul high protein milk grew by an astonishing +6511%, and ‘protein water’ searches nearly doubled (+99%), showing how brands are merging hydration and functionality. This is not just marketing hype; there is a genuine consumer appetite for accessible (sometimes vegetarian-friendly) protein,”  Mohanty added.

“In a recent GIPSI report on the health food category we conducted for one of our clients, we observed that Gen Z are more likely to be comfortable with ‘labelling’ feelings, personalities and almost everything. They are likely to adopt and accept health phenomena with labels,” Malthankar revealed.

Madhurima Bhatia, PR & Partnerships Lead at Ipsos, agreed that health post-COVID has become mainstream. “Post-COVID-19, there has been a renewed focus on nutrition and products with health benefits have been dominating shopping carts. We could see more brands piggybacking on the protein bandwagon to appeal to consumers' needs,” Bhatia added.

Gauri Pathak, executive director and country head, Healthcare, Ipsos India, framed it as part of a preventive health shift. “The growing conversations around weight loss, further amplified by the launch of GLP-1 drugs in the country, have created the perfect backdrop for heightened consumer interest in protein,” said Pathak.

The fad cycle in food marketing

But just because consumers are buying into protein doesn’t mean brands can keep sprinkling it across categories without consequence. Industry experts and veterans see the “protein moment” as part of a longer history of marketing buzzwords. 

Vivek Srivastava, Founder of Integrated Brand Heuristics, drew a straight line from past cycles. “The hunt for a product differential is a perennial one, more so in foods. We have been flitting from energy, to fibre, to trans fat, to zero cholesterol, to zero added sugar and now protein. The processed foods business needs these rational-sounding points as support to convince consumers! The protein story has emerged on the back of growing health & fitness-related trends,” Srivastava underscored. 

“Protein deficiency in the Indian diet is a legitimate concern. Unfortunately, marketers are using it so indiscriminately that it risks becoming just another halo ingredient like hyaluronic acid in skin care. Protein is pretty much a commoditised concept,” Nisha Sampath, Managing Partner, Bright Angels Consulting LLP, asserted.

“If brands are not careful, not only will consumers be fatigued, but eventually they will see through the claims as a basis for charging a premium, leading to scepticism,” Sampath added a sharper warning.

“There may be a consumer rush for now, but in days to come it will settle to a regular level. Core benefits have to be consistent across the years, and one has seen this with many brands - Complan: Growth & height; Horlicks: Bone health & growth. What keeps them alive is crafting the proposition which stays relevant & real-world.” Srivastava echoed.

“The narrative will decide whether any brand is just riding the fad or genuinely contributing to bridging the Protein gap. The brand’s commitment to the cause will differentiate the brand from the fad riders in the long term,” Malthankar asserted.

Why Protein messaging risks saturation

Alok Lall, a marketing veteran with more than three decades of experience, cautioned against overcrowding. “Universal protein messaging creates marketplace saturation reminiscent of probiotic claims across European dairy sectors. Progressive brands will need to shift focus from generic protein content to nuanced positioning - amino acid profiles, sourcing narratives, or consumption occasions. Successful differentiation requires owning specific protein contexts rather than broadcasting identical benefits,” Lall asserted.

“Organisations anchored exclusively on protein benefits may face strategic fragility. Brand equity concentrated in easily replicated functional claims is likely to create competitive vulnerability. Historical precedents include brands built around fat-reduction messaging that struggled during healthy-fat trend shifts. Resilient protein brands will need to establish expandable platforms using protein as a relationship catalyst rather than a complete brand narrative,” Lall cautioned marketers.

Abhijit Avasthi, Founder of Sideways Consulting, said, "Protein wave is both. It is marketing hype and value-added. It’s good that people are realising how protein-deficient our regular diets are. If the brand is sincere in its execution of helping overcome protein deficiency, there is certainly a play there. But those trying to just ride the wave by paying lip service to the actual delivery will get caught out."