India’s growing appetite for healthier food choices is increasingly playing out on quick commerce platforms, with Instamart reporting a 150% surge in protein orders over the last two years as consumers shift towards protein-led consumption.
Swiggy 's quick commerce arm said user spending on protein products has tripled during the period, prompting the company to expand its protein catalogue to nearly 10,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) across categories. The assortment spans everyday staples such as eggs, paneer and chickpeas to newer nutrition products including protein snacks, bars, shakes and oats.
The Indian protein market has evolved into a lucrative industry. IMARC, a global market research and advisory firm, estimates India’s protein supplements market at ?7,461 crore in 2024, projected to reach ?13,186 crore by 2033.
Swiggy's data, based on orders placed between January 2023 and December 2025 across more than 131 Indian cities, points to a widening shift in consumer behaviour beyond metros. While India's tech-hub Bengaluru continues to lead protein demand, Tier II and smaller cities are growing over 200% faster than metros on protein orders, led by Nagpur, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Visakhapatnam.
Hari Kumar G, chief business officer at Instamart, said the platform is witnessing a structural shift in shopping baskets. “Instamart solved for access and convenience; now, we are solving for a fundamental shift in how India consumes. We are seeing a move from an ‘essentials’ basket to an ‘aspirational’ one, where ‘better-for-you’ is the new baseline,” he said.
For instance, a Chennai user spent ?2.71 lakh largely on peanut-based protein staples, while a Bengaluru consumer spent ?2.09 lakh on protein bars alone. Mumbai, Delhi and Surat also recorded high-value protein carts dominated by whey protein purchases.
The trend is gaining pace as more and more FMCG firms like Amul, Parag Milk , Britannia and others are trying to embed protein into everyday diets rather than position it as a supplement. The recommendation for an average adult is to consume about 60 grams of protein per day, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research, but urban India’s median intake stands at just 37 grams, underscoring a significant shortfall.