NECTAR blind test: 700 Indian meat eaters rate 26 plant-based meat and egg products

NECTAR, India Animal Fund and GFI India ran a blind taste test in which 700 meat eaters in Bengaluru and Mumbai rated 26 plant-based meat and egg products across eight categories against animal-based benchmarks. About 60% of participants liked the products and 85% expressed purchase intent, with overall liking scores of 4.3 to 6.0 on a 7-point scale; a plant-based chicken patty and a chicken tikka showed no meaningful difference from their meat equivalents, while eggs, chicken chunks and mutton keema had the most room for improvement. Conventional meat still scored higher on perceived tastiness and protein, and 53% of participants named total protein content the most important label attribute.