Plant Based Foods set to capture the imagination of Aahar 2023 participants – a dedicated pavilion and focused international conference
11 March 2023, New Delhi: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) & India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) presents “Dawn of a Plant Based Age” Conference, co-organised by Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) and PHD 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.
The conference will happen at Hall no. 8, in Pragati Maidan on 14th March, on the 1stday of AAHAR, from 9:00 AM to 6 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 ever, 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 Hon’ble Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare as the Chief Guest. Some of the keynote speakers in the conference include Dr Sudhanshu, Secretary of APEDA; Shri Sanoj Jha, Addl. Secretary of MoFPI; Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola, Chairman & Managing Director of ITPO; Shri Sanjay Sethi, Executive Director of Plant Based Foods Industry Association; Shri VK Vidyarthi, General Manager of APEDA; Shri Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General of PHD Chamber; Shri Gaurav Marya, President of Franchise India; Shri Nitin Verma, Counsellor Agriculture of High Commission of Canada in India; and Shri Ramkumar PS and Regional Commercial Director of Brenntag.
To cater to the plant-based foods market and offer the exact meaty taste at an affordable price we must now start the work on the supply chain side. Utilizing superior-grade raw materials and enhancing plant-based foods 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.
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