New Delhi: Amul is aiming to make protein a bigger part of daily diets across India, backed by a plan to grow its protein-production capacity five times. With a portfolio of 15 protein-rich products, India’s largest FMCG brand is now using the Indian Premier League (IPL) to drive home the message of “one gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, daily.”

With daily production of three million litres of whey protein, Amul is sponsoring nine out of the 10 IPL teams this season. The brand is also leveraging the tournament to raise awareness about protein consumption, while promoting its high-protein range across stadiums, digital platforms, and ecommerce channels.

“Protein is turning out to be a huge portfolio,” said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF). “We are largely D2C (direct-to-consumer) in this space and so we sell our whey protein (products) directly to the consumers from our amul shop or mobile application or web portal. This gives us a very good understanding of where whey is being consumed and who are the protein consumers ... We are increasing our capacity five times. When I have three million litres of whey it gives me the opportunity to convert all that whey into value added products,” Mehta said during an interaction with businessline.

Already India’s largest producer of cheese and paneer, Amul is now targeting a wider audience beyond traditional fitness-focused buyers. Its protein range includes high-protein lassi, buttermilk, dahi, ice-creams, kulfi, milkshakes, and whey protein concentrates, offering between 10 grams and 35 grams of protein per serving.

“We are pushing the concept of consuming protein by creating category awareness and products to make people try. We have 15 products in the protein-portfolio, offering between 10 grams and 35 grams of protein per serving, in our high-protein milk per 250 ml packet. As the largest manufacturer of cheese and paneer in the country, we have access to a lot of whey, one of the best sources of protein. We have now identified the technology to make different products from this fresh whey. These value-for-money products are tasty and fit with our daily food habits. If each one of us consumes one gram of whey per kilogram of body weight, it is a huge market opportunity which only Amul as the largest domestic player can capture,” Mehta added.

While Mehta did not disclose the current sales figures for Amul’s protein products, he highlighted the growing traction among consumers. Through its partnerships with IPL teams, Amul is also promoting its ice-creams and beverages — tying up with six teams for ice-cream promotions and three teams for Kool beverages.

“We are getting huge traction among customers. We are also creating a lot of digital content, running contests online, and managing conversations. It is a full 360 degree activation. We are getting 20-30 million likes per video or content which we have created with each team. We also get a chance to sell ice-creams and beverages and protein products inside the stadium. So it is a full engagement comprising digital, television and online ecommerce,” Mehta said.

Amul’s strategy combines mass awareness campaigns with product accessibility, aiming to embed protein consumption deeper into India's food culture.

BI Bureau