Myprotein’s India journey reveals why supplement trust is hard to earn

Three years after establishing independent operations in India, UK-based sports nutrition company Myprotein continues to grapple with fundamental consumer resistance to protein supplements.

The brand's journey highlights broader industry priorities around consumer education, quality differentiation, and pricing pressures in a category where established players compete alongside numerous direct-to-consumer startups, each vying for a share of India's growing fitness-conscious demographic.

For context, the India protein-based product market size was Rs 38247.0 crore in 2024 and is expected to reach Rs 1,36,327 crore by 2033, at a CAGR of 15.17%, as per IMARC Group, a global market research and consulting firm. 

For Myprotein, the strategy appears to be by the way of collaboration.

Partnership strategy addresses consumer hesitancy

Myprotein's three-year collaboration with heritage milkshake brand Keventers represents an attempt to address what regional manager Sudeshna Saha describes as persistent consumer myths around protein supplementation.

"The initial intent was to break the myth that whey protein is a steroid," Saha explains, noting that Indian consumers often approach packaged supplements with the same wariness typically reserved for processed foods.

The partnership strategy, infusing Keventers' established flavours into Myprotein's whey protein products, aims to leverage existing brand trust whilst addressing taste barriers that can derail supplementation habits.

"Keventers has been a trusted brand for milkshakes for so many years. Them vouching for the category was one of the ways of breaking the myth," Saha notes, while acknowledging that Myprotein's two-decade-old international track record carries its own merit.

Balancing global standards with local adaptation

Myprotein's market strategy involves maintaining UK manufacturing standards whilst adapting product positioning for Indian consumers.

The company has established its entity in India after initially operating through a B2B distributor model—a transition that Saha says caused operational disruptions but was necessary for scaling ambitions.

The localisation approach operates across manufacturing compliance, flavour innovation, and partnership development. However, this creates inherent tensions around cost management, particularly as global commodity prices continue rising.

"Ensuring that we are competitive without compromising on the quality is our topmost priority," Saha states.

The brand's product portfolio reflects attempts to serve diverse consumer segments through tiered pricing. The flagship Impact Whey Protein (80% protein concentration) targets "everyday athletes", whereas the premium Impact Whey Isolate (90%+ protein) serves serious fitness enthusiasts.

A third product, ProTheWhey, targets what the company terms "hybrid athletes" engaged in varied fitness activities.

Market realities challenge premium positioning

Despite positioning itself as a premium international brand, Myprotein faces significant competitive pressures in India's crowded supplement market.

The company competes against established FMCG players like Amul, who has been increasingly investing into the category, numerous emerging D2C brands, and what Saha describes as widespread issues with product authenticity and nutritional transparency.

"The category is subjected to a lot of data and nutritional manipulations where transparency is not up to the mark," she says.

The price elasticity that Saha identifies as characteristic of the whey protein category creates ongoing challenges in maintaining margins while remaining accessible to India's price-sensitive middle class.

"It's one of the most elastic categories when it comes to FMCG," she observes, suggesting that consumer loyalty remains limited when price differentials become significant.

One notable aspect of Myprotein's Indian performance is its geographic distribution, with 50% of sales reportedly originating from tier-two and tier-three cities rather than metropolitan markets.

Media strategy: community over celebrity

Myprotein's marketing approach in India has notably avoided traditional celebrity endorsement models, instead focusing on what Saha terms "community marketing" and product education.

The brand currently prioritises influencer partnerships over high-profile celebrity associations.

"Influencers are our nearest and dearest spokespersons when it comes to really taking the product out. Because they are daily consumers who are actively engaging with the brand," Saha explains.

This positioning suggests either a strategic choice to prioritise authenticity or practical considerations around celebrity endorsement costs in a price-sensitive market.

The brand's campaign portfolio includes milestone marketing around its 20-year international legacy, purity positioning campaigns like "India's purest whey isolate", and flavour-centric campaigns highlighting partnerships like the Keventers collaboration.

However, Saha acknowledges that the brand's approach has been "largely product marketing and less brand marketing so far."

Myprotein's community engagement extends to partnerships with fitness clubs, gyms, and lifestyle brands, though the effectiveness of these grassroots approaches in building brand awareness remains to be quantified.

"We really want the consumers to go and get a hands-on feel of the products," Saha notes, suggesting a sampling-heavy approach.

The shift away from celebrity endorsements also reflects changing consumer behaviour, particularly among Gen Z demographics who reportedly find influencer content more relatable.

Distribution challenges and expansion plans

After operating primarily through its own B2C website during the initial market establishment phase, Myprotein is now attempting to expand into marketplace platforms, modern trade, and quick commerce channels.

Discussions are reportedly underway with platforms including Swiggy, Blinkit, and Nutrabay, though Saha acknowledges it's "too soon" to assess the success of these distribution expansion efforts.

The brand's future strategy includes category expansion beyond traditional protein powders into functional foods, ready-to-drink beverages, vitamins, and snack products. This diversification reflects both growth ambitions and recognition that exclusive reliance on protein supplements may limit market potential.

Persistent industry challenges

Despite three years of operations and broader category growth, Saha acknowledges that fundamental consumer education remains incomplete. "Myths don't die overnight," she admits, referring to ongoing reservations about protein supplementation among Indian consumers.

The challenge extends beyond consumer perception to systemic industry issues that complicate market development. Saha points to what she describes as widespread problems with product authenticity, claiming "the counterfeit business is also a massive challenge" in the category.

Additionally, Saha says that competitors engage in "amino spiking"—adding cheaper amino acids to artificially inflate protein content figures without delivering equivalent nutritional value.

Rising commodity prices create further operational pressure to maintain quality while remaining price-competitive—a balance that becomes increasingly difficult as international raw material costs escalate.

For Myprotein, this means navigating between premium positioning and mass market accessibility in a category where consumer switching costs remain relatively low and quality differentiation may not be apparent to average consumers.

Market outlook

Myprotein's experience reflects broader challenges facing international nutrition brands in India. While awareness around fitness and supplementation continues growing, particularly among Gen Z demographics that Saha identifies as the "fastest growing segment", consumer scepticism about packaged supplements persists alongside intense price competition.