Steadfast Nutrition Introduces HerbFast to Meet Indian Protein Needs

To cater to diverse Indians’, including athletes’, unfulfilled protein needs and to capture a larger share of India’s unsaturated protein supplements market segment, leading sports and wellness nutrition brand Steadfast Nutrition, which envisions making India protein efficient by 2040, has launched a protein supplement HerbFast, labelling it ‘Desh ka Protein’. The product is a healthy blend of whey protein, natural herbs and spices, vitamin B complex, digestive enzymes, green tea extract, L-carnitine, and taurine. The on-the-go supplement comes in a single serving sachet, which is easy to carry and ensures precise dosage, making it markedly different from the boxes of protein supplements that currently dominate the nutraceutical market and are vulnerable to environmental damage, adulteration, and duplication. It is available in a delicious chocolate flavour. 80% of Indians are protein deficient and there is a growing realisation about the need to consume this vital nutrient among people. HerbFast has been launched keeping this need in mind, says Steadfast Nutrition founder Aman Puri. 

The Indian nutraceutical market lies in the unorganised sector and has a market share of ₹5000 cr, of which the sports nutrition segment is valued at ₹1300 cr, with an annual growth of about 25%. Protein supplements dominate the performance nutrition market, with a share of 70 percent in overall consumption. By expanding its portfolio with this unique protein formulation, Steadfast Nutrition also aims to tap into the unsaturated protein supplements segment.

Speaking about the launch, Steadfast Nutrition founder Aman Puri said, “HerbFast is a healthy blend of fast-releasing whey protein that increases muscle strength and helps in muscle growth, special herbs and spices that boost immunity and improve digestion, vitamin B complex that maintains energy levels and good health, and green tea extract, L-carnitine, and taurine that improve metabolism. A majority of Indians (80%) are protein deficient and unable to meet their daily protein needs through dietary sources alone. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts, in particular, require higher amounts of protein than the average individual for improving their performance by increasing lean muscle growth and to help their muscles recover from strenuous exercise. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) suggests that an average adult should eat around one gram of protein per kg of body weight a day. However, most of us are unable to meet this requirement, which is where protein supplements like HerbFast come into the picture. By expanding our portfolio with this unique protein formulation, we also aim to tap into the unsaturated protein supplements segment.”

HerbFast can safely be taken by all individuals above 18 years of age. Its launch will further strengthen Steadfast Nutrition’s nutrition portfolio. The brand, which envisions making India protein efficient by 2040, is the only one in India with 12 unique protein formulations and has 30 other formulations under various categories, including wellness, energy, amino acids, daily essentials, the effervescent range, and a mass gainer. 

Steadfast Nutrition prides itself on its organ-friendly, lab-tested supplements, research and innovation in formulation. Its supplements have received a good response. Since its launch in 2017, eight million sachets from its protein, amino acid, energy, mass gainer and daily essential range have been consumed, which excludes the tube and bottle supplements. The protein sachets are also in high demand, with 1.5 million protein sachets consumed so far. Steadfast Nutrition was the first brand in the country to come up with the concept of scoopless sports nutrition sachets, revolutionising an industry dominated by box packaging, which is highly vulnerable to duplication and adulteration. 

Steadfast Nutrition is renowned for providing sports nutrition supplements to athletes from diverse sports. The brand’s supplements cater to over 35 sporting categories, including hockey, cricket, football, cycling, running, bodybuilding, swimming, and boxing. The brand also has a diverse range of wellness supplements that have enabled numerous individuals from diverse age groups to maintain and improve their health and well-being. Athletes fuelled by the brand include Olympics and Commonwealth Games winners and members of the Team India hockey, badminton and football team. 

Foreign brands dominate the Indian nutraceutical market. Steadfast Nutrition is among the crop of Made in India companies that have succeeded in giving international nutraceutical brands stiff competition. The brand has a presence in all states of India. Steadfast Nutrition’s supplements are available in 800 stores located across India, and in multiple pharmacies. It plans to expand and add more in its sales network. The brand, along with its parent company Steadfast MediShield crossed a turnover of Rs 75 crores in FY 2022-2023. 

Steadfast Nutrition recently conducted a pan India campaign called “Make India Protein Efficient”. The campaign included initiatives to educate people about the importance of including protein in their diets, including a pledge campaign encouraging individuals to commit to "grow strong with protein”, a powerful video, 40 Steadfast Athletes campaigning for the brand and a nutritionist creating awareness among the public.