India’s Plant-Based Pioneer GoodDot Is Going Global, From South Africa To Canada

Indian plant-based startup GoodDot is taking its line of animal-free alternative meat products and vegan meals global, forging distribution partnerships across the Middle East, North America, Asia and Africa. GoodDot is set to launch in multiple international markets in the coming months amidst the surging demand for plant-based products. 

Founded in 2016, GoodDot quickly rose to become one of the plant-based leaders in its home base in India, known for its vegan-friendly mutton-like “bytz”, chicken-free “proteiz” chunks and meatless ready-meals from pulao to biryani and its sister venture GoodDo, the country’s first vegan fast food restaurant chain offering Indians affordable and accessible plant-based bites. 

Now, the Udaipur-based firm is taking its operations global. Speaking to Green Queen exclusively, co-founder and CEO Abhishek Sinha said: “We are fortunate to have partnered with organisations which have amazing experience and skill sets along with complete mission alignment. Our company born out of India is ready for the world,” and added that the brand is set to have “significant presence in various geographies” given its three key qualities of “taste, affordability and shelf-stability”. 

Our company born out of India is ready for the world.

Abhishek Sinha, Co-Founder & CEO, GoodDot

The company has already taken the first step and launched two franchised food outlets under their QSR brand GoodDo in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, which Sinha says has already garnered a “very positive response”. More locations are to open in the coming months. On the retail side, a number of GoodDot’s plant-based meats are available to consumers via a local distributor, with the bytz proving particularly popular as a vegan beef replacement. 

In Dubai, GoodDot is co-developing a new range of plant-based products with Just Vegan, a franchise headquartered in New York with operations spanning from the Middle East to the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Just Vegan will launch burger patties, nuggets, croquettes, chicken fingers and vegan curries, planned for retail across the city by early January 2021. GoodDot’s original product line-up of bytz and proteiz, on the other hand, are already sold via foodservice channels at Dubai’s Just Vegan Cafe and ILA Café. 

Beyond the MENA region, GoodDot has entered into a distribution agreement with Infinite Foods, a platform that currently brings international plant-based brands like Beyond Meat and Oatly into the African market. South Africa will the first country to launch GoodDot biryani, pulao, achari tikka and plant-based curry products by January next year. 

We are fortunate to have GoodDot products in our portfolio, GoodDot products are an instant hit with our clients.

Firoz Khan, Founder & CEO, Just Like Meat

In addition, Sinha shared with Green Queen that the GoodDot is teaming up with Toronto’s Just Like Meat to debut its plant proteins in the Canadian market for the first time. Having recently brought its biryani and pulao to Toronto residents, the startup says that more products will be launching in the near future, as well as in more retail locations across Canada. 

Speaking about the partnership, Firoz Khan, the founder and CEO of Just Like Meat says that the company is “fortunate to have GoodDot products in our portfolio” and described the new additions as already an “instant hit with our clients”. 

Expanding its footprint even further to rival the likes of recognisable U.S.-based vegan brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, the Udaipur-based startup is even in “advanced-level talks” to distribute its products across Singapore, where it will partner with premium food importer Fluetis, and in New Zealand, in collaboration with Auckland-based Jayen Exports. GoodDot’s products will additionally be listed on major Singaporean e-commerce platforms, including the city-state’s most popular online grocers such as Redmart, Lazada, Shopee and Amazon SG.

We’re already witnessing increased adoption of plant-based alternatives. And with more awareness and better products being rolled out, the movement is bound to accelerate.

Abhishek Sinha, Co-Founder & CEO, GoodDot

While the company hasn’t disclosed the size of the orders, GoodDot did reveal that the initial orders are ranging from “5 to 6 figures in dollar terms” across various geographies, and that this figure is expected to “increase substantially in the future” in response to rising demand, thanks to the major boost the plant-based industry has received in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 

In a previous interview with Green Queen, Sinha shared his belief that the only way is up for plant-based meats. “We’re already witnessing increased adoption of plant-based alternatives,” he said. “And with more awareness and better products being rolled out, the movement is bound to accelerate.”

All images courtesy of GoodDot.