Dairy alternatives gain shelf space in India as health, vegan trends reshape F&B grocery

IBEF flags rising consumer demand for plant-based milks and dairy substitutes in India, driven by health awareness and vegan adoption. Signals category expansion opportunity for F&B and grocery retailers stocking almond, soy, oat and coconut SKUs.

— Filed Sun, 7 Jun, 2026, 08:04 IST · Source IBEF Blogs · Updated

IBEF blog explores how rising health awareness and vegan lifestyles are driving demand for dairy alternatives in India, covering market growth, consumer trends and category benefits relevant to F&B and grocery retailers.

Why this matters

Plant-based dairy moves from niche to mainstream shelf in India, pushing grocers to broaden chilled and ambient SKUs across almond, soy, oat and coconut formats to capture health-led shoppers.

Retail-brand theme steady at 1,212 signals over 90 days, indicating consistent category-level activity.