Conscious eating has caught on in India, with people ditching packaged junk food. The rise of fit-fluencers and nutritionists on social media has also contributed to mindful eating with an emphasis on nutritional value. In this climate, quality and nutritious options to the sugar-loaded energy bars and crispy snacks have soared with a few making their name and earning their audience in the country. Home-grown healthy cereal brands are gaining ground.

Yoga Bar

The first thing that strikes you is the colourful packaging. Different shades of pink, purple, yellow and blue are most inviting and they’ve got that branding down perfectly. Their most popular products are the Muesli, protein bars, whey protein and energy bars. Other products on offer are the pancake mix, oats, quinoa, dry fruits and seeds and millet and ragi mix for babies. Made with clean, natural ingredients with no artificial sweeteners and preservatives, the brand focuses on whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits to provide the necessary taste and nutrition. 

The Whole Truth Foods

A whole range of health foods is their arsenal and The Whole Truth Foods is popular because it has a wide variety of products backed by a non-nonsense approach to nutrition. Along with a no nonsense approach their products also have no added sugar, no added soy, no added gluten, no added flavours, no added preservatives and no added colour. The brand’s core philosophy is to use only 100% clean ingredients, free from preservatives, artificial flavours, or hidden sugars. Their product range includes protein bars, immunity balls, energy mixes, chocolate and nut butters. Their transparent labelling clearly showing every ingredient used, sets them apart. 

True Elements

With a focus on providing nutrient-dense snacks and breakfast options, True Elements offers snacks, seeds, nuts, oats, chikki, dried fruits, breakfast cereals and more. Free from preservatives, artificial colours, and genetically modified ingredients the brand attempts to make clean eating the norm and is also backed by a host of celebrities. 

Soulfull now Tata Soulfull

It all started with Ragi bites – small discs of ragi with the telltale taste of no added sugar and an earthy mouthfeel. From there Soulfull took off with its millet-based products, offering a range of cereals, snacks, smoothies and quick meals that harness the nutritional power of grains like ragi and jowar (sorghum). The brand’s product range is designed to appeal to both adults and children, providing healthier alternatives to regular breakfast cereals and snacks. The brand was bought by Tata Consumer Products in 2021.

Slurrp Farm

Give the world to moms and they’ll solve all our problems. Started by two mums who saw a gaping hole in the nutritional value of snacks and breakfast cereals Slurrp Farm specialises in nutritious and tasty food options for children though their products are also suitable for adults. With a focus on millet-based and whole grain products their range includes snacks, porridges, noodles, pancake and upma mixes, milk mixes and millet puffs. Slurrp Farm’s goal is to offer fun and healthy food that kids will love, without the excess sugar, additives, or preservatives typically found in packaged foods.

Monsoon harvest now called Wingreens Harvest

One thing that will strike you when you pick up a Wingreens Harvest breakfast cereal pack, is the artwork. Very Quentin-Blake-esque. And what’s inside is delicious. Gluten-free with no added sugar or preservatives, their oat clusters come in two flavours. Strawberry and Mango. Their granola bars though have a range of flavours – dark chocolate, espresso, cranberry, sea salt and more. 

Feature Photo by Jess Loiterton