HYDERABAD: When Tony Datti returned to Hyderabad after nearly a decade in the UK, he was taken aback by the fact that most protein supplements available in the market were adulterated or had high quantities of sugar. He also found that genuine, imported brands were very highly-priced. That is when the idea of establishing Flex Protein came to him. “During my research, I found that approximately 75% of Indian households are protein deficit! Flex Protein was born out of this vision to bridge the gap between clean and nutritious protein supplementation and affordability of the same. I am not saying that everyone can afford my products, but eventually I aim to bridge that gap as well,” says Tony.
Flex Protein predominantly has vegan products, with Whey Protein being the only vegetarian option. They also have protein powders, Protein Breakfast products and Crunchy Peanut Butter. Their 3-min Protein Oats sounds like a good breakfast option too. Are his products only for gym-goers?
Tony clarifies: “Our target audience is not necessarily just people who hit the gym, but anyone who lives an active lifestyle. Whether you are a cyclist or a dancer or just someone who is looking at meeting your daily protein requirements, our products are for you. Also, many bariatric surgeons, dieticians and even oncologists are recommending sources of high quality and pure protein for their patients and our products fit the bill.”
Flex Protein products are manufactured in a facility located in Hyderabad. Despite being a mid-size company, it has a few high-grade industrial blenders. Talking about the source of raw materials, he says:
“As I had mentioned earlier, my biggest problem was the amount of adulteration and artificial substances in products available in the market. This stands true even for the raw materials available locally. So, as much as I try to source my raw materials indigenously, all the raw material for our protein powders is imported from the world’s best suppliers located in Europe and the USA.”
The brand has some interesting vegan products like pea protein and hemp protein.
“For a vegan diet, pea and hemp protein are powerhouses of protein supplementation. Pea protein has one of the highest levels of protein among plant sources, and we get our pea protein all the way from the EU. Hemp is high not just in protein, but it is also a complete protein. It’s also great for people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) due to its high fibre content,” says Tony.
Explaining his future plans, the entrepreneur says: “Presently, we are working on a cost-effective complete meal replacement shake which would give you the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals as per RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) using whole food ingredients. This is being developed inline by following our company ethos.”