Hindustan Unilever Limited’s Horlicks brand has launched a protein powder targeting everyday consumers rather than gym-goers, the company announced today.
The product, called Horlicks Protein Powder, delivers 24 g of protein and 4 g of prebiotic fibre per serving, packaged in individual single-serve sachets. Each 1 kg pack contains 28 sachets and is available in three flavours, Chocolate, Coffee, and Unflavoured, across retail outlets and select online platforms in India.
The formulation is built around fermented yeast protein, a complete protein source containing all nine essential amino acids. The finished product carries a PDCAAS score of 1.0, the highest possible rating on a widely used measure of protein quality and digestibility.
The product also contains inulin, a prebiotic fibre, and papain, a plant-derived enzyme intended to support protein digestion. It is naturally lactose-free.
Rajneet Kohli, Executive Director, Foods at HUL, framed the launch around the insight that physical demands are not limited to structured exercise. “Life is a gym,” he said, referencing the brand’s positioning around the idea that daily routines, commuting, carrying groceries, managing a busy workday, place real nutritional demands on the body.
The launch marks a strategic extension for Horlicks, a brand with over a century in the nutrition segment, into the fast-growing protein supplement category. HUL has positioned the product around convenience and accessibility rather than performance, departing from how protein products have traditionally been marketed in India.
HUL shares were trading at ₹1,963 on the NSE on Tuesday, up 1.87 per cent from the previous close, though the stock has underperformed the Nifty 50 significantly over longer timeframes, declining roughly 24 per cent over the past year against the index’s 6.9 per cent drop.
Published on September 15, 2026
