India’s nutritional supplement industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but it falls short when it comes to the needs of serious athletes and fitness-driven individuals.
Imported products are expensive and often lack transparency about their ingredients, while low-cost domestic alternatives are sometimes overloaded with sugar and synthetic additives, or contain poorly researched formulations, says Siddharth Singh, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion and Founder of health and wellness brand 191 Nutrition.
Lack of suitable, reliable options for athletes and health-conscious individuals impacts their sustained performance, effective recovery, and long-term wellness, adds Singh, who is India’s first competitive Black Belt expert in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a four-time World Champion.
To address these gaps in sports nutrition, Singh founded 191 Nutrition over three years ago with a focus on hydration, recovery, and immunity. It offers nutritional supplements to support various health goals and lifestyles.
“When I evaluated the market, everything I found was either prohibitively expensive or just not made for someone who trains seriously. I wanted to create something with complete integrity, no sugar, no fluff, and no false claims. Just clean, functional nutrition that helps people recover faster, train harder, and stay healthy,” Singh says.
191 Nutrition was launched in 2022 following a year of development and testing with a range of nutritional supplements in the form of effervescent tablets.
Effervescent tablets dissolve in water with a fizz, delivering electrolytes and anti-inflammatory compounds. They allow quick absorption of nutrients (in 30 to 60 seconds), and help replace minerals lost through sweat. Fizzing boosts hydration, sleep quality, and overall performance, elaborates Singh.
191 Nutrition’s range includes multivitamins for men and women, hydration tablets with electrolytes and vitamin C, joint support tablets enriched with vitamin D3 and calcium, and recovery tablets combining magnesium, zinc, and natural extracts.
The tablets come in flavours such as orange, lemon, lychee, and pineapple to suit Indian tastes while maintaining clean-label standards.
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Multivitamins Immunity effervescent tablet
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Clean-label standards emphasise the use of simple, natural, and recognisable ingredients without artificial additives, preservatives, and unnecessary chemicals. They focus on transparency, ingredient quality, and minimal processing to meet consumer demand for healthier foods.
Although no single global body defines a ‘clean label’, these standards align with food safety regulations from authorities such as Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the US’ Food and Drug Administration, and European Food Safety Authority.
“We follow these principles to ensure the effervescent tablets are safe and appealing to health-conscious consumers,” says Singh. “Our goal is to fix the invisible everyday gaps: mineral loss from sweating, post-training inflammation, poor sleep, joint stress, and low immunity. These are problems that derail athletes over time.”
“Effervescent tablets let us deliver clean nutrition that’s quick to absorb, safe for international athletes, and built for Indian needs.”
Genesis of 191 Nutrition
After completing an honours degree in economics from Delhi University and a master’s in international strategy and economics from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, Singh worked in London with Pentland Brands, managing business development for global labels such as Lacoste Footwear, Ellesse, Ted Baker, and Kangaroos.
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Recovery effervescent tablet
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Upon his return to India in 2012, he founded Cross Train Fight Club, a mixed martial arts fight club and training facility.
“Cross Train exposed me to how under-served our athletes are when it comes to recovery and health. You can’t expect someone to train like a professional while fuelling themselves like a college student,” reflects Singh. “And even if you’re not an athlete, your body still needs the same vitamins and minerals to function well,” he emphasises.
The idea for 191 Nutrition crystallised during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his mother fell severely ill.
“Athletes aren’t the only ones who need better supplementation. From joint pain and low energy to poor sleep and slow recovery, I saw how widespread these issues are—and how little people knew about solving them nutritionally.”
From concept to market
Product development began in 2021 with trials among fighters at Cross Train Fight Club. Feedback around hydration, energy levels, and recovery helped shape the formulations.
A year of testing followed, with Solis Labs (USA) consulting on the formulations. Solis Labs is FDA-approved and recognised in the United States, and it ensures that product formulations adhere to global standards.
The products of 191 Nutrition undergo FSSAI, World Health Organization (WHO), and Good Manufacturing Practices certifications, ensuring both domestic and international regulatory compliance.
West Coast Pharmaceuticals (Gujarat), a WHO-GMP and FSSAI-certified facility, handles manufacturing, quality control, packaging, and logistics.
“Having a trustworthy manufacturing partner allows us to innovate confidently. Every batch is rigorously tested, and I personally use the products before they go to market,” Singh notes.
Talking about the challenges, Singh says scaling was difficult due to high minimum order quantities, limited production capacity, and consumer skepticism. “It wasn’t just about building a product, we had to educate an entire market that knew little about clean supplementation, especially in sports.”
Since its launch, 191 Nutrition has sold around 5,000 tablet packs. Majority of sales comes from its website and a significant part via Amazon. The brand also has a presence in 10 retail outlets and select pharmacies across Delhi NCR. The products are also marketed through martial arts gyms and social media.
The brand also sponsors events, such as ADCC Submission Grappling Championship and AJP Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
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“The best validation doesn’t come from sales numbers but from hearing that someone was able to train without cramping for the first time or sleep better after months of restless nights. That’s the kind of impact we’re here for,” says Singh.
Initially focused on competitive athletes, 191 Nutrition is now targeting fitness enthusiasts in the 18–40 years age group.
However, individuals with kidney issues, high blood pressure, and sodium intake restrictions should consult a doctor before consuming the tablets, cautions Singh. “Always follow dosage instructions and never consume the tablets undissolved,” he adds
Vision for the future
While urban markets such as Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai remain the focus of 191 Nutrition, traction from the Northeast and Tier II cities has prompted the brand to explore these markets as well.
In the next six months, the company plans to introduce creatine monohydrate, aimed at improving performance and recovery for both men and women, and a herbal supplement based on ashwagandha, designed to support stress management, mood stability, and post-training recovery through natural ingredients.
India’s nutritional supplement market was valued at over $4 billion in 2023, according to the ‘India Nutraceutical Report’ by Research and Markets. Established players include MuscleBlaze, Fast&Up, Optimum Nutrition, and Wellbeing Nutrition.
Singh says 191 Nutrition’s USP is its focus on targeted, performance-focused nutrition without sugar or synthetic fillers. “We’re building a category that didn’t really exist a few years ago. We’ve got to grow carefully, prioritising quality and user feedback, and keep the science front and centre,” he reiterates.
Edited by Swetha Kannan
