Five Ways Protein is Moving Beyond Bars and Shakes | Protein Boom in CPG | Left Hand Agency CPG High Five
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- 5 min read
Protein has been one of CPG’s hottest trends for years, but the latest wave of product launches suggests the category is evolving. It’s no longer just about protein bars and meal-replacement shakes. Brands are finding ways to incorporate protein into coffee, candy, breakfast foods, snacks, and even sparkling beverages.
The bigger story, however, is not protein—it’s functionality.
Consumers are increasingly looking for foods that contribute to a personal goal, whether that’s building muscle, managing weight, increasing satiety, improving focus or simply making better nutritional choices throughout the day. Protein has become one of the clearest and most recognizable ways for brands to communicate that value, making it the hero ingredient in everything from granola to chips.
What excites me most is not necessarily the explosion of protein products—it’s seeing familiar foods become more functional. I was genuinely excited when Wilde Protein Chips came out because I had mentally placed potato chips into the “empty calories” category years ago. Giving consumers more functional versions of foods they already love feels like a much more compelling innovation than asking them to adopt entirely new eating habits.
That said, functionality alone is not enough. Too many protein products have historically come with chalky textures, unusual aftertastes or a “healthy” compromise that becomes difficult to overlook after the first purchase.
The brands that win will not necessarily be the ones with the highest protein content. They will be the ones that make consumers forget they are eating a protein product at all.
1. Protein beverages continue to expand, but I am not convinced they’ll stick
Recent launches from Lumen, C4, Aonic Fuel and Melting Forest suggest protein beverages are trying to become the next major functional-drink category. Sparkling protein, clear protein, and protein shots are all gaining shelf space as brands capitalize on the broader functional-beverage movement.
I’m more skeptical of this segment than many others. Beverages are one of the most competitive and trend-driven categories in CPG. Consumers love trying new drinks, but they’re often quick to move on. Many emerging brands also appear to be riding category momentum rather than making meaningful, long-term investments in advertising and brand building.
We’ve seen this cycle before: hot categories attract dozens of entrants, demand eventually levels off, and only the brands that have built distinctive memory structures survive.
Functional beverages are here to stay, but I am less certain every protein beverage will be.
2. Familiar foods are becoming more functional
Some of the most interesting developments are not beverages at all. Brands are adding protein to products consumers already buy, from Wilde Protein Chips and PopCorners Protein to NuTrail’s high-protein granola and Little Spoon’s Pancake Spoonies.
This is where I think the greatest opportunity exists. Consumers don’t necessarily want “protein products.” They want chips, breakfast foods, and snacks that better align with their health goals without forcing them to sacrifice taste, texture or convenience.
Improving an existing eating habit is often easier than creating an entirely new one.
3. Not every protein category will have the same staying power
I’m especially cautious about protein desserts. CPG has seen countless “better-for-you” dessert waves over the years from SnackWell’s to ice milk to low-fat frozen treats. They generated excitement, but many struggled because they could not replicate the experience people actually wanted.
Dessert is one of the few categories where indulgence is the point. New launches such as Bessi’s cottage-cheese-based protein ice cream and Chee Hoo Protein Pops may attract interest, but the bar for repeat purchase is high. Unless brands can get remarkably close to the taste and texture of traditional desserts, I suspect many consumers will eventually return to the originals.
Health benefits can drive trial; taste earns repeat purchases.
4. Protein is becoming increasingly personalized and moving far beyond the gym
Perhaps the most significant shift is that protein is no longer being marketed exclusively to athletes or “protein maxxers.” Brands are narrowing the benefit around distinct audiences, goals, and identities.
Clare is developing an all-in-one drink mix for women using GLP-1 medications, combining protein with prebiotic fiber, electrolytes and vitamins. Propel Clear Protein was also developed with the nutritional needs of GLP-1 users in mind, pairing protein with hydration and fiber.
Beauty is becoming its own protein niche. GT’s AURA positions collagen protein around proactive self-care, skin, hair, and everyday wellness rather than post-workout recovery. Melting Forest’s Glow Up goes even further by combining collagen protein, prebiotic fiber, functional mushrooms, and beauty-oriented botanicals in a lightly sparkling beverage.
Other brands are organizing protein around lifestage or lifestyle. Little Spoon is bringing a nine-gram protein pancake cup into kids’ food, while Par Bar Protein is building its brand specifically around golf and active lifestyles.
This personalization makes sense within the broader functional-food movement: “high protein” is becoming the starting point, not the full positioning. The stronger concepts connect protein to a specific job—preserving muscle during weight loss, supporting beauty routines, helping parents add nutrition to breakfast or fueling a particular lifestyle community.
5. One category I’m watching closely: protein candy.
The launch that has me most curious is Protein Candy. On paper, it makes sense. Consumers love candy, and adding protein creates a more functional alternative to a traditional indulgence. The brand is also expanding beyond direct-to-consumer, with products appearing at retailers including Hy-Vee and Kroger.
But it also raises an interesting question. One of the biggest forces reshaping food is the growth of GLP-1 medications, which many users report significantly reduce cravings for sweets. If that population continues to grow, are protein-enhanced candies solving tomorrow’s problem, or yesterday’s?
It is too early to know, but this is exactly the kind of product that illustrates why following trends is not enough. The most successful brands will not simply chase protein; they’ll understand how broader shifts in consumer behavior are changing what people actually want to eat.
I don’t believe the future belongs to products with the MOST protein, it belongs to products that fit naturally into consumers’ lives while helping them achieve their goals. The winners won’t ask people to fundamentally change how they eat, they’ll make the foods they already enjoy work a little harder.
And, as always in CPG, no trend is immune to gravity. Functional benefits may drive trial, but long-term success still comes down to the fundamentals: delivering a great product and building a brand consumers remember long after the novelty wears off.
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