The trend: Protein is having a moment. Some 44% of US consumers—and 51% of Gen Z and millennials—are actively trying to boost their intake, turning protein into a must-have across categories, per Bain & Co.

The growth: Brands are racing to respond, driving the number of food and beverage products coming to market with high protein claims to quadruple between 2013 and 2024, per Mintel.

• Starbucks is rolling out a range of high-protein items, including a protein cold foam coming in Q4 that CEO Brian Niccol calls “an easy way to add 15 grams of protein to virtually any cold beverage.”
• PepsiCo, already offering products like PopCorners Flex and Quaker Protein Oatmeal, is planning a major push into protein beverages starting in Q4.
• General Mills is seeing mid-single-digit growth from protein-forward products like Nature Valley Protein and Cheerios Protein. That momentum is prompting the company to bring new SKUs into the marketplace.

Upstarts are capitalizing, too.

• Protein Pints, launched in 2023, this year made its way onto the shelves of Albertsons, Kroger, Sprouts, and Target, which is expected to boost the ice cream brand’s revenues to $20 million in 2025 from under $100,000 last year, per CNBC.
• David Protein Bars, which debuted last September, recently raised $75 million at a $725 million valuation. It's on track to generate over $100 million in revenues this year and has already expanded its product mix to include high-protein frozen cod, which it is promoting with cheeky ads like: “Boiled cod: slightly more protein per calorie than our bars.”

Why driving the growth? A mix of health trends and social influence.

• The rapid rise of GLP-1 drugs is pushing users to prioritize protein to avoid muscle loss.
• Popular eating trends like the Keto diet emphasize consuming a large amount of protein and fats.
• At the same time, social media features a wealth of health- and fitness-related content pushing people to consume more protein and closely scrutinize their food labels.

Our take: Protein-rich, better-for-you products are proving to be a rare bright spot amid a challenging consumer landscape. Shoppers—especially younger, health-conscious ones—are still willing to pay a premium when the nutritional value feels worth it. For CPG brands and foodservice chains, protein is a high-impact lever to drive growth and relevance. But sustaining that momentum requires more than a nutrition label. If the taste, format, or experience falls flat or feels like a gimmick, consumers won’t hesitate to walk away.