Everything is being protein-ified. Now it’s Starbucks’ turn.
Consumer and retail brands have ventured beyond powder in an attempt to capture health-conscious customers who might search for their protein fix in every day bites like cereal or popcorn. Now the coffee chain, known for its sugary speciality drinks, wants in.
Starbucks announced a new product line of protein-packed lattes and protein cold foam, saying a grande 16-ounce order could have as much as 36 grams of protein. The new product lines will roll out in U.S. and Canada stores on Sept. 29.
Experts tell Fortune the move follows a wave of health-conscious consumers craving high-protein, low-calorie food options—but it’s also an opportunity to capitalize on a viral DIY protein coffee trend first created by TikTok health influencers.
Starbucks will offer sugar-free and unsweetened iterations of its protein cold foams and lattes, per the company’s Tuesday announcement. The new product line is a push to modernize its menu with “hype-worthy products,” said Tressie Lieberman, Starbucks global chief brand officer.
“Our new protein beverages tap into the growing consumer demand for protein in an innovative, premium and delicious way that only Starbucks can deliver,” Lieberman added.
Starbucks declined to provide additional comment to Fortune.
The demand for protein coffee
Starbucks protein coffee isn’t anything new—at least not to creators who have been acting as in-car baristas, ordering a double shot of espresso over ice in a venti cup and mixing in Koia vanilla bean protein shakes, which are also sold at the coffee chain. Some customers take it even further, bringing their protein shakes of choice from home. The trend has even pushed protein powder companies to market their product as a perfect mix-in for the viral trend.
Now Starbucks is trying to reclaim its business and boost a healthier image to increasingly protein-obsessed customers.
“Historically, many of the Starbucks specialty drinks have had connotations of being more sugary or higher-calorie,” Michael Della Penna, chief strategy officer at InMarket, told Fortune. “This introduction of protein cold foams marks a shift towards re-engaging those health-conscious consumers who might’ve switched to another shop or started making protein coffees at home.”
The global chain is the first major coffeehouse to introduce protein-packed espresso drinks to its menu, but the trend is industry-wide.
“Protein is certainly having a macronutrient moment,” Matt Bachmann, CEO of Wandering Bear Coffee, a New York-based cold brew company, told Fortune.
Bachmann’s company is releasing a protein-based cold brew coffee later this month, using nutrition as a “north star.” Internal research showed that among iced coffee drinkers, “high protein” is the most common general diet guideline followed, Bachmann said.
“I believe for many credible reasons protein has staying power,” Bachmann said. “But the bigger trend here is about general wellness and nourishment from the foods we eat.”
Functional drink craze
Half of Gen Z adults said they consider “high protein” an important part of a healthy eating regimen, according to a recent report by Morning Consult. The same report found social media is 72% of the age group’s primary source for wellness information. For all U.S. adults, 59% reported explicitly following a high-protein diet.
Food scientist Bryan Quoc Le told Fortune the strong trend for consumers seeking to increase their protein intake is a part of a wide movement as consumers are realizing that high protein consumption is correlated to losing weight and gaining muscle.
“Additionally, many consumers… hope to gain functional benefits from their coffee consumption,” said Quoc, who has a Ph.D. in food science from the University of Wisconsin.
The functional beverage market (beverages that are manufactured and marketed to highlight a specific ingredient, connoting wellness) have grown in popularity over recent years. The global functional beverages market size reached $175.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to hit $339.6 billion by 2030, according to a report by Zion Market Research.
Linda Orr, marketing and sales consultant at Orr Consulting, told Fortune Starbucks’ new drinks will cater to two important consumer bases: Gen Zers and the GLP-1 cohort by introducing a health-marketed product into a product many people can’t go without for a day.
“Starbucks is transforming a treat-based ritual into a functional habit,” Orr said. “Framed well, it lets customers feel virtuous about a daily coffee while simplifying morning decisions. It adds options beyond the 390-calorie pumpkin spiced latte.”
