CALGARY — You may have been seeing a trend going around chain coffee shops — in the form of protein.It's coffee with a protein-rich punch — known as protein lattes, usually in the form of whey protein isolate from dairy.From Starbucks coming out with its beverage in late September and Tim Hortons releasing theirs a month earlier — it's easy to think the product is doing decently, as they are still on their menus.With these major coffee shop chains giving their drinks a protein spin, it begs the question: Are consumers asking for these products?.The Food Professor, or Sylvain Charlebois, who runs an agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie University, told the Western Standard, the products do, in fact, represent a real demand by consumers. "I don’t see it as just a trend," Charlebois stated. "Protein has become a daily priority for a lot of consumers, not just athletes.""Protein lattes fit neatly into that shift because they offer a convenient, relatively affordable way to add protein without buying meat or changing eating habits. So yes, it reflects real demand — especially in a high food-price environment.".With the coffees being around for months now at both Starbucks and Tim Hortons, we cannot tell whether their sales are doing extremely well, but Charlebois says it still indicates something."At the very least, it suggests they’re working.""Large chains like Starbucks and Tim Hortons are quick to remove products that don’t perform. If protein lattes were underwhelming, they likely wouldn’t have lasted this long.""They may not be runaway bestsellers, but they’re clearly resonating with enough customers to stay on menus," Charlebois stated..Other than protein coffee, other beverage forms of protein have been hitting the market in the last few years.Products like protein sodas, protein milks, and energy drinks with added protein — all of which Charlebois says are likely to see increased production in the future, to match demand."I expect more protein-enhanced everyday products, including beverages like protein sodas.""Rising meat prices are part of the motivation, but the bigger driver is consumer behavior: people want easy, flexible ways to add protein throughout the day.""Drinks are a simple delivery format, and big brands are responding to that shift," Charlebois concluded.
