Protein drinks now come with caffeine

Two companies from opposite ends of the shelf have arrived at the same product. Beyond, which has dropped “Meat” from its name, has introduced Beyond Immerse Protein + Energy, a sparkling drink with 20g of plant protein, 5g of fibre and 160mg of caffeine from coffee beans, as Food Dive reported on 15 October. Monster Energy unveiled Monster + Protein at the NACS convenience retail show this month, with 30g of protein and 160mg of caffeine, due to roll out next year.

• For Beyond, drinks are a way to recruit new customers while plant-based meat struggles. The company only entered beverages at the start of this year and has since added powders and bars.
• For Monster it is a return. Its earlier protein drink, Muscle Monster, ran from 2014 to 2017. Rob Gehring, the outgoing chief executive of its Americas business, told Food Dive: “We constantly try to use innovation as a recruiting tool.”
• The space is already crowded. Food Dive names Premier Protein, C4 Energy and Proda alongside the two, and cites research that nearly half of adults are seeking more protein.

The categories that used to organise the shelf, sports nutrition in one place, energy in another and meat alternatives somewhere else, are being redrawn around a single occasion: the drink that gets someone through the afternoon. Both brands are using a familiar format to reach buyers who would never walk into their home category. For anyone managing a portfolio, the next competitor is likely to come from whichever category can claim the same need, and the label on the planogram will say less and less about who that is. (Food Dive)