Starbucks, Wudao, and Likeza are all jumping into the game—how appealing is "high protein" really?

Ask AI · Why Does the High-Protein Track Attract Giants to Enter the Market?

Author | Yana

Starbucks’ high-protein latte PRO launched and immediately flooded screens, with consumers feverishly requesting the same style 6.0 high-protein milk;

Greek yogurt brand Wu Dao also launched ultra-filtered 6.0 high-protein fresh milk, targeting children’s dairy drinks, setting a new benchmark with nutrition standards higher than the industry;

The "lululemon of water drinks"粒刻’s chocolate-flavored protein drink has achieved impressive trial sales results in some channels;

Yili launched Puritime transparent protein water, officially entering the high-protein water track…

Currently, fresh coffee, dairy companies, and sports drink brands are accelerating their entry, jointly stirring up a market craze for the “high-protein” concept.

“This is the perfect fresh milk I’ve always wanted to create.” At the FBIF 2026 Dairy R&D Innovation Forum, Wang Weijian, founder of Wu Dao, a leader in the Greek yogurt track, showcased a 150ml small package of fresh milk with 6.0g/100ml protein content, officially announcing entry into the high-protein fresh milk track.

“Dairy companies should break out of local thinking and follow the global high-protein trend.” Zhu Xi, chairman of Unono Dairy, said that in the US market, the latest nutrition guidelines list protein as an essential nutrient for delaying aging and extending healthy lifespan. The shelves of American supermarkets have already changed significantly, with Costco, Target, and others moving nuts and snacks to the back, focusing on various high-protein drinks, snacks, and even whey protein drinking water.

Starbucks’ product innovation director in China, Shi Qin, stated that the growth space for the high-protein track is enormous. The European, American, and Japanese markets are quite mature, but domestically, it is still a blue ocean. In his view, scene adaptation is key to layout in the high-protein track. Coffee naturally fits daily consumption scenarios, and high-protein can further solidify and amplify this scene. For Starbucks, preemptively securing positions and gaining first-mover advantages means having greater initiative when industry dividends are released.

How attractive is the high-protein track that coffee, dairy, and sports drink brands are collectively eyeing?

Starbucks’ high-protein latte, an instant hit upon launch.

On April 7, 2026, Starbucks China launched the high-protein Latte PRO series nationwide. With the core selling point of “20 grams of native milk protein per cup,” it quickly flooded social media, becoming a phenomenon product. This beverage uses 6.0 high-protein, lactose-free milk, with a single 473ml cup containing 20 grams of high-quality native milk protein, roughly equivalent to 3-4 eggs or 80 grams of chicken breast, while being lactose-free and without added protein powder, catering to fitness and weight-loss groups.

On social media, opinions about this coffee are polarized. Supporters say it tastes naturally mildly sweet, like melted milk ice cream, with a strong satiety, perfect after workouts; opponents call it “a warning,” criticizing its sticky texture and overly sweet taste.

But the controversy itself has catalyzed its popularity. In the view of Chopping Pepper Spicy, this extreme contrast within consumer circles stimulated many users to spontaneously evaluate, complain, and promote, forming an almost carnival-like water-cooling spread. This further led to creative memes like “a latte, half a steak” and “the nutritional king of coffee,” repeatedly exposing the brand and product name in discussions.

The reason is twofold: on one hand, Starbucks promotes a cup containing about 20 grams of protein, equivalent to 3-4 eggs, a data point that consumers can easily perceive, directly hitting the current young people’s need for breakfast or fitness meal replacements that contain caffeine but not sacrifice nutrition.

On the other hand, its zero-lactose formula is highly praised. Some netizens joked: “Finally, a latte that feels good in the stomach after drinking.” According to Starbucks, the zero-lactose design is driven by two practical considerations. One is that many domestic consumers have mild lactose intolerance, and drinking regular lattes can cause gastrointestinal discomfort; zero-lactose precisely addresses this pain point. The other is that high-concentration protein, if not optimized for lactose, would reduce digestion and absorption efficiency, making nutrients hard to utilize effectively.

Looking at global coffee trends, the combination of high-protein and coffee is not a Starbucks original. On TikTok, the hashtag #Proffee (Protein + Coffee) has accumulated hundreds of millions of views, with fitness bloggers and weight-loss enthusiasts sharing homemade recipes.

Starbucks’ approach is to brand and standardize this DIY recipe, using its own supply chain’s high-protein milk directly to make lattes, lowering the barrier for consumers to DIY. Simultaneously, activities like “PRO MONDAY” buy-one-get-one free encourage curious users to try at lower costs.

Alongside this coffee, the high-protein milk behind it has also gained attention. Chopping Pepper Spicy noted that many netizens are asking about the same milk on social media platforms.

This 6.0 high-protein, lactose-free milk was developed through cooperation between Starbucks and Mengniu, and is not publicly sold.

Few dairy products on the market can reach 6.0g/100ml protein content. Ordinary national standard milk generally contains about 2.9g. Starbucks’ customized milk protein reaches 6.0g, roughly twice that of regular milk, equivalent to concentrating two servings of regular milk into one, becoming the core protein source of the beverage.

To meet Chinese consumers’ demand for high-protein, low-burden products, this product uses ultrafiltration technology to precisely control fat, carbohydrate ratios, significantly increasing protein while maintaining calorie levels similar to regular milk, achieving high protein without extra calorie burden.

In fact, high-protein dairy drinks are not a new concept. In the upstream industry chain of Starbucks’ protein coffee, Unono Dairy is a pioneer in the domestic high-protein milk track. Zhu Xi, chairman of Unono Dairy, stated at the 2026 FBIF forum: “Many peers may not know that 4.0 high-protein milk was pioneered and introduced into China by Unono.” Its latest milk protein content has reached 5.0g/100mL.

Leading domestic dairy companies have also laid out early, as far back as four or five years ago. In 2021, Mengniu’s high-end brand, Telunsu, launched M-PLUS high-protein pure milk.

Today, in the ambient temperature milk track, mainstream dairy companies like Jindian, Telunsu, Sanyuan, Guangming Youbei, and retail brands like Yonghui, Metro, Qixian, Hema, generally set the 4.0g/100mL protein content as the standard for high-end fresh milk.

And Wu Dao, which gained fame from Greek yogurt, actually started ultrafiltration fresh milk production two years ago, recently launching ultrafiltration fresh milk with a protein content as high as 6.0g/100mL.

This product is not like mainstream fresh milk in 500ml or 1-liter bottles for convenience store scenes but is a 150ml slender bottle targeting “children’s ultrafiltration fresh milk” for ages 3-12, priced around 7 yuan.

It will debut online in May, with plans to consider offline channels after market validation.

In conversations with Chopping Pepper Spicy, Wang Weijian repeatedly mentioned his ultimate vision for this fresh milk: to create a perfect product that meets user needs. From initial conception to final implementation, he spent two years refining.

In fact, ultrafiltration and related technologies are internationally mature, but their slow adoption was due to industry-wide pricing misconceptions—bottles often cost over ten yuan, far beyond mass consumer affordability.

“Pricing too high means no one will buy, and the expensive production lines and processes will ultimately be wasted. Only by sticking to long-term pricing strategies can we bring the price down and make high-end technology truly accessible to the masses,” Wang Weijian told Chopping Pepper Spicy.

Therefore, Wu Dao decided to adjust its pricing logic based on full-capacity stable costs, not spreading initial low-capacity costs. They extend equipment amortization over 10-20 years, only calculating variable costs per product, ensuring that selling one bottle makes a profit.

From the consumer logic perspective, the rising popularity of high-protein drinks stems from two trends:

First, in Europe and America, the widespread use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is a major driver of high-protein market growth. Specifically, drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide suppress appetite and promote weight loss but can cause muscle loss and metabolic decline. Under professional medical advice, supplementing sufficient protein has become a necessary choice for those controlling their weight to maintain muscle. In this context, functional drinks that are high in protein, low in calories, and highly filling precisely target market pain points, satisfying the public’s daily health supplement needs and aligning with the muscle-preserving, weight-control needs of GLP-1 users.

Second, domestically, the high-protein nutrition concept has moved out of niche fitness circles and is rapidly penetrating the general consumer market. For a long time, core buyers of high-protein drinks were fitness enthusiasts and refined mothers. Now, the high-protein diet wave is expanding, with urban white-collar workers becoming the main force in this passive, scene-based protein supplementation trend.

In response to the high-protein consumption wave, brands are accelerating product innovation, launching new categories like high-protein water and multi-flavor protein drinks to enrich the product matrix.

After Japanese health brand Cycle.me launched transparent high-protein water, sparking market discussion, dairy giants like Yili and Mengniu also began developing this category. Recently, Mengniu and Yili launched transparent whey protein water and Puritime transparent protein water, officially entering this emerging track.

Even FamilyMart and Hema have launched whey protein isolate sparkling water, capturing the light health market with high purity, zero burden, and water-like texture.

The functional protein dairy drinks track, deeply linked to fitness scenes, is also welcoming many new players.

New brands like粒刻, focusing on professional sports protein drinks, are breaking the stereotype that protein drinks only suit fitness circles, covering both sports fitness and urban daily protein needs; Mengniu’s professional sports nutrition brand Maisheng continues to expand in the protein drink track, leveraging dairy R&D and supply chain advantages to precisely target professional sports supplements and the broader health consumer market.

Starbucks’ high-protein latte PRO breaks out of the narrow circle of hardcore fitness consumers, mainly targeting urban white-collar workers aged 25-35.

This group may not have professional fitness habits but generally live a breakfast-rough, minimalist meal lifestyle, with long-term protein intake gaps. For example, a 75kg adult, even with a steak, an egg, and five shrimps daily, can still have a protein gap of about 20 grams.

They prefer to supplement protein conveniently within daily scenes like drinking coffee, water, or yogurt, without extra effort.

In marketing, Starbucks repeatedly promotes “one cup = 3 eggs = 10 shrimps = half a steak,” translating abstract protein content into familiar foods, lowering comprehension barriers, and reinforcing the perception of high cost-performance nutrition; it also centers on “breakfast replacement, commuting supplement, afternoon snack hunger relief, post-exercise recovery,” tying into high-frequency coffee times for white-collar workers, making protein supplementation a habitual, decision-free behavior.

This approach also applies to the core group of high-protein dairy consumers. Traditional protein powders require mixing, shaking, cleaning, are cumbersome, and have a fishy taste, making portability difficult. Ready-to-drink products like Starbucks’ fresh high-protein coffee solve these pain points, becoming the preferred choice for many fitness enthusiasts before and after workouts or as meal replacements.

A white-collar worker who has been exercising for three years said: “Now, after training, I just drink a high-protein latte, no need to mix protein powder or wash cups, so much more convenient.”

For dairy brands, launching higher-nutrition high-protein products essentially filters targeted consumer groups.

Wu Dao is a typical example, positioning in the children’s high-protein milk track. Wu Dao’s target audience is meticulous mothers. They prefer clean ingredients, high calcium, easy absorption, and zero lactose, which can meet their own calorie control and nutritional needs while also catering to the whole family’s daily nutrition.

“Drink for myself, for my kids, for the elderly—I only trust native milk protein, not added protein powders,” said a mother.

“As a parent, I care especially about my child’s nutrition. 6.0g of high-quality native milk protein is easier to absorb, helping children supplement nutrition, support growth, and boost immunity. That’s also our goal to lead the industry,” Wang Weijian explained. Wu Dao’s ultrafiltration fresh milk’s core scenarios are efficiency, convenience, and safety. For example, in the morning when sending children to school, time is tight; grabbing a bottle on the go, drinking on the way or at school, is feasible. Small bottles, high nutritional density, stable cold chain—no worries about spoilage—especially suitable for outdoor, school, and travel scenes.

In terms of child-friendliness and user experience, Wu Dao’s 6.0 ultrafiltration fresh milk also demonstrates unique product thinking.

Most fresh milk products on the market use a 30.8mm standard opening, but Wu Dao deliberately uses a smaller opening to prevent spills and choking during children’s drinking, keeping the process clean and tidy. The bottle’s middle is designed with a waist-shaped arc, fitting children’s hands, easy to grip, not easy to slip, balancing aesthetics and practicality.

“We believe that our 50 million target users are smart consumers,” he said. “As long as consumers understand the product’s value, it will naturally be recognized.”

Most regular pure milk on the market contains about 3.2g of protein per 100mL; even top-tier farms can only reach 3.6-3.8g/100mL in the short term, difficult to maintain long-term stability. Although Jueshan milk’s peak protein can slightly exceed 4.0g/100mL, its annual milk production is only 5-7 tons, unable to become a mainstream source.

The key to truly breaking through high protein is membrane filtration technology: physically removing water, lactose, and some small molecules, while retaining large molecules like protein and calcium. Simply put, ordinary milk with 3.2g protein per 100mL, when filtered to remove 20mL water, can be concentrated into 80mL with 4.0g of protein, achieving high-protein milk.

International dairy industry-standard membrane technology flowchart

Historically, dairy companies increased protein content gradually—3.1, 3.3, 3.5 grams—each small step requiring significant promotion because protein directly correlates with cost. The higher the protein, the more raw materials, processes, and investments increase; every 0.1 or 0.2 grams rise is a real financial investment.

Focusing on process and purity, high-protein drinks have formed a clear industry hierarchy. Among them, Starbucks and Wu Dao’s native ultrafiltration fresh milk are at the top, using only raw milk as raw material, employing ultrafiltration membranes to concentrate physically, removing only water and lactose, with no added protein powders—the protein is native milk protein.

Specifically, Starbucks collaborates with upstream suppliers to produce 6.0g high-protein, lactose-free milk via UF ultrafiltration, combined with EHT enzyme hydrolysis to achieve zero lactose, resulting in a rich, natural, high-protein, burden-free taste.

Wu Dao’s approach is similar, even visually presenting the entire core process diagram on the bottle, directly showing consumers the hardcore technology.

Another notable point is that, as a low-temperature milk, it achieves a 28-day shelf life. Behind this is Wu Dao’s triple technological barrier: first, physical sterilization to remove 90% of bacteria spores; second, ultra-rapid sterilization in 0.09 seconds; third, aseptic blow-fill-seal packaging—bottle blowing, instant filling, and sealing in a sterile closed loop.

This process maximally guarantees product stability. Even during short-term outdoor, school, or spring outings, bacteria won’t rapidly proliferate, preserving the active components of fresh milk while being safer and more convenient.

Chopping Pepper Spicy learned that Wu Dao invested over 200 million yuan in just the Handan factory last year for this fresh milk line. The high investment aims to retain more active substances without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.

High-protein milk indeed tastes richer, has higher nutritional density, and is more market-acceptable, but it also faces many controversies.

Some consumers question: “If I add 1-2 grams more protein, why not just drink an extra bottle of regular milk? The cost of one high-protein bottle could buy two regular ones, with similar total protein.” Many also report chain reactions like bloating and diarrhea after trying high-protein dairy drinks, indicating lactose intolerance.

For most healthy adults, extra supplementation based on normal diet is acceptable but should be controlled. According to the Chinese Dietary Guidelines, the recommended daily protein intake for adults is 1.2-1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. Excess intake can burden the liver and kidneys, and excess calories may convert to fat. In short, high-protein supplementation should be tailored to individual conditions and moderate.

Looking at Starbucks’ high-protein coffee as an example, the product logic differences between China and abroad are clear. In the US, Starbucks’ high-protein coffee generally uses direct addition of protein powder for formulation upgrades.

Starbucks High-Protein Coffee (US Market)

Starbucks’ China product innovation director Shi Qin said at the 2026 FBIF conference that protein powder has a deep consumer recognition in the US, with widespread acceptance of adding protein powder to various drinks and foods, considering it a healthy upgrade.

But in China, protein powder still carries a clear supplement and sports nutrition attribute. It will take a long market education cycle to make the public accept “adding protein powder to coffee,” possibly five years to establish mental association, and current implementation remains challenging. Fortunately, the awareness of high-protein has been initially cultivated by domestic dairy companies, with the public generally recognizing: milk is the most natural and suitable high-quality protein source for daily consumption.

In Starbucks’ long-term layout, high-protein is no longer just a popular product but a high-end value endorsement of the brand’s health strategy. High-protein has helped Starbucks establish a solid health-conscious image and built a sustainable platform for innovation. Future product extensions in flavor and category will benefit from this mental foundation, with higher acceptance and premium space.

Wu Dao’s ultrafiltration fresh milk also maintains a cautious, long-term market cultivation stance. Its approach is to start from basic milk products, conveying core features, applicable scenes, and high nutritional density, then gradually expanding new flavors and enriching the product matrix to steadily penetrate the market.

Although Wu Dao’s ultrafiltration fresh milk is positioned as children’s dairy, it actually harbors a broad market potential for all ages.

Just as baby creams have broken out of the children’s circle to become adult skincare choices, this product, initially tailored for children, with its outstanding nutritional ratio, strict safety standards, and high active nutrient advantages, is equally suitable for adult daily consumption.

The practices of Starbucks and Wu Dao reflect the current reality of the domestic high-protein track. There are clear differences in consumer cognition and demand between China and abroad. Brands aiming to break through with high-protein concepts still need long-term consumer education and scientific supplementation awareness cultivation, patiently waiting for the industry to mature.