Is protein becoming the next overused claim?

As protein expands beyond sports nutrition into coffee, chocolate, cereals, snacks, bakery and confectionery, Seedlab Australia said FMCG brands need to consider whether adding protein delivers genuine value for consumers or risks becoming an overused health claim.

Seedlab Australia is a Woolworths supported FMCG business programme that has worked with more than 600 founders across Australia and New Zealand, covering food, beverage, personal care, home care and pet care.

The discussion comes as demand for high protein snacks, fortified foods and products positioned around GLP 1 trends continues to grow, placing pressure on whey supply and ingredient costs.

Kenna MacTavish, managing director of Seedlab Australia, said protein had become one of the most commercially powerful claims in FMCG because consumers understand it quickly.

“Protein is the marketable macro. Consumers immediately associate it with feeling fuller, getting stronger, supporting health goals and making a product feel more functional,” said MacTavish.

“That is why it appears across so many categories, from snacks and drinks to chocolate, coffee and bakery. But the question for brands is not just ‘can we add protein?’ It is ‘does the consumer actually care about this product having protein, and does it make sense for what the product is trying to do?’”

MacTavish said the issue was not protein itself, but its use as a shortcut claim when it was not central to the product, audience or consumer need.

“Smaller brands can often lead with more purpose because they are usually building from a real problem or founder insight, rather than simply adding a claim because the market is paying attention,” said MacTavish.

Seedlab brands such as Googys, which produces protein chocolate using egg protein, and Innerbloom Coffee are taking different approaches to incorporating protein into their products.

Innerbloom Coffee founder Ollie Puddick said the brand had focused on creating a product where protein supports its overall function without overpowering the drinking experience.

“Everyone thinks of protein as ‘let’s just get the most possible protein into a drink or format’, but what we’re seeing is that our customers appreciate the function, while flavour is what really sets the product apart,” said Puddick.

“By not overloading the product with protein, we can still deliver a functional drink that tastes really good. It’s all good and well having 40 grams of protein in a product, but if the taste doesn’t deliver, people aren’t going to come back for it.”

MacTavish said brands also needed to consider the commercial risks associated with trend driven ingredients, particularly as demand for whey places pressure on supply and pricing.

“We have seen this before with ingredients that suddenly become culturally dominant, like pistachio. When demand spikes, supply and cost pressures follow, and that can become a real issue for small brands operating on tight margins,” said MacTavish.

She said the opportunity was increasingly in “value-plus” products, where consumers focus less on what a product removes and more on the benefits it provides.

“For a long time, better-for-you products were built around what they did not contain. But consumers are increasingly asking what a product gives them, whether that is protein, fibre, satiety, convenience, performance or a clearer functional benefit,” said MacTavish.

“There will be protein fatigue if consumers feel like protein is being added to everything without much thought. The brands that will do well are the ones that can answer why protein belongs in the product, what role it plays, and why the consumer should pay attention.”