As if there weren’t enough protein products on the market already, everyone’s favorite Seattle-based, siren-logo’d coffee chain—Starbucks—is hopping on the bandwagon and debuting several of its own. Following preliminary testing in five stores, protein cold foam and “protein-boosted” milk will be available nationwide in the US and Canada as part of the company’s mission to modernize its menu, according to a September 2 press release (and as a Starbucks representative told me on September 24). Both new products, the rep said, were developed in an effort to respond to consumer trends—namely, the spiking demand for protein-fortified food and drink items.
Hearing this, I wasn’t so sure how the nutritional component would check out. Protein is big right now, sure, but most people actually don’t need any more than they already take in per day, as SELF has previously reported. Nevertheless, when Starbucks offered me a sneak peek in advance of the official rollout, I couldn’t resist. The move “makes a lot of sense” for Starbucks, Federica Amati, PhD, MPH, MSc, a medical scientist who serves as nutrition lead at Imperial College London and chief nutrition scientist at Zoe, tells SELF. Not only does protein “have a massive marketing halo” thanks to online hype, but it’s also inexpensive to add to products—both factors that bode well for a brand’s bottom line. “It’ll be interesting to see how sales go,” Dr. Amati says. In the press release, Starbucks global chief brand officer, Tressie Lieberman, framed the menu adjustments as an attempt to “continue to get back to Starbucks.” (In fact, the company announced plans to shutter stores and lay off staff as recently as Thursday.)
With the current trend toward high-protein everything in mind, I wondered if these new menu additions would do anything more than fuel a fad without much scientific weight behind it. Here’s how it went.
Courtesy of Caroline Tien
Courtesy of Caroline Tien
How does the protein in the new Starbucks drinks measure up?
So how much protein is in this stuff, exactly? Actually, a significant amount. Protein cold foam—which can be tacked on to any cold coffee, iced tea, or refresher—provides around 15 additional grams of protein per grande-sized beverage (around 50% to 75% of the recommended breakfast protein goal, for context). The foam comes in a “plain” version, as well as chocolate, vanilla, sugar-free vanilla, matcha, brown sugar, salted caramel, and banana (a new addition to the flavor menu). There are also seasonal flavors: pumpkin and pecan.
Meanwhile, the protein-boosted milk adds an extra 12 to 16 grams of protein per grande-sized latte, for reference. The blend of 2% milk and unflavored Whey protein powder isn’t available as a creamer for nondairy drinks (like an Americano or most refreshers) but can be used as a substitute in lattes, cappuccinos, and the like.
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