{"id":12456,"date":"2025-10-09T15:42:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T22:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/?p=12456"},"modified":"2025-11-26T10:16:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T17:16:46","slug":"protein-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/blog\/protein-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Coffee Shop Chains Are Betting on Protein Coffee & Here\u2019s Why"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nitro cold brew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalgona coffee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olive oil cold foam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve seen a ton<\/em> of coffee trends come and go over the years, but one recent trend has coffee shops of all kinds paying attention:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protein coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog, we\u2019re exploring all things protein coffee, from why it\u2019s popular and which brands are doing it, to three lessons you can learn from the protein coffee craze. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve also got a free menu ideas cheat sheet to help you get the coffee ideas rolling (but more on that later<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is protein coffee popular?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Protein coffee might be a relatively new invention\u2026 but consumers\u2019 love of protein is not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2022 (AKA during the height of the pandemic), Nutrisystem surveyed<\/a> over 2,000 Americans about their health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 in 10 respondents said<\/a> they felt the pandemic \u201ctaught them to be more observant of their health,\u201d including becoming more aware of \u201chow they treat their [bodies].\u201d What\u2019s more, 61% of respondents<\/a> also reported a realization that \u201ca healthy diet and lifestyle can better protect their long-term health \u2014 which is where protein comes into play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tons of health and wellness resources position high-protein diets as the go-to option for improving overall well-being, and tons of consumers have taken that to heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2025 report<\/a> by food company Cargill found that \u201c[protein] has never been more essential to consumers\u2019 health and dietary choices\u201d than it is right now, including for snack foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cargill research states that 63% of consumers<\/a> \u201cspecifically look for [snacks with] protein\u201d in them, with 3 in 10 consumers<\/a> saying that protein content is \u201ca very important factor\u201d in snack-related decision-making. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online platforms definitely haven\u2019t made people less<\/em> focused on protein, either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past five years, Google search intent for \u201cprotein\u201d has steadily increased, reaching an all-time high in 2025. Other social media platforms have a similarly high search interest for #protein, with the hashtag being used 30.3M times on Instagram and 2.4M times on TikTok, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what do you get when you combine America\u2019s obsession with protein and coffee shops’ desire to keep serving their customers things they love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy \u2014 protein coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"protein<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Get inspired for your next protein coffee flavor with Craver\u2019s Seasonal Menu Ideas Cheat Sheet.\u00a0<\/div>\n\t\t\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tDownload Now\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How the big players are doing protein coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, protein coffee is obviously a growing trend\u2026 but what does it actually look like in practice? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how the biggest players in the coffee shop game are tackling the protein coffee trend around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tim Hortons <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In March 2025<\/a>, select Tim Hortons locations in Canada launched their brand-new protein coffee line. Made with a \u201chigh protein dairy beverage,\u201d the brand\u2019s new protein coffee boasts up to 20g of protein in a medium-sized cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tim Hortons\u2019 protein coffee line includes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n