Starbucks' high-protein latte PRO went viral upon launch, with consumers desperately seeking the same 6.0 high-protein milk;
Greek yogurt leader Oatly also launched an ultrafiltered 6.0 high-protein fresh milk, positioned as a children's dairy drink, setting a new benchmark with nutritional standards above the industry average;
"lululemon of beverages" Like's chocolate-flavored protein drink has already achieved impressive trial sales in some channels;
Yili launched Puritime transparent protein water, officially stepping into the high-protein water segment... Currently, freshly brewed coffee, dairy companies, and sports drink brands are accelerating their entry, collectively stirring up the market craze around the "high-protein" concept.
"This is the perfect fresh milk I've always wanted to create." On the stage of the FBIF2026 Dairy R&D Innovation Forum, Wang Weijian, founder of Oatly, a leading player in the Greek yogurt segment, showcased a 150ml small-pack fresh milk with a protein content of 6.0g/100ml, officially announcing its entry into the high-protein fresh milk track.
"Dairy companies should break free from local thinking and keep pace with the global high-protein wave," said Zhu Xi, chairman of Yoplait Dairy. In the U.S. market, the latest nutritional guidelines list protein as an important nutrient for delaying aging and extending healthy lifespan.
Currently, shelves in American supermarkets have undergone significant changes. Retailers like Costco and Target have moved nut snacks to the back, focusing on promoting various high-protein drinks, snacks, and even whey protein drinking water.
Shi Qin, category director of Starbucks China's product innovation department, stated that the high-protein track has enormous growth potential. While markets in Europe, the U.S., and Japan are already quite mature, China is still in a blue ocean stage.
In his view, scenario adaptation is key to positioning in the high-protein track.
Coffee naturally carries daily consumption scenarios, and high protein can precisely consolidate and amplify this scenario. For Starbucks, securing an early position and seizing first-mover advantages will give it greater initiative when industry dividends are released.
How lucrative is the high-protein track that coffee, dairy, and sports drink companies are collectively eyeing?
High protein popularized by Starbucks: "A latte with half a steak"?
Starbucks' high-protein latte went viral immediately upon launch.
On April 7, 2026, Starbucks China launched the high-protein latte PRO series across all stores nationwide. With the core selling point of "20g of native milk protein per cup," it quickly flooded social media platforms, becoming a phenomenal product.
This beverage uses 6.0 high-protein, lactose-free milk. Each cup (473ml) contains 20g of high-quality native milk protein, equivalent to the protein content of 3-4 eggs or 80g of chicken breast. It is also lactose-free and contains no added protein powder, catering to fitness and weight-loss consumers.
On social media, opinions about this coffee are polarized. Supporters praise its naturally slightly sweet taste, likening it to melted milk ice cream, with strong satiety—perfect after a workout. Opponents call it a "pitfall," citing its thick texture and overly sweet taste.
But the controversy itself directly fueled its explosive popularity. In my view, it is precisely this extreme contrast among consumer groups that stimulated a large number of users to spontaneously review, criticize, and recommend, creating a near-carnivalesque word-of-mouth spread.
This led netizens to create phrases like "A latte, half a steak" and "The nutritional king of the coffee world," repeatedly exposing the brand and product name in discussions.
The reasons are twofold: on one hand, Starbucks promotes that each cup contains about 20g of protein, equivalent to 3-4 eggs. This data-driven selling point is easily perceived by consumers and directly hits the demand of young people who want caffeine without sacrificing nutrition for breakfast or as a fitness meal replacement.
On the other hand, its lactose-free formula has been widely praised. One netizen joked, "Finally, a latte that leaves my stomach feeling comfortable." According to Starbucks, the lactose-free design is based on two practical considerations.
First, many domestic consumers have mild lactose intolerance, and daily consumption of lattes can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. The lactose-free formula precisely addresses this consumer pain point. Second, without lactose optimization, high-concentration protein would be less efficiently digested and absorbed, making nutrition less effective.
Looking at global coffee trends, the combination of high protein and coffee is not Starbucks' invention. On TikTok, the #Proffee (Protein+Coffee) topic has already 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 to make lattes, lowering the barrier for consumers to make it themselves. It also paired this with promotions like "PROMONDAY" buy-one-get-one-free, encouraging curious users to try it at a lower cost.
Alongside this coffee's popularity, the high-protein milk behind it also gained attention. I noticed many netizens asking about the same milk on social media platforms.
This 6.0 high-protein, lactose-free milk is developed in collaboration with Mengniu and is not publicly sold.
It is rare for dairy products on the market to achieve a protein content of 6.0g/100ml. Ordinary national standard milk typically has a protein content of around 2.9g.
Starbucks' customized milk has a protein content as high as 6.0g, about twice that of ordinary milk, equivalent to concentrating two servings of ordinary milk into one, serving as the core protein source for the beverage.
To meet Chinese consumers' demand for high protein and low burden, this product uses ultrafiltration technology to precisely control fat and carbohydrate ratios, significantly increasing protein while maintaining calories at the level of ordinary milk, achieving high protein without extra caloric burden.
In fact, high-protein dairy drinks are not a new concept. In the upstream supply chain of Starbucks' protein coffee, Yoplait Dairy is a pioneer in the domestic high-protein milk track.
Zhu Xi, chairman of Yoplait Dairy, stated at the 2026 FBIF forum: "Many peers may not know that 4.0 high-protein milk was first innovated and introduced to the Chinese market by Yoplait." It is understood that its latest milk has a protein content of 5.0g/100ml.
Leading domestic dairy companies have already positioned themselves four to five years ago. As early as 2021, Mengniu's premium brand Telunsu launched M-PLUS high-protein pure milk.
In the current mainstream ambient milk track, mainstream dairy companies such as Jindian, Telunsu, Sanyuan, and Guangming Youpei, as well as supermarket private labels like Yonghui, Metro, Qixian, and Hema, have generally adopted a protein content of around 4.0g/100ml as the standard for premium fresh milk.
Oatly, known for Greek yogurt, actually laid out its ultrafiltered fresh milk production line two years ago and recently launched an ultrafiltered fresh milk with a protein content as high as 6.0g/100ml.
Unlike mainstream fresh milk products that come in 500ml or 1-liter sizes for convenience store immediate consumption, this product is packaged in a 150ml slim bottle, positioning it as "exclusive ultrafiltered fresh milk for children aged 3-12," priced at around 7 yuan.
This product will be launched online in May. After validating the market online, it will consider entering offline channels.
During my conversation with him, Wang Weijian repeatedly mentioned his ultimate vision for this fresh milk: to create a fresh milk that perfectly meets user needs. From initial conception to final launch, he spent two years refining it.
In fact, technologies like ultrafiltration are already mature internationally. The reason they have been slow to popularize is that the industry has fallen into a pricing misconception—single bottles often cost over ten yuan, far exceeding what the general public can afford.
"If the price is too high, no one will buy, and the production lines and processes invested heavily in the early stage will only end up wasted. Only by adhering to long-term pricing can we bring down the selling price and truly bring high-end technology into the daily lives of the public," Wang Weijian candidly told me.
Therefore, Oatly decided to adjust its pricing logic, calculating costs based on full-capacity steady-state production rather than spreading pressure from initial low capacity. It also extended equipment depreciation to a 10-20 year ultra-long cycle, only accounting for the variable costs of the product itself, ensuring that selling one bottle yields a profit.
Weight-loss groups, fitness enthusiasts, meticulous moms... Who needs "high protein" most?
From the underlying logic of consumption, the high-protein beverage track continues to heat up due to two trends:
First, in Europe and the U.S., the prevailing GLP-1 weight-loss trend is an important engine driving the growth of the high-protein track. Specifically, drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide can suppress appetite and achieve weight loss, but they are prone to causing muscle loss and metabolic decline.
Under professional medical advice, supplementing adequate protein has become a necessary choice for those managing weight to preserve muscle and maintain stability. In this context, functional beverages that are high in protein, low in calories, and highly satiating precisely target market pain points, meeting both daily health supplementation needs and the essential needs of GLP-1 users to preserve muscle and control weight.
Second, in China, the high-protein nutrition concept has moved beyond the niche fitness circle and is rapidly penetrating the daily consumer market. For a long time, fitness enthusiasts and meticulous moms were the core buyers of high-protein beverages.
Now, the high-protein diet wave is spreading, and the general public, represented by urban white-collar workers, has become the main force for passive, scenario-based protein supplementation under this trend.
In response to the high-protein consumption wave, brands are accelerating product innovation, launching new categories such as high-protein water and multi-flavored protein drinks, enriching the product matrix of the track.
After Japanese health brand Cycle.me launched transparent high-protein water, sparking market discussion, dairy companies like Yili and Mengniu began developing this category.
Recently, Mengniu and Yili successively launched transparent isolated whey protein water and Puritime transparent protein water, officially adding to this emerging track.
Even FamilyMart and Hema have launched isolated whey protein flash-charge water, targeting the light health market with high purity, zero burden, and water-like texture.
The functional protein dairy drink track, deeply tied to fitness scenarios, has also seen a wave of new players entering.
Emerging brand Like has entered with professional sports protein drinks, breaking the inherent perception that protein drinks are only suitable for fitness circles, covering both sports fitness and daily urban protein supplementation needs. Mengniu's professional sports nutrition brand Maison also continues to strengthen its presence in the protein drink track, leveraging its dairy R&D and supply chain advantages to precisely position itself in the professional sports supplementation and general health consumption markets.
Starbucks' high-protein latte PRO breaks away from the narrow circle of traditional protein drinks tied to hardcore fitness enthusiasts, targeting urban white-collar workers aged 25-35.
This group may not have professional fitness habits, but they generally have a lifestyle of skimping on breakfast and simplifying main meals, with long-term protein intake deficits.
For example, a 75kg adult, even with daily intake of a steak, an egg, and five shrimp, may still have a daily protein gap of about 20g.
They are not obsessed with strict nutritional ratios but prefer to conveniently supplement protein in daily scenarios like drinking coffee, water, or yogurt.
In marketing strategy, Starbucks, on one hand, repeatedly communicates "one cup = 3 eggs = 10 large shrimp = half a steak," converting abstract protein content into everyday foods, reducing comprehension costs and reinforcing its high cost-performance nutrition perception.
On the other hand, it focuses on four core scenarios—"breakfast replacement, commute replenishment, afternoon tea hunger relief, and post-workout recovery"—binding to white-collar workers' high-frequency coffee time, making protein supplementation a habit that requires no extra decision.
This approach also applies to the core group of high-protein dairy drinks. Traditional protein powder requires mixing, shaking, and cleaning, with cumbersome steps, a fishy taste, and poor portability.
Ready-to-drink products like Starbucks' freshly brewed high-protein coffee perfectly solve these pain points, becoming the first choice for many fitness enthusiasts before and after training, or as snacks and meal replacements.
A white-collar worker who has been fitness for three years said: "Now I just drink a high-protein latte after training, no need to mix protein powder or wash cups—it's much more convenient."
For dairy brands, launching higher-nutrition high-protein products is essentially using products to filter precise target groups.
Oatly is a typical example. Positioned in the children's high-protein milk track, Oatly's target group is meticulous moms. They prefer products with clean ingredients, high calcium, easy absorption, and zero lactose, which can meet their own calorie control and nutritional needs while also catering to the family's daily nutrition.
"For myself, my children, and my parents, I only trust native milk protein, not added protein powder," said one mom.
"As a parent, I also care deeply 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. This is also our original intention to achieve industry-leading standards," Wang Weijian explained. The core scenarios for Oatly's ultrafiltered fresh milk are efficiency, convenience, and safety.
For example, when taking children to school in the morning with limited time, you can grab a bottle and drink it on the way or at school. The small bottle, high nutritional density, and strong cold-chain stability mean no worry about spoilage, making it especially suitable for outdoor, school, and travel scenarios.
In terms of child-friendliness and user experience, Oatly's 6.0 ultrafiltered fresh milk also demonstrates unique product thinking.
Most fresh milk products on the market use a standard 30.8mm bottle mouth, but Oatly deliberately uses a smaller mouth to prevent spills and choking when children drink, keeping the drinking process clean and tidy. The bottle body features a waist-curved design that fits children's palms, making it easy to grip and not slip, balancing aesthetics and practicality.
"We firmly believe that Oatly's 50 million target users are smart consumers," he said. "Once consumers understand, the product's value will naturally be recognized."
6.0 high-protein milk relies not on "better cows" but on technology
Ordinary pure milk on the market typically has a protein content of around 3.2g/100ml. Even with fine management of top-tier pastures, it can only reach 3.6-3.8g/100ml in the short term, and it is difficult to maintain long-term stability.
Although Jersey cow milk can slightly exceed 4.0g/100ml in protein peak, its annual milk yield is only 5-7 tons, making it impossible to serve as a mainstream milk source.
The key to truly achieving high-protein breakthroughs is membrane filtration technology: physically removing water, lactose, and some small molecules while retaining protein, calcium, and other macromolecular nutrients.
Simply put, if you filter out 20ml of water from 100ml of ordinary milk with 3.2g protein, you can concentrate it into 80ml of high-protein milk with 4.0g protein.
International dairy industry standard membrane technology flowchart
In the past, dairy companies increased protein content by squeezing up bit by bit from 3.1, 3.3, to 3.5g. Every 0.1 or 0.2g increase was heavily promoted because protein directly equals cost. The higher the protein, the higher the raw materials, technology, and investment, with every improvement costing real money.
Around technology and purity, a clear industry hierarchy has formed in high-protein beverages. Native ultrafiltered fresh milk, represented by Starbucks and Oatly, sits at the top of the hierarchy, using only raw milk as the ingredient, physically concentrating with ultrafiltration membranes, removing only water and lactose, without adding any protein powder. The protein is native milk protein naturally present in the milk.
Specifically, Starbucks collaborates with upstream suppliers to customize 6.0g high-protein, lactose-free milk, using UF ultrafiltration concentration to increase protein, combined with EHT enzymatic hydrolysis to achieve zero lactose, resulting in a rich, natural taste with high protein and no burden.
Oatly uses a similar approach, even printing the entire core process flowchart directly on the bottle packaging, presenting the hardcore technology transparently to consumers.
Another noteworthy point is that as a low-temperature milk, it achieves a 28-day shelf life at low temperatures. Behind this are Oatly's three technical barriers: first, physical sterilization removes 90% of bacterial spores from the milk; second, 0.09-second ultra-instant sterilization completely sterilizes; finally, blow-fill-cap integrated aseptic cold filling—bottle preforms are blown directly, filled instantly, and capped, forming a fully aseptic closed loop.
This process maximizes product stability. Even if the product briefly loses cold chain for a few hours during outings, school, or spring outings, bacteria will not multiply rapidly, preserving fresh milk activity while being safer and more convenient.
From my conversation, I learned that Oatly invested over 200 million yuan last year in its Handan factory alone for this fresh milk production line. The high investment is to retain more active substances without sacrificing flavor or losing nutrition.
Regarding "high protein," there is still a gap in awareness between Chinese and foreign consumers
High-protein milk is indeed richer in taste and higher in nutritional density, and it is easier for the market to accept, but there are many controversies.
Some consumers question: "Isn't it enough to drink an extra box of ordinary milk for that extra 1-2g of protein? The money for one bottle of high-protein milk can buy two bottles of ordinary milk, and the total protein is about the same." Many also report experiencing "lactose intolerance" reactions like bloating and diarrhea after trying high-protein dairy drinks.
For the vast majority of healthy adults, extra supplementation on top of a normal diet is acceptable, but total intake should be controlled.
According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents," the recommended daily protein intake for adults is 1.2-1.5g per kilogram of body weight. Excessive intake not only increases the burden on the liver and kidneys but also converts excess calories into fat. In short, high-protein supplementation should be tailored to one's own constitution and done in moderation.
Using Starbucks' high-protein coffee as a lens, the differences in product logic between Chinese and foreign high-protein markets become clear. In the U.S. market, Starbucks' high-protein coffee generally uses direct addition of protein powder for formula upgrades.
Starbucks high-protein coffee (U.S. market)
Shi Qin, category director of Starbucks China's product innovation department, stated at the 2026 FBIF conference that protein powder has a deep public awareness foundation in the U.S., where consumers generally accept adding protein powder to various beverages and foods, defaulting to it as a healthy upgrade.
However, in Chinese consumers' perception, protein powder still carries obvious attributes of health supplements and sports supplements. To get the public to accept "adding protein powder to coffee" would require a long market education cycle, possibly even five years to truly establish mental association. At this stage, implementation remains difficult.
Fortunately, domestic dairy companies have already completed preliminary cultivation of high-protein awareness, and the public has generally formed a consensus: milk is the most natural and suitable source of high-quality protein for daily life.
In Starbucks' long-term strategy, high protein is not just a hit product but a high-end value endorsement for its brand health strategy.
High protein has solidified a strong health mindset for Starbucks and built a sustainable innovation platform. Based on this mindset, future flavor and category extensions will have completely different acceptance and premium space.
Oatly's ultrafiltered fresh milk also maintains a certain wait-and-see and long-term cultivation attitude toward the market. Its approach is to start with basic milk products, first conveying core product traits, applicable drinking scenarios, and high nutritional density value awareness to consumers, then gradually expand new flavors and enrich the product matrix, steadily penetrating the market.
Although Oatly's ultrafiltered fresh milk is positioned as a children's dairy drink, it harbors a broad market space for all age groups.
Just as baby cream has long broken through the children's circle and become a choice for adult skincare, this product, though initially tailored for children's drinking needs, is equally suitable for adult daily consumption thanks to its outstanding nutritional ratio, stringent safety standards, and high-activity nutritional advantages.
The practices of brands like Starbucks and Oatly reflect the true state of the domestic high-protein track. There are clear differences in high-protein consumption awareness and demand between China and abroad. Dairy beverage brands hoping to break through with the high-protein concept still need to invest long-term in consumer education, cultivate public awareness of scientific supplementation, and wait for the industry to mature.