Protein used to be closely linked with gym culture, but Starbucks is helping move it into the everyday coffee routine. On September 29, 2025, the company added Protein Lattes and Protein Cold Foam to its permanent menu in the U.S. and Canada. Depending on the drink, a grande can deliver about 15 to 36 grams of protein, and Starbucks says customers can now add protein to about 90 percent of its beverages. (about.starbucks.com)
The next big step came on March 23, 2026, when Starbucks launched bottled Starbucks Coffee & Protein across the United States. The ready-to-drink line comes in two flavors, Classic Caffè and Caffè Mocha. Each 12-ounce bottle contains 22 grams of complete protein, 5 grams of prebiotic fiber, five vitamins and minerals, and just 2 grams of sugar, with a suggested retail price of $3.99. The drinks were developed through the long-running North American Coffee Partnership between Starbucks and PepsiCo, showing that Starbucks wants protein coffee to succeed not only in cafés, but also in supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shopping. (about.starbucks.com)
This strategy matches a much larger food trend. According to the International Food Information Council, 71 percent of Americans said in 2025 that they were trying to consume protein, and “high protein” was the most commonly followed eating pattern for the third straight year. Starbucks’ own data suggests that this demand is already changing customer behavior: Friday at 8 a.m. is the busiest time for protein drink purchases in its U.S. company-operated stores, and the Vanilla Protein Latte is the top Friday morning favorite. (ific.org)
Starbucks has also been building this idea internationally. In the UK, it launched Starbucks Protein Drink with Coffee in July 2024, with 20 grams of protein per bottle, and said the product would expand across the EMEA region in 2025. In other words, Starbucks is not just following a fad. It is trying to redefine coffee as both enjoyable and functional. For English learners, “functional” means a food or drink that offers some extra benefit, not just taste. (stories.starbucks.com)










