MW America's protein obsession rages on. Chipotle, Hershey and others are capitalizing.
By Bill Peters
'It's pretty easy to add protein to a product,' one analyst notes
Chipotle launched a high-protein menu in December.
Americans are on a health and weight-loss kick, and they're increasingly turning to protein to get the most out of what they eat. In turn, big brands like Chipotle Mexican Grill, Hershey and PepsiCo are riding the protein wave - with some success.
Chipotle $(CMG)$ now has its own meat-heavy high-protein menu, which offers "double protein" options and FAQs focused on GLP-1 use. Hershey $(HSY)$ is talking more about "functional snacking," or making sure each food has a nutritional purpose. You can get drinks at Starbucks $(SBUX)$ with protein. And if you liked Doritos but were disappointed they did not have enough protein, PepsiCo $(PEP)$ hears you - its new Doritos Protein chips hit store shelves last month.
"We saw strength in our protein menu and campaign," Chipotle CFO Adam Rymer said during the fast-casual chain's earnings call Wednesday. "It not only drove transactions, but we also saw a double-digit percentage increase in double protein and single tacos," which are also part of its high-protein menu.
Rymer added that demand held up through April, even as higher gas prices raise concerns about consumer spending. Chipotle said orders with add-on protein "reached nearly one-quarter of all transactions and has remained elevated," helping its quarterly results overall as more diners came back to the chain. The company debuted its high-protein menu in December.
Restaurant chains and big snack-and-beverage makers have flocked to things like protein and fiber as they try to compete for wellness-minded shoppers and consumers overall, who have become pickier following a half-decade of price increases.
The Trump administration's new food pyramid, which calls for more protein consumption, and growing GLP-1 use have also steered more people toward consuming more protein. Research from Gallup last year found that 12.4% of American adults had used GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic for weight loss, more than doubling from 2024. Protein has become more popular among those users as they seek ways to preserve muscle mass and metabolic health while eating less.
Zak Stambor, an analyst at eMarketer, said that shoppers have prioritized health and wellness even as inflation forces them to rethink other purchases. He added that adapting to the trend isn't a stretch for larger food companies.
"It's pretty easy to add protein to a product, whether it's protein foam at Starbucks or protein in Hershey bar," Stambor said. "When you do so, you're repositioning your product to align with consumers' priorities in a way that your product might otherwise not have met."
Elsewhere among restaurants, Starbucks this week said it recently launched ready-to-drink protein beverages, and said protein had helped it draw more Gen Z consumers. Cheesecake Factory $(CAKE)$, during its earnings call this week, also said its new menu would have "additional protein offerings."
During its earnings call on Thursday, Hershey said that consumption of its protein bars jumped 17% in the first quarter. Executives also highlighted strong demand for gum and mints due to "functional snacking tailwinds" such as GLP-1 use - and, as Bloomberg noted, the "Ozempic breath" that sometimes results.
Executives in recent years have noted how GLP-1 use has changed the way people eat; some analysts say it's changed the way people dress. Whether it will lead to a fundamental shift in protein consumption is yet unclear.
"While the focus on protein will be around for some time, I don't think the way in which companies are doubling and tripling down on it will last forever," Stambor said.
-Bill Peters
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 30, 2026 16:22 ET (20:22 GMT)
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