She‑Proteins: How Women Are Driving the Next Protein Wave

Ladies First (…In Protein, Too!)

If you think protein is only about gym bros downing shakes, think again. The real growth engine just might be… her.

Here is the headline that sets the pace globally. 51% of consumers seeking to add more protein are women. That momentum is showing up here too, with shoppers picking up protein in everyday places. Trade coverage also tracks how women are reshaping protein innovation in APAC and North America, which hints at where our shelves are heading next.

What’s Changing – The Demand Side

Protein is breaking out of the nutrition aisle and making a grand entrance into the main supermarket. Demand is practical and routine, showing up in fridges, bakery lanes, and impulse bays.

• Drinks are moving: A solid 25% of functional-drink consumers regularly choose protein shakes. That’s a big group of shoppers already reaching for protein first.

• Dairy is a driver: As of late 2024, 28% of shoppers were increasing their protein intake, a trend that has clearly influenced the new lines we’ve seen launch this year.

It all points to a simple truth: making protein easy to buy, simple to understand, and enjoyable to eat is what builds a habit that outlasts a January pledge.

What It Means for Innovation & Ingredients

This shift in demand is carving out new frontiers for product development.

• Where the growth is showing up:

Yoghurt is on the rise, with adult-focused yoghurts growing by £177.5m in value. It’s all about portion control with a flavour people actually want. RTD dairy and grain snacks are the next act. Clear macros help shoppers choose fast, but texture is king. If it chews like real food, it’ll make it back into the basket.

• Formulation that fits her motives:

It has to taste good. Protein wins when the flavour is clean and the sweetness is tidy. It also needs to deliver on fullness. 

• A 2025 clinical trial comparing Greek yogurt and peanuts on satiety in women is a great guide for choosing your serving size and ingredients.

And you can't ignore the GLP-1 era. With prescriptions growing by a staggering 900% since 2020, brands are adapting. Danone has already launched a protein drink for GLP-1 users, pointing towards smaller packs with simple muscle-health messaging.

Challenges & Considerations

There are still a few pit-stops to watch out for.

Many shoppers still need help with portion sizes and understanding protein quality. That’s a job for clear labelling and well-trained field teams. Snack recipes can also creep up in sugar, so use fibres to help with texture and fullness while keeping sweetness in line.

And let’s be clear on the motivation. The real demand is for all-day energy, steady hunger control, and support for healthy ageing. Forget narrow beauty cues. Since many consumers are unsure how much protein they actually need, a simple copy will always beat a clever slogan.

So What? – Why This Matters For You

Here’s the breakdown for your team:

Brands:

• Create products for real-life moments: a bottle for the train, a pot for lunch, a bar for the sofa.

• Put the outcome first on the pack, like "steady energy," then show the numbers.

• Use familiar flavours that already sell well in dairy and bakery.

Ingredient Suppliers:

• Bring protein systems with flavour masking that works at higher loads.

• Offer fibre premixes that pair neatly with protein.

• Share ready-to-run bases to help your clients’ pilot projects move faster.

R&D and Innovation:

• Brief projects against energy, fullness, and healthy ageing.

• Prototype in yoghurts, RTDs, and bars.

• Track the whole sensory experience: chew, melt, and aftertaste, not just grams per serving.

Investors:

• Watch dairy lines that add clear protein numbers without losing flavour.

• Track RTD ranges and grain snacks that cut sugar while boosting satiety cues.

Protein’s Next Big Muscle? The Female Psych

She wants protein that fits into a real day. It needs to taste good and be easy to understand. A pot that keeps hunger steady through the afternoon. A bottle that slots into a commute. A snack that feels like food. If you solve for those moments and keep the claims honest, the repeat purchases will take care of themselves.

Final Crumbs – Takeaway Actions

So, what should you be doing right now?

1. Audit your range against the motivations that truly matter, not just muscle.

2. Pilot a yoghurt or RTD if you’re powder-heavy, and test the flavour first.

3. Pair quality protein with fibres where satiety is the goal.

4. Prepare smaller, protein-dense packs for GLP-1 shoppers.

5. Train your sales teams to explain grams, source, and benefits in plain English.

Let’s Raise a Protein Shake to Progress

The women-led protein wave is a real trend that’s reshaping the shelves. If you keep the flavour strong, the claims clear, and the formats easy to use, you’ll earn that second purchase, and then a third. I’ll be watching the chillers and snack bays for the next quiet hits.

Mike