I can remember not long ago when the “Atkins Diet” was the big rage! Now, it’s either a shortcut diet using GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Zepbound, etc.) or the keto, paleo, or other “high-protein” weight loss diets have surged!!!
According to Nielsen, “52% of U.S. consumers in 2024 reported actively looking for high-protein foods, up from 39% in 2019!! This has created what I call “The Whey Protein Boom!”
The next time you go to the gym, take a look to see where and how they display large tubs of “Whey Protein” for big money.
You might be asking yourself, ‘What is Whey Protein anyhow?’ Not long ago, whey was little more than a problem byproduct of making cheese i.e. a watery residue left behind after milk was curdled and strained! Dairy farmers faced a quandary about how to dispose of it.
“From Waste to Wealth” is how I would encapsulate what’s happening today, as Whey Protein is a billion-dollar global industry driven by surging consumer demand for high-protein diets, fitness supplements, and functional foods.
For every 10 liters of milk used, roughly 1 liter becomes cheese and 9 liters become whey. Historically, this whey surplus was either discarded or utilized as cheap animal feed. This ALL changed in the late 20th century when scientists and sports nutritionists discovered Whey Protein’s high protein content, including fast digestibility and branched-chain essential amino acids such as Leucine.
Whey Protein is now considered the gold standard in protein supplementation! It is surreal how the economics have changed from the 1970s and 1980s to now as Whey is having its Way!
Let’s take a look at some of the numbers:
1. U.S. whey production increased 6X from 1990 to 2020, with U.S. whey exports also booming.
2. According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council, “whey products have accounted for nearly $2.4 billion in export value in 2023, with China and Southeast Asia being the primary markets.
3. Whey Protein markets are expected to surpass $20 billion by 2030!
4. High-purity whey isolates (powder) can retail for $20-$30 per pound in consumer packaging.
5. The rise in the fitness culture, mostly in Europe and the US, has created an insatiable demand for quick and portable sources of high-quality protein.
6. The American public (not just bodybuilders) has embraced protein as a marker of health. Market data from “Euromonitor” shows that the number of food and drink launches in North America making high-protein claims increased by over 80% between 2015-2022.
7. Whey Protein has become a key ingredient in everything from snack bars to coffee creamers to infant formula!
When tangible products boom, there are often concerns when production is scaled to current levels so quickly. As the value rises, so does the scrutiny from critics who question the ripple effects of quantum production.
Key factors that critics are pointing out are:
1. Environmental Costs: of dairy farming, including methane emissions from cattle and water consumption.
2. Ultra Processing Concerns: with some protein powders and the glut of “protein bars” that have flooded the market, most using soy to bind.
3. Market Volatility: now tied more to dairy supplies and high geopolitical trade (tariff) tensions with China and Southeast Asia.
With skyrocketing demand and production, whey protein has started to get more attention. Innovation is being worked on with dairy and other companies experimenting with “precision fermentation and lab-grown whey” to reduce the animal environmental impact.
It will be interesting to see if ‘the Whey Protein boom” continues at the same or a faster pace. No matter what happens, Whey Protein is here to stay, YES WHEY!