The evolving whey + collagen partnership

The partnership between whey and collagen continues to unfold and becomes ever more present as the price in whey continues to rise. We’re seeing brands seek solutions to maximise functionality (protein) while keeping the raw cost of goods to a minimum. And in many ways it feels like collagen has become a protein cheat code and solution in the current market.

What’s particularly interesting is that this partnership is no longer playing out through one singular route. Instead, collagen is beginning to slot into the protein category in multiple ways: reformulating existing whey propositions, becoming a differentiator within new launches, sitting in the hero role and even creating an entirely new functional proposition alongside whey.  

In a case of reformulation, we're starting to see brands use collagen to boost protein doses both overtly and covertly, rather than relying solely on whey to boost the numbers. At the same time, brands launching new clear protein propositions are beginning to leverage collagen as a more identifiable point of differentiation to avoid the sea of sameness in an increasingly crowded clear protein space.

Meanwhile 50:50 whey to collagen splits are beginning to emerge. And true to the approach, the proposition equally splits protein dosing directly down the middle, for an equally weighted whey to collagen proposition.

Collectively, this points towards a collagen-based evolution, one where its relationship with whey continues to grow and expand.

But rather than simply adding collagen to whey formulations and stamping a higher protein number on pack, the next step is for brands to give the partnership a reason for existing. That could mean engineering whey + collagen ratios around specific needstates, but the brands that arguably stand to create the most value won't be those that simply use collagen as a workaround. They'll be those that turn the whey + collagen partnership into an innovation platform in its own right, and as whey economics will inevitably continue to put pressure on brands, collagen creates an interesting direction.

‍