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Hannah McLaughlin
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https://www.nutritionintegrated.com/knowledge-hub/the-cost-of-convenience
Every time we ask ourselves whether we’ve hit peak protein, a new product hits the shelves. There’s no escaping the fact that protein’s continuing to dominate the food and beverage conversation.
But as protein increasingly shows up in more functional, convenient formats, it’s worth pausing to consider how the cost of this convenience is being passed on to the consumer.
As of December 2025, our data shows that a serving of whey protein isolate (€1.43) was €0.83 cheaper than a protein bar (€2.26). Looking across some recent functional spotlights, the pricing gap becomes even clearer when viewed on a price-per-serve basis:
Protein shake: PRIME Shake: $2.50 per serve (€2.14, + 49.5%*)
Protein cereal: Magic Spoon Marshmallow Cereal: $1.95 per serve (€1.67, +17%*)
Protein candy: Protein Candy: $5 per serve (€4.27, +198.5%*)
* % increase vs. protein powder
While we still find it exciting to see protein pushed into new formats, it’s still worth benchmarking these innovations against protein in its staple form: powder. It may lack the same convenience credentials, but when it comes to value, it remains firmly front and centre.
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Creatine protein bars: early indications from the market
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Ultra-pure creatine gummies and the rise of proof
The popularity of creatine gummies – and the headlines they’ve generated at times – means we’re seeing a counter-trend: increased emphasis on purity, testing and validation. Branded creatine ingredients and clinical language are becoming more prominent as brands look to reassure consumers navigating unfamiliar formats.
Creatine flavour is doing more work than ever
As creatine moves into gummies and bars, flavour is being used to enhance the experience. In a category traditionally dominated by unflavoured products, brands are beginning to use flavour cues to reduce friction and broaden appeal.
The evolving role of whey
We know whey protein dominates sports nutrition. It’s a staple across the protein powders market and has a strong role in bars and ready-to-drink products. But as protein proliferates into more formats, is whey still the protein source of choice?
Protein cereal pricing strategy
Protein cereal has become both a supermarket shelf and an Instagram breakfast staple. So we examine how pricing differs between the specialist protein cereal brands and supermarket offerings.
Beyond the bar: formats redefining functional foods
From cereal and ice cream to meals and unexpected collaborations, we take a look at four standout examples that are reshaping what functional food can be.
Clear protein: what the market is telling us (and why it matters)
The clear protein category has been one to watch over the last couple of years. Since reporting that the market had more than doubled between January 2022 and January 2024, we’ve continued to track its evolution.
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As the GLP-1 landscape continues to skyrocket, we’re seeing more and more companion products emerging to meet the needs of consumers using GLP-1. We spoke about this recently and how GPL-1 is influencing the nutrition industry; today we’re looking at a retailer’s response to it all.
The penetration of mushrooms
One data insight we were keen answer when reviewing the amount of activity in mushroom based innovation was which product categories use mushrooms most frequently.
Just how much protein is in ready-to-eat protein?
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The use of actives and VMS ingredients across collagen formats
We wanted to understand how actives and vitamins and minerals (VMS) are used in collagen products, and how this differs between format — if at all — so we dived into our data to find out.
Roll call on protein cereals
Protein cereals are all the rage and every week seems to see a new option appear on our shelves. An important ingredient here is extruded protein crisps (whether soy, pea or whey), which give the crunchy and crispy texture we love. So let’s look at some of the brands using extruded protein in protein cereals.
Protein powder serving size - an FYI
We talk a lot about the price of protein (powder) per kilo, but another metric of importance is the price per serving. And to help navigate that — particularly in product development — you need to understand serving size.
Are flavours that important in gummies?
Of all the gummies across Europe and North America, 98% of products only contain one flavour. It seems that the flavours associated with gummies aren’t nearly as diverse as flavours we see in protein products. But why?
Protein RTM price changes
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Gummies: a product round up
The gummies market was valued at USD 22.78bn in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 66.56bn by 20231. It comes as no surprise, then, that as the category grows, so too does the range of products within it. What's interesting to see though, is how many of these products are developing beyond the more traditional multivitamin format.
Specialised or diverse? A gummy brandscape breakdown
Do brands specialise in one gummy category or do they provide a diverse range of gummy products?
Collagen source comparisons: Europe vs North America
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The use of branded actives in gummies
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Protein prices bucking economic trend
Given the economic instability of recent years, we’ve been surprised to see prices across several protein powder categories drop in the last 12 months. While some of these decreases have only been slight, others have been more significant.
Superfoods: it's not a popularity contest (or is it?)
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Standing out in the clear protein market
As one of the newer protein compositions to enter the market, clear protein faces additional challenges when it comes to competing against the better-established protein categories. One of the ways we’re seeing clear protein products distinguish themselves from other protein supplements is by using specific key word descriptors.
Price differences in plant protein RTM in Europe
Did you know, in Europe, plant protein powders with multiple protein sources are about 30% more expensive than single-source plant protein powders?
Search trends reveal protein preferences
Google search terms can tell us much more than what keywords people are looking for; take a longer-term view for example and trends start to appear. To better understand the types of products consumers are looking for and whether this is changing, we’ve taken a look at the five year search trends for ‘protein powder’, ‘protein bar’ and ‘protein drink’.
Category at-a-glance: pre-workout RTMs
This month, we’re looking at pre-workout RTMs. We analysed 1,480 products from 680 brands across Europe and the US and Canada to find out the following…
Trend watch: upcycled ingredients
We all know sustainability is important, and it’s interesting to see the different ways that brands approach the issue. One thing we’re seeing more and more of is the use of upcycled ingredients.
How many flavours do gummies typically come in?
Across both Europe and North America, the majority of gummy products come in just one flavour. The question is - in a world where flavour reigns supreme, why are gummies keeping it simple?
Revealed: most popular collagen formats
As the interest in collagen continues to grow and brands become more established, we can see more easily which formats are firm favourites.