Protein Shots: Fermentation Leader Targets Premium Drinks Segment with Animal-Free Dairy

Are protein shots the next big functional beverage trend? Dutch fermentation firm Vivici thinks so, positioning its animal-free whey ingredient as the ideal base for these products.

Since the start of the pandemic, the number of high-protein drinks on the market has shot up by 122%. And while protein shakes have undoubtedly led the charge, a new class of functional drinks are vying for the former’s crown.

For many consumers, protein shakes can be too heavy on the stomach, cause digestive issues, and leave them feeling uncomfortably full. Protein-fortified drinks like clear beverages and shot-sized drinks alleviate these issues, offering people their protein hit in a more digestible (pun very much intended) format.

This is why a host of companies are now launching protein shots, from Nestlé to Pure Genius to Marks & Spencer, contributing to a market already valued at $1.4B and set to double over the next decade.

Protein shots, however, have their own issues; most contain whey, a functionally excellent protein, as functionally excellent as it is detrimental to the planet. After all, the dairy industry accounts for 4% of global emissions. Further, whey is facing shortages in several parts of the world, a result of limited supply during a boom in demand. That has, in turn, hiked prices for the protein.

To address this issue, Dutch startup Vivici is genetically engineering microbes to produce whey from fermentation. It is bioidentical to conventional beta-lactoglobulin, but allows the company to make the protein without the cows and plug the supply-demand gap.

The firm offers its ingredient to manufacturers for use in a variety of applications, the latest being protein shots, arguing that fermentation-derived whey could unlock the “full potential of compact, on-the-go protein nutrition”.

Shots offer high protein in quick doses

To produce its recombinant whey protein, Vivici leverages precision fermentation, a technology that involves inserting DNA into microbes and instructing them to produce specific molecules when fermented.

It’s starting with beta-lactoglobulin, the main whey protein found in milk, which has gelling, foaming and binding properties, contains all essential amino acids, and is clear in colour and neutral in flavour.

The ingredient, sold as Vivitein BLG, makes an ideal base for meal replacements, functional beverages, nutrition bars, and dairy and alternative products at levels of up to 50% by weight. In addition, it can be used in desserts, confectionery, fillings, bakery mixes, and meat, fish and egg analogues.

Vivici is extending its applications to protein shots, offering 25g of complete protein in just 100ml, with high amounts of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and leucine.

Vivitein BLG’s formulation allows the shots to have a low viscosity, light mouthfeel, and an acidic profile suitable for fruity flavours, without the need for sugar or functional add-ins. Plus, the portable shots are shelf-stable and free from lactose (although they aren’t suitable for people with dairy allergies).

In addition to the nutrition and sensory benefits, the animal-free whey protein offers 66% lower emissions, 86% less water consumption, and 61% less land use than conventional beta-lactoglobulin.

Vivici targets Gen Z with new protein format

Vivici is hoping the protein shots will enable it to win over Gen Z, nearly a third of whom (31%) make their daily food choices based on convenience. Plus, 74% of these consumers are now paying attention to protein in their diets.

“Protein shots are shaping up as the next major engine of growth in functional beverages. They redefine how a daily protein boost can fit into life, not as a chore, but as a functional moment without anchoring to a fixed routine,” Vivici explained in a blog post.

“The brands that win will be those that satisfy consumers like never before, by merging innovation and lifestyle preferences: using superior ingredients to develop lifestyle-first functional beverages that resonate with Gen Z values.”

The firm has already been cleared for sale in the US, having received a ‘no questions’ letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year. This gives it an advantage, as manufacturers can formulate protein shots with Vivitein BLG and bring them to market immediately.

It’s not the only precision fermentation startup with its eye on the category. France’s Verley, whose cow-free beta-lactoglobulin proteins have earned FDA approval too, has earmarked “ready-to-drink beverages and high-protein shots” as its initial product formats.

More and more alternative protein companies are recognising the value of light and clear formats. Beyond Meat, which for years has led the plant-based meat wave, diversified into the drinks segment last week with Beyond Immerse, a range of sparkling protein beverages.

Beyond protein shots, Vivici also offers its cow-free whey for larger-format clear drinks, ready-to-eat snacks, and ready-to-mix powders. It is currently working with Californian precision fermentation firm The Every Company and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to set up an industrial-scale novel protein facility in the Emirati capital.