Protein iced tea

Clean-tasting, high-protein iced tea for movers and shakers

Protein iced tea

It’s high time for tea!

On-the-go fortified and functional beverages are in high demand, encouraging sports and mainstream brands to extend their product portfolio into lifestyle products that fit a broader consumer base. Now, market attention is increasingly turning to new possibilities with tea - a favourite of consumers around the globe. In fact, with an average annual growth rate of 45.6 percent, tea is the second fastest growing subcategory in food and beverage product launches with superfood claims1.

Protein potential

Tea has been a drink of choice for centuries and is considered a healthy option among consumers due to its antioxidant properties. And, while iced tea itself has been popularised as a refreshing, healthy beverage, more and more products are now boasting superfood claims.

One way to boost the nutritional value and attraction of your iced tea beverage is by adding whey protein isolate into the mix. For product development teams however, the key to success is to maintain tea’s refreshing, clean taste while simultaneously delivering on the promise of a protein-rich beverage.

Refreshingly clean

Clean labels featuring natural ingredients are top-of-mind for today’s consumers. And that applies to iced tea, too. Global market research shows that consumers favour iced teas that are natural and sugar-free, too2. This is exactly why high protein is the perfect new trend for teas. As opposed to many other ingredients, proteins do no harm in consumer minds – quite the opposite, in fact.

Why whey?

It’s well documented that whey protein isolate (WPI) helps build, repair and maintain muscle mass, supporting muscle protein synthesis better than other protein sources. WPI has been proven in protein shakes for decades and more recently, in high-protein ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. Arla Foods Ingredients offers three different, processing-stable WPI ingredients that meet the brief for a delicious and convenient protein iced tea – both for movers and shakers.

Ready to move?

Ready-to-drink protein beverages quench the thirst of health-conscious consumers around the world, serving busy lifestyles for a nutritious on-the-move option.

Choose from two RTD-enabling ingredients to deliver a delicious protein iced tea:

  • Lacprodan® ISO.Clear can be used to make clear beverages with a natural and refreshing taste profile.
  • Lacprodan® ISO.Water can be used to make UHT-stable beverages with a clean and water-like taste.

Shake things up

Shakes are the conventional way of delivering valuable protein to the muscles, fast. Our whey protein isolate ingredient, Lacprodan® ISO.WaterShake can be used to make a clear and water-like ready-to-shake iced tea that delivers 20g of protein and no sugar or fat.

No time to wait

Sales of functional/fortified beverages have increased year-on-year, growing by 51 percent between 2014 and 2019 in the US alone. And it’s projected that the market will climb from 609 million USD in 2019 to 819 million USD in 20243. Protein iced tea is an exciting part of this trend – and Arla Foods Ingredients is ready to support your success every step of the way. Whether it’s a tasty shake or convenient RTD, we’re here to help you make your iced tea beverages a firm consumer favourite.


1. Innova market insights, 2020
2. Innova New Products Database
3.Euromonitor: Fortified/Functional Beverages in the US, 2020

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