Gained weight: Protein has boosted the milkshake market
The Russian milkshake market has received a new growth driver — products with a high protein content, "Izvestia" has learned. In the first half of the year, sales of the category increased 1.6 times year—on-year, to 142.8 million kg, and in monetary terms - by 90%, to 32.1 billion rubles, NTech analysts estimated. At the same time, milkshakes with protein have become the fastest growing segment of the category: their sales increased 415 times over the year, to 21 million kg. Retailers and manufacturers are expanding their high-protein product lines amid growing interest in healthy lifestyle. An additional driver of demand was the proliferation of weight loss drugs, in particular "Ozempika". Due to appetite suppression, consumers are more likely to choose small portions with high nutritional value. Whether protein will become the new norm on the dairy shelf is in the "Izvestia" article.
How sales of functional milk-based beverages are growing
According to the results of the first half of the year, sales of milkshakes reached 142.8 million kg, which is 1.6 times more than in the same period a year earlier, the analytical company NTech estimates. In monetary terms, sales increased by 90%, to 32.1 billion rubles. In X5, demand increased by 35% year-on-year in six months, its representative said. In the stores near the "Magnit" house, sales of milk with additives increased 148 times in the first eight months of 2026, his representative said. The retailers did not disclose the absolute figures.
Protein shakes have become one of the main drivers of the category's growth, according to representatives of retail companies. According to NTech, their sales volume in January–June reached 21 million kg, 415 times more than a year earlier. At the same time, experts interviewed by "Izvestia" attribute such high dynamics, among other things, to the effect of a low base.
In X5, sales of milk protein shakes increased by more than one and a half times year-on-year, a company representative said. In "Magnit", their share in the sale of modern dairy products has almost tripled in eight months. "Logic of Milk" sales of high-protein cocktails for children and teenagers in Moscow increased by 6% over the same period, said a representative of the company.
The growth in demand is associated with a steady trend towards a healthy lifestyle, including protein products, according to a representative of X5. Healthy eating has long been a mass consumption model, agrees the chairman of the Association of Omnichannel Retail Companies (ACORT) Stanislav Bogdanov. According to the "Magnit" representative, the so-called decision tree of the buyer is changing: the desire to enjoy a delicious dessert is supplemented by the need for health benefits. As a result, the consumer chooses a product that allows them to solve both tasks simultaneously. According to a February survey by the NAFI Center, about 80% of Russians try to adhere to a healthy diet.
How is the assortment of this category changing?
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the entire range of high-protein products, including cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, the representative of "Logic of Milk" recalled. Customer requests are actively changing the modern dairy shelf, "Magnit" representative agrees. According to ACORT, between 14 and 200 high-protein products are already available to customers in retail chains, depending on the store format. At the same time, the trend is most noticeable in the dessert segment, said Stanislav Bogdanov. According to him, sales of ice cream with protein in large retail chains increased 3.5 times year—on-year, and ice cream without added sugar almost doubled. In general, according to ACORT, the demand for healthy lifestyle products in large retail chains increased by 15% year-on-year, and in individual chains — up to 40%.
In response, manufacturers are expanding their range of high-protein products. In particular, the "Steppe" agroholding will start selling protein bars and snacks in October, said Irina Gruzinova, the company's communications director.
However, not all products with a high protein content are new products that have recently appeared on the shelves, the top manager said. In some cases, only the presentation of the product changes: manufacturers began to place information about the protein content on the packaging, emphasizing this.
The trend towards functional high-protein drinks is global. According to Grand View Research, the global market for such cocktails was estimated at $4.26 billion in 2025, and could reach $9.16 billion by 2033, more than doubling. One of the catalysts for the demand for such products was the proliferation of GLP-1 class drugs for weight loss, in particular semaglutide, the original drug of which is produced under the "Ozempik" brand, said a top manager of a large manufacturer of products. According to him, consumers of such drugs eat smaller portions, which creates demand for compact products with high nutritional value.
High-protein foods will become part of the daily diet, but the hype around the category will decrease over time, Irina Gruzinova believes. According to her, the protein content will cease to separate the product by itself, and sustainable demand will be determined by taste, quality, convenience and price. She cited Dubai chocolate as an example: after the downturn in the hype, the sought-after flavor combination remained and spread to other categories. ACORT believes that interest in functional dairy products with added protein will continue to grow as the audience of the healthy lifestyle category expands.
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