Now You Can Protein-Pack Your Starbucks Coffee in Not One, but Two Ways
Whether you like your drink hot or cold, you’ve got options.
Photo courtesy of Starbucks
Forget breakfast — for many people, morning coffee is the most important meal of the day. Of course, it’s not much of a meal unless you zhuzh it up with more than milk and sugar.
As America has leaned into all things protein in recent years, some fitness-focused folks have started putting protein powder and other supplements into their cold brew and lattes to make them a little more functional. And starting this month, Starbucks is hoping to be your one-stop-shop for both a caffeine kick and protein boost as it adds two ways to enhance your drink with protein.
What Are Starbucks’ New Protein Lattes?
Starbucks’ Protein Lattes won’t be all that different from its usual handcrafted drinks, but they will be made with a new “protein-boosted milk.” This swap means a grande latte could contain between 27 to 36 grams of protein, compared to 13 grams in one made with regular two-percent milk. The brand says Protein Lattes will be added to the permanent menu.
What Is Starbucks’ New Protein Cold Foam?
Starbucks introduced Cold Foam nationwide back in 2018. The frothy topping brings the hot latte and cappuccino experience to iced drinks. The chain has since added flavored cold foams to its menu, and in June it started testing a Protein Cold Foam at five stores.
Starting in late September, Protein Cold Foam will be available nationwide. Like regular Cold Foam, it will come in multiple flavors, including “a new banana flavor, vanilla, sugar-free vanilla, chocolate, matcha, salted caramel and brown sugar,” the brand says in a press release. Protein Cold Foam adds around 15 grams of protein to drinks. However, Starbucks says additional iced Protein Cold Foam beverages are coming to the permanent menu as well, and they’ll contain between 19 and 26 grams of protein in each grande serving.
What Kind of Protein Does Starbucks Use in Its Drinks?
The main protein source in both Starbucks Protein Lattes and Protein Cold Foam is its new Protein-enhanced Milk, which the brand describes as a protein-boosted two-percent milk containing unflavored whey protein powder. As all participating Starbucks locations will have this new milk product behind the counter, it will also be available as a customizable milk option in any Starbucks drink. This means it will be possible to make any dairy-based item on the Starbucks coffee menu a bit more protein-powdered, with anywhere between 12 to 16 extra grams in a grande beverage, depending on the milk and coffee ratio in the drink. Starbucks has not disclosed if or how much more it will cost to upgrade a non-protein beverage to Protein-enhanced Milk.
When Is Starbucks Adding Protein Coffee to the Menu?
After testing Protein Cold Foam at a few locations this summer, Starbucks will add Protein Cold Foam and Protein Lattes to its permanent menu nationwide on September 29, 2025.
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