Starbucks Is Adding A Boost Of Protein To Its Drink Customizations

Protein is already being advertised to you on pretty much every food and drink product you see at the supermarket, and now Starbucks is going to make sure you get your fill at the coffee shop, too. Until now, Starbucks has been content to provide protein boxes of cheeses and eggs for its customers, but it seems the protein trend is too big to keep undrinkable. In the past decade, high-protein products have quadrupled in sales, partially due to fitness and wellness influencers pumping up the importance of high-protein ingredients for a healthy diet. This has led to a deluge of products, with everything from chips to breakfast cereals to ice cream advertising high protein content, and now ending with its inevitable form: a new Starbucks menu option.

Starbucks is bringing protein to its drink menu in three different ways starting on September 29, 2025, giving you lots of combinations for maximizing the protein in your order, including a new cold foam. The first is a new drink, the Starbucks Protein Latte, which features Protein-boosted Milk providing 27 to 36 grams of protein for a grande size. Starbucks says that a variety of Protein Lattes will be available, but has not announced any specific flavors yet. The high-protein milk, which is a 2% milk, will also be added as a customization option for other Starbucks menu items. When subbed in for normal milk in drinks that already contain it, the high-protein milk will add 12 to 16 grams of protein in a grande.

The final new addition at Starbucks this fall is probably the most interesting: Protein Cold Foam. Starbucks says the cold foam will add 15 grams of protein to any iced, grande-sized drink. The Protein Cold Foam will come in many of Starbucks' popular flavors, including vanilla, sugar-free vanilla, brown sugar, chocolate, matcha, and salted caramel. There will also be a new banana flavor introduced, and the company says popular seasonal flavors like pumpkin and pecan will get Protein Cold Foam options in the future. Starbucks also says additional iced beverages featuring the Protein Cold Foam will be added to the permanent menu at a later date.

Interestingly, this isn't the first high-protein drink Starbucks has tried out. Back in 2018, Starbucks released Protein Blended Cold Brews, but they were a different beast, being more like a Frappuccino made with high-protein ingredients like cacao nibs and almonds. Reviews were decidedly negative — customers were not fans of the drinks' texture — and they quickly disappeared. By using high-protein milk instead, the new Starbucks beverages look like they are aiming for a less invasive way to add some protein to your favorite Starbucks drinks. It's hard to say how long the protein fad will last, as doctors say most people already get plenty of protein in their diets. But, for now at least, you'll be able to grab a post-workout drink at Starbucks if you want.