Review: Starbucks' New Protein Lattes And Cold Foams Taste Better Than A Health Drink

Well, here's an obvious win for Starbucks: The company is releasing a few new protein-ified offerings (it seems the protein craze is never-ending, with everything from protein sodas to protein-packed pasta being all the rage these days). I'm not mad about it. Who could say no to incorporating some nutrients into a drink that's already routine? Starting September 29, 2025, the company is launching several Protein Lattes alongside a few Protein Cold Foams, the latter of which can be added to any cold drink. I got an advanced tasting of part of the lineup, and I must say, I was impressed.

Customers will have eight Protein Cold Foam flavors to choose from: banana, vanilla, chocolate, plain, sugar-free vanilla, matcha, salted caramel, and brown sugar. Each one will add about 19-26 grams of protein to a grande beverage. A few iced drinks will also come standard with Protein Cold Foam – those were the drinks I sampled, and my review of each is detailed below. 

Additionally, the chain is releasing a few lattes made with protein-boosted milk; eventually, any milk-based drink will be able to be customized with the protein-boosted milk (which adds 12-16 grams of protein per grande). The protein milk is crafted in-house by adding protein powder to 2% milk. I tried a couple of drinks with the protein milk, and they also impressed. It's unclear how much protein customizations will add to the price of your drink, though the upcharge will likely vary per store. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Well, the first drink I tried was (perhaps unsurprisingly) my favorite of the bunch, and I suspect it will hold a similar status for consumers who end up incorporating a protein drink into their routines. The Iced Chocolate Cream Protein Cold Brew was exceedingly yummy. It's nothing more or less than what its name purports it to be: a chocolate protein cold foam atop a glass of iced cold brew. The two are a match made in heaven. 

The chocolate protein cold foam is about to be your new customization to anything iced; as a matter of fact, I can't think of a drink it wouldn't go well with. It has a dark, rich, pure chocolate flavor, and I really appreciated that it wasn't too sweet in the slightest. Beyond its stellar flavor, the mouthfeel of the cold foam is super creamy, and it doesn't have any of the powdery texture you might expect from a protein-infused foam. It felt decadent and sumptuous to drink, even just on a plain, black cold brew. This is a customization I'll absolutely be indulging in again. 

Next up is Starbucks' Iced Banana Cream Protein Matcha — quite the surprise to me, a famous banana-hater. I actually tried this cold foam previously when I attended Starbucks' 2025 Leadership Experience (though that time it was just paired with a plain iced latte), and I remember being a little taken aback by it then. The banana flavor was subtle enough not to turn me off to the drink completely, and it added a slight tropical appeal to an otherwise nondescript drink.

My experience with this banana plus matcha duo was a little otherworldly. It sounds like a wild pairing on the surface, but they actually work very well with each other. The earthiness of the matcha was a nice balance to the banana flavor of the cold foam, and they even each other out very well. Plus, the matcha's strength made the banana sit in the background a bit, which I also appreciated. I took a big sip off the top (so I primarily got banana foam), and even a small amount of matcha really neutralizes it, but the flavors are all still there. It's an intriguing combo that I think banana lovers will be a fan of. 

Next, I tried Starbucks' Iced Vanilla Cream Protein Latte, a good choice if you don't want any over-the-top flavor combinations on any given day. This drink is made with vanilla protein cold foam atop your standard iced latte, and though I thought the beverage as a whole was a bit boring (but keep in mind that I tried this one after the previous two), the cold foam itself was quite good. 

The vanilla protein cold foam was sweet, but the base of the latte wasn't, and that's where I thought most of the imbalance was. The cold foam wasn't quite sweet enough to lift the rest of the drink, which is a good thing if you don't like sweet drinks, but may not be welcome if you typically have a morning sweet tooth. The cold foam would also make for a good, nondescript topping on any iced drink; though you can taste the vanilla, it's neutral enough not to detract from whatever you might pair it with. 

My last taste test on the cold foam front was Starbucks' new Plain Protein Cold Foam, which I had atop a black cold brew. If you just want to dip your toes into the protein cold foam game, this wouldn't be a bad choice to start with. It's unflavored but still good — a concept which, admittedly, I don't totally understand. I expected to taste more protein than I did, but instead, the protein flavor was exceedingly mild, and the cold foam itself was very slightly sweet. 

The plain cold foam offers a really easy way to get a boost of protein into your morning, and it'll pair flawlessly with whatever your favorite iced beverage is. Sure, it's not the most flavorful of the bunch, but it's an undeniably safe choice that's well deserving of a spot on Starbucks' menu. 

Starbucks' Iced Protein Matcha is one of the protein lattes I tried, made with protein-infused milk. For starters, I adored the mouthfeel. Similar to the cold foam, bringing protein powder into the equation kind of adds a creaminess to the drink; so, even though this didn't have cold foam on it, it had a similar texture. Nevertheless, it's a good choice if you want a less creamy protein matcha. 

Moreover, the protein didn't alter the flavor too much. It's still not too sweet (just how I like my matcha), has the classic earthy flavor you'd expect in a matcha latte, and isn't watery in the slightest. I'd urge you to do your own taste test — grab a regular iced matcha and a protein iced matcha, and compare the two. If anything, you'll notice a slightly thicker texture in the protein version, which is certainly not a bad thing in my book. Of course, if you want to super-boost your Iced Protein Matcha, you can always top it with a cold foam to match (personally, I'd suggest the vanilla or matcha flavors). You'll also have a sugar-free option for this drink. 

Last but certainly not least, I got to try Starbucks' Iced Vanilla Protein Latte (not to be confused with the aforementioned Iced Vanilla Cream Protein Latte). I'd have to say, this is probably the drink where I tasted protein the most, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing — it still tasted way better than a lot of protein shakes I've had. That said, I did think the drink could have been sweeter, and it had the thinnest mouthfeel of the bunch.

Unless you specifically don't want cold foam, I'd recommend topping this with some cold foam to get a creamier texture and some added sweetness (or you could just add a couple extra pumps of syrup to your drink). But if you need something light, nondescript, and with a decent amount of protein, this certainly wouldn't be a bad drink to add to your day. The company is also offering a sugar-free version of this bevvy.

Starbucks' new protein offerings will certainly be welcome additions to the menu, and I'm willing to bet they'll be pretty popular with customers. Surprisingly enough, the addition of protein powder doesn't alter the flavor too much — so why wouldn't you upgrade your usual drink? I think the protein cold foams are the most impressive of the bunch. Taking something considered an indulgent treat and infusing it with protein is, quite frankly, an ingenious way to market a product. 

I'd urge you to try the new offerings when they hit your local store, as I highly doubt you'll taste a notable difference, either. You'll probably end up with a new "usual" (and maybe add a slight upcharge to your standard drink) — but personally, I think the extra several grams of protein are well worth it.