Protein continues to dominate as a must-have attribute in food and beverage innovation, but consumers don’t always understand the science behind their preferences.
Grande Custom Ingredients Group commissioned Hanover Research to conduct a national study of 1,000 U.S. adults who had consumed a high-protein or protein-fortified product within the previous 30 days.
The goal? This research uncovers how consumers perceive various protein types, including dairy and plant-based sources, and how those perceptions influence purchase decisions, sensory expectations and perceived health benefits.
The 2025 results confirm what many food scientists suspect: While consumers value protein highly, there’s a growing gap between what they believe and what the science says.
View the Complete Grande Protein Preferences & Perception Study
What are Consumer Preferences for Protein Types?
The Grande research found that protein powders (73%), ready-to-drink shakes (69%) and bars (68%) are the most frequently consumed protein products, with fortified milks and cookies also gaining ground.
When it comes to choosing a protein source, taste, satiety and protein completeness are top drivers. Notably, two-thirds of consumers intentionally seek out complete proteins, even if they don’t fully understand what that means from a nutritional standpoint.
Key Takeaways:
- Whey protein ranked as the most preferred protein source overall (27%), followed closely by milk protein (25%)
- Oat protein saw surprising popularity in terms of purchase likelihood, though preference dropped when nutritional benefits were compared
What Factors Are Most Important to Consumers Related to Protein Consumption?
Despite the marketing buzz around plant-based proteins, whey still leads the way when performance matters. The study revealed that consumers see whey protein as superior across multiple attributes, especially among those prioritizing flavor and functional performance.
Grande Research Consumer Perception Highlights:
- Satiety: 47% say whey keeps them full longer (vs. 15% for plant proteins)
- Taste: 43% prefer whey’s flavor (vs. 20% for plant-based)
- Mouthfeel: 41% say whey offers better texture (vs. 22% for plant-based)
- Completeness: 33% believe whey is higher quality (vs. 23% for plant-based)
What Is the Best Protein for Taste, Satiety and Digestion?
In an ideal world, consumer preferences align with scientific findings. A high-quality whey protein shouldn’t require flavor masking agents or a laundry list of texture modifiers, and its digestibility is superior to plant-based options.
Yet the Grande study revealed a surprising disconnect: 85% of consumers believe oat protein is the healthiest and easiest to digest, even though it is not a complete protein and ranks lowest in essential amino acid content and digestibility compared to whey, soy or pea.
Source: National Library of Medicine
Digestibility is a key yet often misunderstood measure of protein quality. It directly affects how efficiently the body can absorb and utilize amino acids for muscle growth, metabolic function and overall health.
Whey protein scores highest on recognized measures of protein quality:
Phillips, S.M. The impact of protein quality on the promotion of resistance exercise-induced changes in muscle mass.
Nutr Metab (Lond) 13, 64 (2016)., Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
These metrics reflect whey’s superior nutrition and bioavailability, factors that matter deeply in formulations targeting athletic recovery, clinical nutrition and high-performance foods.
For formulators, leveraging ingredients that meet or exceed DIAAS and PDCAAS standards can help substantiate health claims and differentiate product performance.
RELATED: Explore the Science Behind Protein Quality & Nutrition
Education Is Key: How to Help Consumers Understand Complete Proteins
Grande’s findings reinforce the need for continued education around protein quality. Many consumers equate “plant-based” with “healthier,” even when nutritional data says otherwise.
This presents a major opportunity for brands to collaborate with ingredient partners like Grande Custom Ingredients Group to communicate:
- What makes whey a “complete” protein
- Why digestibility and amino acid profiles matter
- How clean-label dairy proteins deliver real nutritional value with minimal processing or added ingredients
- Why whey protein is superior to alternative proteins in formulations, not just for nutrition, but functionality
Grande isn’t just a specialty ingredient supplier; we’re a knowledge partner that helps brands translate science into simple, trustworthy claims that resonate with health-conscious shoppers.
Action Steps for Brands and Formulators
With insights from the Grande study in hand, here’s how formulators and food scientists can take action:
- Formulate for preference: Choose whey ingredients that outperform in taste, texture and satiety
- Differentiate on credibility: Use complete protein claims and digestibility scores to educate and build trust
- Simplify labels: Replace multi-ingredient workarounds with Grande’s multifunctional whey solutions
- Get support: Partner with Grande’s R&D team to streamline formulations and optimize performance
Grande Custom Ingredients Group: Complete Protein Ingredient Supplier
Grande’s clean-label whey protein portfolio is uniquely positioned to help brands capitalize on these consumer insights. Our proprietary specialty whey ingredients go beyond offering nutritional benefits. They also deliver functional properties unheard of from commodity ingredients: improved taste, texture, viscosity and mouthfeel.
Ingredient Feature:
Grande WPCrisp® whey protein delivers high protein (up to 70%), lending a satisfying light, crispy texture in bars and snacks. Available in regular and cocoa profiles.
Ready to Put Consumer Insights Into Action?
Download the Grande Protein Preferences & Perceptions Study, including additional market data, to better understand the gap between protein perception and reality, and how your next formulation can stand out.
Ready to connect with one of our food scientists to collaborate on your next product innovation? Contact our team.
