The coffee giant’s executives say protein has emerged as a traffic driver, prompting Starbucks to pursue offerings including snackable fiber and personalized energy
Before it became shorthand for a morning caffeine fix for bleary-eyed commuters and afternoon pick-me-ups, Starbucks was simply a place to buy fresh-roasted coffee beans in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1971, long before baristas entered the picture.
In 2026, the coffee giant has taken on another role: a healthy food destination, executives say, following a successful rollout, with more to come.
On Starbucks’ Q1 2026 earnings call, CEO Brian Niccol said the company is leaning into health and wellness offerings that began with protein but now have bigger ambitions. That includes what Niccol described as an “afternoon platform” spanning both beverages and food, with personalized energy in both sparkling and blended formats, as well as snackable protein and fiber.
“I think there’s a real opportunity — not surprising — to make sure we have food for how people want to eat,” Niccol told investors on Wednesday. “Snackable protein, fiber. These are the things for how people want to eat and reset in their afternoon.”
In the realm of snacks, Starbucks added a dose of celebrity earlier this month, introducing Khloé Kardashian’s Khloud Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn Protein Popcorn in its coffeehouses.
Khloud joined two new caramel protein drinks, available hot or iced, that were added to the year-round menu, along with two flavors of protein-packed Ellenos Greek yogurt.
The early results, executives say, suggest the approach is working.
Niccol told investors that while awareness of Starbucks’ protein offerings remains “surprisingly low,” trial and repeat rates have been strong.
And, notably, protein is why many customers are sauntering into a Starbucks in the first place.
“We have seen it’s a traffic driver, meaning the intention of why the customer is coming in,” Starbucks chief financial officer Catherine Smith said. “That’s getting us to access new customers or at least new occasions.”
Smith pointed to the popularity of protein-infused cold foam as one of the more surprising outcomes of the protein push. The add-on allows customers to layer roughly 15 grams of protein onto a wide range of drinks.
Starbucks Isn’t Alone in Embracing the Protein Boom
As for why protein has risen in priority, the growing use of weight-loss medications offers one explanation. GLP-1 use has doubled in America, according to Gallup.
Starbucks’ push into protein sits alongside a wave of similar moves across the restaurant and quick-serve industry. Chipotle just launched its first high-protein menu, while California Pizza Kitchen introduced a Smart Swaps lineup with protein-packed and lower-calorie versions of familiar dishes and partnered with MyFitnessPal to reward diners for tracking meals.
Blaze Pizza has also leaned into the high-protein, GLP-1-friendly space with a limited-time “Protein-zza,” while El Pollo Loco recently launched Double Pollo Salads delivering more than 50 grams of protein per entrée.
Even smaller concepts have made changes. Las Vegas-based Volcano Grille has debuted a portion-balanced, high-protein plate specifically designed for diners using weight loss medications.
While protein continues to dominate menus, executives and nutrition experts are already pointing to what may follow. With most Americans still falling short on fiber intake and interest in gut health rising, fiber is beginning to enter the conversation.
