Lifeway Foods’ Protein Kefir has expanded distribution to US grocery chain store Harris Teeter.
More retailers will be carrying the product within the coming months.
In addition to the 12 live and active kefir cultures and tart and tangy taste found in the cultured milk smoothie, each serving of Protein Kefir packs 20 grams of protein, which is considered the optimal amount by sports nutritionists to aid muscle repair.
“Protein and probiotics are two of the hottest food trends right now, and our Protein Kefir is a powerful combination of those two features,” said Lifeway president and CEO Julie Smolyansky.
“We’ve developed the ultimate functional beverage that appeals to a wide array of different consumers.”
“Our Protein Kefir supports the activities of serious athletes whether you’re a SoulCycle enthusiast, CrossFit fanatic, or simply an everyday consumer looking for better food choices.”
The growing market demand for convenient protein food products drove Lifeway’s decision to develop Protein Kefir.
According to a recent International Food Information Councils Food & Health Survey report, 58% of consumers considered whether packaged food and beverage products contained protein when making purchasing decisions.
Further, the Wall Street Journal reported that US sales of packaged foods with protein-related claims on their labels rose to US$7.5 billion in the year ended February 15, 2014.
That is a gain of more than 50% from the like period four years ago, according to research firm Nielsen, and demonstrates a rapidly growing market demand for accessible, high-quality protein food options.
Lifeway Protein Kefir is available in four flavors – mixed berry, vanilla, banana and salted caramel.
Each 16-ounce bottle contains two servings and is free from artificial flavors and ingredients.
The protein-plus-probiotic product utilizes the carbohydrates in the kefir to boost protein absorption, while continuing to provide the immunity-enhancing benefits of probiotics.
