On Tuesday, the country’s No. 1 coffee chain announced it was entering the frenzied protein market by testing a new beverage option: a sugar-free vanilla latte topped with banana foam containing 15 grams of protein.
Starbucks did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for more details.
“If you’re meeting your caloric needs … you’re meeting your protein needs,” said registered dietitian Abbey Sharp.
“I was watching people coming to our stores; they would get three shots of espresso over ice,” he said. “And in some cases, they pull their own protein powder out of their bag, or in other cases, they have a protein drink, like a Fairlife, and they’d pour that into their drink. I’m like, ‘Well, wait a second, we can make this experience better for them.’”
He added, “The good news is now I think we’re right on trend, and we can do it I think arguably better than anybody else.”
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