In the last few years, a new player in the dairy products market is striking a responsive chord with consumers: protein milk.

Protein milk is a value-added product that is meeting a generational need, as it’s estimated that 55% of Canadian millennials believe protein intake is important and one of every two adults wants to increase the presence of proteins in their diet. Moreover, this type of product reaches the consumer who had left the milk category for plant-based products with the idea of turning toward protein-enriched products.

Agropur launched into the protein-enriched milk line in January 2020 with the Natrel Plus brand, which has quickly become the category leader in Québec and ranked second in Canada because of its fresh taste, numerous benefits, and the reputation of the Natrel brand.

Natrel products contain 18 grams of protein per 250 ml portion, which is twice as much as milk and 18 times more than almond milk drink. It’s made of 100% Canadian milk and is lactose-free to reach all consumers, along with being an important source of essential nutrients.

Above all, it is as healthy as regular milk. In the context of inflation and considering protein milk’s very high nutritional quality, protein-enriched milks are becoming a more affordable alternative to obtain the recommended daily amounts of protein.

A New Variety for 2023

The Cooperative recently launched a new variety, Natrel Plus Vanilla, bringing the number of Natrel Plus products available to consumers to four, including chocolate, 2% and 3.25%.

The new rollout was supported by a marketing campaign which was highly successful in the stores and on all platforms. Recipes for smoothies, crêpes and desserts were posted on the Natrel website.  Many marketing strategies were deployed to contribute to gaining exposure for the product with the key millennials’ clientele and a contest was organized at many retailers to highlight the launch and boost sales.

A Growth that will Continue

According to Agropur’s specialists, the major growth of this product sector will continue in the coming years, as will the increase in demand.

As of May 20, 2023, the entire market was up by 68% in terms of sales. For Agropur, the growth is 104%, which is higher than that of the market.

The growth of milk products will continue by focusing on the innovation of value-added products. The Natrel Plus line will undoubtedly evolve over the coming months to meet the changing needs of consumers and it will continue to be a standout with them.

Natrel Plus is available throughout Canada in a grocery store near you, except for Newfoundland and Labrador.