Protein has moved beyond muscle recovery. Product launches with protein claims that offer various health support have grown from 2021 to 2025, according to Innova Market Insights database.
Within Asia, three areas stood out – protein claims associated with gut health grew from 13–23%; those related to immunity increased from 16–22%, and skin health claims grew from 12–18%.
For food businesses, the opportunity lies in understanding how these health priorities intersect with Asia’s established eating habits, preferred product formats and emerging protein sources.
Protein needs in Asia
In Asia, protein innovation has an opportunity to build on familiar eating habits rather than rely solely on conventional protein supplements. Eggs, dairy and meat remain leading protein sources, while bars, powders and shakes offer additional formats, according to Innova’s Felicia Kristianti.
i) Building on familiar foods
“For Asian consumers, getting protein still means ‘real food’,” said Innova’s Key Account Manager for APAC Felicia Kristianti.
The top three protein sources in Asia are eggs, dairy, and meat. Bars, powders, and shakes are a lot less common, she added.
However, protein is entering more product categories and formats as it evolves from a value-added ingredient to a sought-after component of everyday food and drink.
Innova’s analysis points to an evolution in protein positioning: from highlighting protein as a key ingredient in 2024 to emphasising protein quality in 2025, and increasingly linking it to overall health across food and drink formats in 2026.
“Consumers are actively adding more protein to their diets for both physical and mental health. It has also crossed over to nearly every top consumer trend,” she said.
ii) Popular formats for protein products
Snacks edged out dairy as the leading category for protein-claim launches in Asia between 2021 and 2025, accounting for 17% of launches tracked, compared with 16% for dairy. Baby and toddler food ranked third at 14%, followed by sports nutrition at 11% and cereals at 9%, according to Innova.
Protein features prominently in dairy, which has established links to gut health and satiety – a recent study suggested that soy protein can improve muscle health and modulate the gut microbiome in seniors. Innovations across the category – from startups like New Zealand’s Lullaa to established brands like Smöoy – have capitalised on the gut health and protein trends.
Plant-based products offer another route to familiar protein formats. Oatside has repositioned soymilk for contemporary beverage consumers, while Zenko’s snacks draw on naturally protein-rich foods in convenient snacking formats.
Beyond food formats, another interesting development in the region is the increasing acceptance of new proteins.
iii) Innovating with new protein sources
Whey remains a leading protein ingredient, according to Kristianti, but brands are exploring other sources and applications. Collagen, for instance, is appearing in beauty-from-within formats such as Vicky en France’s eggshell membrane collagen jelly and Mashiro’s nighttime collagen drink, which target skin health and other wellness needs.
Meanwhile, India’s Poshan has developed a dark chocolate crunchy nut bar providing 12.5g of yeast protein per serving, demonstrating how alternative protein ingredients can be incorporated into familiar snack formats.
Blended protein and fungi-based sources are another area to watch. Combining animal and plant proteins, or incorporating fungi-based ingredients, could give manufacturers additional ways to formulate products around nutritional requirements, taste, texture and cost. The commercial opportunity will depend on how well these formulations perform in finished products and whether consumers accept the resulting ingredients and formats.
New protein sources offer potential for growth as 35% of consumers in Asia are open to fungi-based protein, compared to 30% of global consumers.
Businesses can also focus on plant-based protein like soy, and leaf-powered protein.
Familiar plant-based ingredients also offer opportunities for protein innovation. Soy, nuts, seeds, whole grains, tofu and tempeh are already part of many Asian diets, giving manufacturers established ingredients to work with rather than relying solely on unfamiliar alternatives.
Kristianti said perceived digestibility was the leading reason consumers chose plant protein, followed by perceived health benefits and naturalness.
These developments reflect findings from Innova Trends Survey 2026, which found that protein is top of mind for 90% consumers and 62% actively include protein in their diet.
Why do people seek protein?
Innova’s survey suggests that Asian consumers increasingly associate protein with benefits beyond muscle health. Respondents cited energy levels, memory, focus and clear thinking among the reasons for increasing their protein intake.
The survey also points to opportunities across the day: 62% of respondents said they consumed protein at breakfast, 59% at lunch and 36% at dinner. Protein consumption also extends to snacking and morning drinks, while 15% reported consuming protein before a workout, according to Innova.
Consumers indicated that they increased protein intake for immunity, weight management, sleep quality, gut health, and sports recovery.
“Protein for muscle and bone strength are also gaining traction. And the next growth opportunity lies in weight management – between 2021 to 2025, there was a 22% growth in weight management claims in protein products,” said Kristianti.
Products in the region illustrate how brands are applying protein to different occasions and needs. Taiwan’s Spark Protein Crunch combines 11.9g of protein per serving with weight-management and muscle-strength claims, while South Korea’s Shake Baby combines grain flakes, protein crisps and freeze-dried fruit in a convenient format. In the Philippines, Optimum Nutrition offers a sugar-free chocolate shake containing 25g of protein per serving, targeting consumers seeking a concentrated protein source in beverage form.
For food businesses, the opportunity is not limited to products with the highest protein content. Familiar foods and convenient formats could help brands bring protein into more eating occasions, while combinations with benefits such as satiety, gut health or skin health offer ways to differentiate products.
The challenge will be to make these combinations relevant to consumers’ needs without relying on protein claims alone. As protein moves into more categories, brands will need to consider not only how much protein a product provides, but also the role it plays in consumers’ diets and whether its wider health positioning is credible.
“The biggest opportunities lie in cross-category innovation. Brands that combine protein with benefits like weight management, gut health, and plant-based indulgence – and integrate it across beverages, indulgence, and every day foods – will be best positioned to capture future growth in Asia,” Kristianti said.