The Launch
MET-Rx, the 30-year-old high-performance nutrition brand owned by 1440 Foods, is entering the ready-to-drink protein beverage segment with a 14-ounce shake delivering 44 grams of protein per bottle — a spec that puts it at the high end of the crowded single-serve RTD market. The product launches in three flavors — Strawberry Shortcake, Vanilla Milkshake, and Chocolate Milkshake — at a suggested retail price of $3.47, currently available at Walmart, Walmart.com, and Amazon.
Each bottle also carries 6 grams of fiber, five key micronutrients, and up to 2,500 mg of electrolytes, positioning the shake as a dual-purpose recovery and hydration vehicle. That combination puts MET-Rx squarely in competition with established RTD players such as Premier Protein, Fairlife, and BODYARMOR Edge for cooler real estate — including the dispensed-beverage and grab-and-go sets increasingly prioritized by c-store operators.
Channel Opportunity
For convenience retailers, the $3.47 price point is notable. RTD protein shakes have emerged as a top-performing single-serve cooler SKU as time-pressed consumers treat them as functional meal replacements rather than supplements. 1440 Foods already distributes its Pure Protein and Body Fortress lines through convenience chains nationwide, giving MET-Rx a ready pathway into the channel. The company confirmed additional retail expansion is planned in the coming months, and the brand's existing relationships with Walmart, Target, Kroger, Meijer, Walgreens, and CVS suggest a broadened convenience footprint is a logical next step.
David Del Pozo, Chief Innovation Officer at 1440 Foods, framed the launch around accessibility: "Accessible nutrition matters more than ever, and this launch makes getting high-protein nutrition as effortless as grabbing a bottle." That positioning maps directly to the convenience channel's core value proposition — cold, grab-and-go, single-serve, and competitively priced against fast-food meal alternatives.
Marketing & Outlook
The launch extends MET-Rx's multi-year Level-Up campaign anchored by brand ambassador John Cena, whose crossover appeal — spanning action films, professional wrestling, and mainstream consumer audiences — broadens the product's reach beyond core gym-goers. New campaign content featuring Cena in an animated, video-game-inspired format is designed to push the brand into social and digital channels where younger convenience shoppers are reachable.
MET-Rx has signaled that additional innovation is coming, with more launches planned for 2027. For operators evaluating cooler resets, the 44g protein claim and electrolyte stack give the SKU a merchandising hook that differentiates it from lower-protein competitors — a useful shelf-tag story for grab-and-go foodservice and functional beverage sets that are driving inside-sales growth at major chains. Single-store operators should watch whether the expanded retail rollout includes direct-store delivery terms favorable to smaller accounts.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
