Optimum Nutrition is entering the fiber-forward ready-to-drink segment with its new 30G Ultra-Filtered Milk Protein Shake + Fiber, a single-serve beverage that stacks 30 grams of high-quality protein alongside 8 grams of prebiotic fiber in one grab-and-go format. The product is rolling out now to Amazon and TikTok Shop, with select brick-and-mortar retail distribution planned through the fall — a channel window that includes convenience stores, where chilled RTD protein beverages remain a top-performing dispensed and packaged beverage category.
The Product
The shake is built on ultra-filtered milk, a process that concentrates protein while producing a smoother, creamier texture compared to standard milk-based formulas. The lineup launches in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry — flavors that track closely with top-selling SKUs in the c-store cooler. Each shake is gluten-free and contains no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners, a clean-label profile that resonates with the health-conscious consumer increasingly driving single-serve nutrition purchases at the forecourt and inside the store. Retail pricing is set at $12.99 for a 4-pack on Amazon and $39.99 for a 12-pack direct.
Why Fiber Now
Fiber is gaining shelf space as a functional credential alongside protein. According to Ipsos survey data cited by the brand, 31% of Americans say they are actively seeking products with more fiber compared to a year ago. Separately, International Food Information Council research indicates that nearly one-third of Americans fall below the FDA's 28-gram daily recommended fiber intake. For c-store operators, that gap is a selling point: a chilled RTD that addresses two nutritional shortfalls in a single SKU is the kind of functional story that justifies premium cooler real estate and supports higher ring at the register.
Dave Lombardi, Senior Brand Manager at Optimum Nutrition, framed the launch as a natural evolution of the brand's core positioning. "Protein will always be core to who we are as a brand, but we are committed to growing and evolving with our consumers as their needs and routines change too," Lombardi said. WNBA star Cameron Brink, an Optimum Nutrition partner, is featured in supporting marketing, adding athlete credibility that aligns with the energy-drink-and-protein shopper already well-represented in the c-store channel.
Channel Opportunity
For single-store operators and regional chains, the RTD protein set has been one of the most reliable growth drivers in the packaged beverage category over the past several years. Adding a fiber claim to a clean-label, athlete-endorsed protein shake gives buyers a genuine differentiation argument over commodity whey drinks. Optimum Nutrition, part of Glanbia Performance Nutrition and ranked by Euromonitor as the world's No. 1 sports nutrition brand by retail value share, carries enough brand equity to move product off a cold vault door with minimal in-store support. Retailers evaluating fall planogram resets should note that the three-flavor variety — Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry — matches the minimum assortment depth most chain buyers require for a new RTD entrant.
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.
