Rise Wellness, the USANA Health Sciences subsidiary behind the Protein Pop lineup, is adding a gut-health-focused SKU to its ready-to-drink protein portfolio. Protein Pop Balance, a lightly carbonated clear soda, delivers 15 grams of protein — 10 grams of clear whey protein isolate plus 5 grams of collagen — alongside 5 grams of fiber and added prebiotics. The product is live now at proteinpop.com and on Amazon, with distribution into Target and other major retailers scheduled for mid-September.
The launch comes in four flavors: Lime Slush, Tropical Pineapple, Watermelon Lime, and Fruit Punch. The beverage contains zero grams of sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no caffeine, and no gluten, sweetened instead with a stevia leaf extract blend (Reb A, Reb M).
The Portfolio Play
Protein Pop Balance slots into an expanding three-SKU architecture. The original Protein Pop delivers 22 grams of whey protein isolate in a non-carbonated clear format. Protein Pop Max — rebranded from Protein Pop Plus — provides 30 grams of protein and bovine collagen in a carbonated can. Balance positions itself as the lightest-protein, most gut-forward entry in the lineup, aimed at consumers seeking a between-meal or anytime refresher rather than a post-workout recovery drink.
That segmentation tracks with where the broader functional-beverage set is heading. Prebiotic sodas have been among the fastest-turning items in c-store cooler doors over the past 18 months, driven by brands that have demonstrated strong single-serve velocity in the grab-and-go channel. Adding a protein and fiber stack to that format gives the category a differentiation angle that pure soda-alternative brands have not yet widely addressed — a gap Protein Pop is explicitly targeting with the Balance line.
C-Store Channel Implications
For convenience operators, the mid-September Target rollout signals where the brand is placing its mainstream retail bet first, but the RTD protein and functional-soda segments are categories where c-store dispensed-beverage adjacency and single-serve cooler placement have driven meaningful trial. The clear-format, lightly carbonated profile puts Protein Pop Balance in direct competition with prebiotic sodas already earning facings in the better-for-you cooler section, while its protein and fiber content gives it a stronger nutritional story than most incumbents in that set.
"Protein Pop Balance is all about giving people a lighter way to stay on track," said Darin Perry, CEO of Rise Wellness. "Balance brings together prebiotics, protein, collagen, and fiber in one can that's easy for consumers to grab and go."
Rise Wellness is a wholly owned subsidiary of USANA Health Sciences (NYSE: USNA), which also holds a 78.8% controlling stake in Hiya Health Products and owns the Rise Bar brand. For c-store buyers evaluating the functional-beverage cooler reset cycle this fall, Protein Pop Balance represents another signal that the protein-plus-gut-health convergence is moving from specialty to mainstream retail velocity — and that operators without a clear prebiotic-protein option already on shelf may be leaving incremental ring on the table. Coverage of the broader functional beverage trend and better-for-you snack and drink innovation continues across C-Store News.
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.
