Chicago-based Protein2o has appointed Mark Rappaport as Chief Executive Officer and board member, simultaneously closing a new growth investment aimed at broadening the brand's retail footprint and accelerating product innovation across the clear protein segment.
Rappaport spent the most recent chapter of his career as Global Chief Commercial Officer at Congo Brands, where he helped scale a portfolio that includes Alani Nu into a fast-growing multichannel business. Before that, he held senior commercial roles at Red Bull, overseeing the U.S. business and distribution organization during a high-growth period. That distribution-heavy résumé is significant for a beverage brand looking to push deeper into convenience, grocery, and club channels.
The Opportunity in Clear Protein
The clear protein category sits at a useful intersection for c-store buyers: it checks the functional-beverage box without the opaque, shake-style format that can turn off younger, lighter shoppers. Traditional ready-to-drink protein shakes still dominate convenience cooler sets, but clear, water-based protein drinks have been gaining shelf space as consumers prioritize hydration alongside protein intake. For operators watching dispensed beverage and packaged functional drink sales, the clear format broadens the potential consumer — and the daypart — compared with conventional milk-protein products.
"Clear protein has immense potential," Rappaport said. "Consumers are beginning to realize that getting more protein doesn't have to mean something heavy, milky or filling. It can be refreshing, flavorful and something you genuinely enjoy." He added that the goal is to accelerate retail partner growth while building a more distinctive brand consumers actively seek out.
Investment and Retail Roadmap
The new capital will be deployed across brand building, retail development, organizational capabilities, and an expanded innovation pipeline — language that signals new SKUs and formats are in development, though the company has not disclosed specific product details or investment size. For c-store buyers, that pipeline language is worth watching: new flavors, pack sizes, or occasion-specific formats (think single-serve convenience versus multipack club) could be part of Protein2o's next range review pitch.
Chris Running, Chairman of the Board, framed Rappaport's hire around both operating scale and customer relationships — a combination that matters when a brand is trying to earn incremental shelf feet across regional and national convenience chains. "He has a proven track record of building brands, developing high-performing teams and delivering exceptional results," Running said.
Protein2o products are currently available through major retailers and e-commerce platforms nationally. Broadening that base — particularly in the convenience channel, where functional beverages continue to outpace center-store categories — appears to be a central plank of the new strategy. Operators tracking the better-for-you cooler trend will want to flag the brand for next planogram review cycles as investment-backed momentum builds.
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.
