Young Consumers Use Whey Protein Without Knowing Its Dairy Origin

A survey by Embrapa Gado de Leite, released in 2025, examined 21 brands of protein dairy drinks sold in Brazil. The products provide between 10 and 25 grams of protein per serving. Household purchases in the category increased by 10.7% in units during 2024.

The dairy ingredients behind these products are also linked to changes in milk production. Mato Grosso produced an additional 432m litres of milk in 2024, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics’ Municipal Livestock Survey. That volume amounted to 1.2% of Brazil’s total production and placed the state 14th among the country’s milk-producing states.

Antônio Carlos Carvalho de Sousa, president of MT Leite, an association representing milk producers in Mato Grosso, said changing consumption habits showed that milk was continuing to follow market developments, including when it appeared in forms other than a traditional glass of milk.

For consumers combining gym training, study and work, milk is present in coffee, shakes and smoothies. It is also used to make cheese, protein yoghurts, ready-to-drink beverages and whey protein. The products are selected for convenience and their protein content.

Helton Palaoro, a personal trainer, said some of his young clients did not connect whey protein with milk. He said they often associated the product with muscle gain and athletic performance, and bought it because of its taste or the image of strength linked to it rather than because it is made from whey, the liquid remaining after milk is processed into cheese. Palaoro said that, when the dairy origin is explained, surprise is a common response.