Solar Foods targets US$10 billion RTD market with low-sugar Solein protein drink

Solar Foods has unveiled a ready-to-drink protein concept using its Solein ingredient, aiming to demonstrate how the air-based protein can be used in low-sugar beverages as demand grows for healthier, animal-free options.

• Solar Foods introduced a Solein-based ready-to-drink protein concept with 12-21g of protein per 250ml serving and low natural sugar content.

• The company presented the concept as part of its strategy to help food manufacturers integrate Solein into consumer-facing products.

• Solar Foods stated the concept was developed to showcase Solein’s functionality in ready-to-drink formats and support customer product development efforts.

Solar Foods is stepping up its push into mainstream nutrition with a new ready-to-drink protein concept, showcasing how its Solein ingredient can be used in low-sugar beverages as demand grows for healthier, animal-free options.

The Finnish company’s Solein Protein Drink has been developed as a rich, creamy, 100% animal-free beverage with very low natural sugar content. It is designed to compete with traditional dairy-based whey drinks and plant-based alternatives in a category that is expanding rapidly as consumers turn to protein for everyday nutrition, not just sports performance.

The concept forms part of Solar Foods’ broader strategy of building prototype products to help food manufacturers adopt Solein more quickly. It follows earlier demonstrations including Solein Protein Bites and Solein Shake, which targeted protein bars and powdered drink mixes.

“With Solein, we are bringing a completely new harvest to humankind – High-quality nutrition without the use of land and animals. Even though Solein is extremely functional and easy to use, we want to help our customers integrate the new protein source into their product pipelines. We develop our own prototypes to give our customers a head start in their own product development work of creating final products for consumers,” said Godert Zijlstra, Chief Commercial & Product Officer at Solar Foods.

The company said the drink can be formulated to deliver between 12g and 21g of protein per 250ml serving, depending on requirements. Solein’s composition also allows for very low carbohydrate formulations, helping reduce sugar levels compared to many existing products on the market.

According to Solar Foods, Solein contains 80% protein, of which 43% is essential amino acids and 20% branched-chain amino acids. It also provides iron and vitamin B12, nutrients typically absent from plant-based proteins. The ingredient is gluten-free, non-GMO, cholesterol-free and soy-free, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary needs.

Taste and versatility are central to the company’s positioning. Solar Foods said Solein has a mild flavor that avoids unwanted off-notes, enabling use across a variety of formats. The protein drink concept can be produced in flavors ranging from chocolate, chocolate-raspberry and vanilla to fruit options such as mango.

The company is also targeting a category with significant commercial potential. “The US Health & Performance nutrition market alone is worth approximately USD 10bn, and ready-to-drink protein drinks (RTDs) are the fastest-growing protein product segment. Protein drinks are not just for boosting performance: they are becoming increasingly popular also as meal replacements or snacks throughout the day. Usually made with dairy-based milk protein or whey protein, there is a growing consumer demand for animal-free alternatives. Also, the demand for high-quality whey protein in this category is out-growing supply. Thanks to Solein’s mild taste and great functionality, it matches the freshness and usability of whey, also bringing the upsides of sustainability as well as price and quality stability, offering an excellent protein source for products in the Health & Performance Nutrition category,” Zijlstra said.

Beyond the beverage itself, the company is positioning Solein as a broader solution to supply and sustainability challenges in the global protein market. Solar Foods said the ingredient can be produced anywhere with minimal environmental impact, as its process does not rely on agricultural land or large-scale water use.

Because production is independent of farming cycles, the company argues Solein can provide a more stable and secure protein supply. It can be manufactured continuously using fermentation tanks, which supports consistent quality and reduces exposure to seasonal variability and price fluctuations.

The ingredient’s processing performance is also a focus, particularly for beverage applications. Solar Foods said Solein is well suited to ultra-high temperature processing, commonly used in shelf-stable drinks, without affecting taste or smell. This contrasts with some dairy-based proteins, where heat treatment can alter sensory properties.

The company added that it has continued refining Solein for liquid applications in response to customer feedback.

“We continuously develop Solein according to customers’ wishes. We have now refined Solein’s suitability for liquid applications and improved the powder’s solubility so that it gives end products a velvety smooth texture. This has led to smoother and faster dissolution to liquids and made the Solein powder easier to handle,” Zijlstra said.