NotCo, the fastest growing plant-based food technology company in Latin America and known for NotMilk and NotBurger, continues to expand its portfolio by entering the growing market for protein foods and drinks for athletes.
Less than a year after launching its Knot Snack Protein Bar, a fortified cereal bar containing caffeine and the sugar substitute palatinose, the company is following up with the announcement of Knot Shake Protein, a line of protein-enhanced sports drinks.
The new range includes limited edition flavours such as Banana Pancake with Cinnamon and Strawberry with Dates, as well as standard flavours such as Chocolate, Coffee Caramel and Vanilla with Coconut. All flavours contain 16g protein, 3.5g carbohydrates, Vitamins D and B12 per bar, no added sugar and are also lactose, cholesterol and gluten free.
In 2023, the Chilean food tech company launched its high-protein Knotty Milk in chocolate and pea butter flavors, which contain ingredients such as soy and pea protein, pineapple juice concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and cabbage juice. The newly launched beverage line is the latest creation of the company’s AI, Giuseppe.
Change your perspective
NotCo entered the sports nutrition market to offer vitamin and mineral-rich products in line with the wider health and wellness trend.
“This is our first time entering a category that is explicitly not animal-based. We entered this new category because we saw an area we could improve on, and it changed the way we think about NotCo as a company,” Matthias Mutchnick, CEO and co-founder of NotCo, said when announcing the protein bar.
According to the Latin American Alliance for Responsible Nutrition (Alanur), a trade group that brings together food supplement companies, the protein food and supplement market is highly lucrative, generating more than $4.5 billion in annual revenue and attracting established global companies as well as new entrants.
Meanwhile, La Tercera reported that half of Chilean households consume sports nutrition supplements, indicating strong demand for products such as protein shakes, bars, capsules, isotonic drinks and energy drinks.
A not-so-sweet launch
As far as we know, the new “Not Shake Protein” range has only been launched in Brazil so far, where the company has unveiled new packaging for the products that is said to be recyclable.
As part of its efforts to expand sustainability in packaging, NotCo, a B-Corp company, has partnered with Swiss company SIG, a leading provider of packaging solutions for a more sustainable world, to launch Notco’s NotMilk High Protein product in aseptic carton packs.
“Currently, most protein shakes feel ‘heavy’ and very sweet. We wanted to go against this reality and launch a lighter, less sweet shake that satisfies both the general taste buds and more mature, demanding palates. And to achieve our goal of improving the consumer experience, our on-the-go model in this category also prioritizes maximizing protein intake and minimizing carbohydrate content,” André Weinmann, president of NotCo Brazil, told Propmark.
