High-protein trend grows: From bagels to ice cream in NZ supermarkets

Popular brand Abe's Bagels has joined the protein party with its new 'The Protein' offering. Photo / Supplied

If it feels like protein is turning up in everything from cereal to cookies to ice cream, that’s because it is. Once the domain of gym enthusiasts and athletes, high-protein food is now being marketed to just about everyone – children, older adults, women going through title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/napier-courier/how-to-manage-your-menopause-symptoms-ahuriri-pharmacy-advice/VC45YLFELREUTCG72BZLV6PMD4/">menopause, and anyone with half an eye on their health.

More and more brands are jumping on the bandwagon. Abe’s Bagels recently launched the first high-protein bagel in Australasia – fortified with 12 grams of pea protein per serve – after research revealed that almost 30% of shoppers now consider protein content an important factor in their food choices.

Supermarkets are listening.

“Customers are becoming more and more health-conscious and recently, looking for products with higher protein content – from cookies, to powders, yoghurts, breakfast drinks and even water,” says a Woolworths NZ spokesperson.

A new brand, Grande, has just debuted in supermarkets with a range of high-protein ice creams. Local breakfast aisles now feature cereals boasting extra protein, while beauty supplements and protein-enhanced waters are tapping into a parallel demand for “functional foods” – products that promise to nourish from the inside out.

So what’s driving this surge? According to New Zealand registered nutritionist Nikki Hart, it’s partly a matter of shifting demographics.

“As we are an ageing population,” she says, “and protein is known to help build and repair muscles, support the immune system and play a role in hormones and enzyme production, I believe the buzz fits not only for traditional athletes but also for peri-menopausal women, the elderly, children and adolescents.”

It also helps that other macronutrients – particularly sugar and gluten – have been subject to backlash, leaving protein as a sort of nutritional safe haven. In a food culture that often reduces health to buzzwords, protein carries the allure of both functionality and virtue: good for satiety, good for muscle tone, and (in theory) good for weight management.

Hart notes that while an average adult only requires around 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to meet basic requirements, higher intakes – up to 2.4g/kg – may be useful for protecting muscle mass and managing fat levels.

“As our population has high levels of obesity,” she says, “it makes more sense to focus on eating higher levels of lean, natural sources of protein to assist with better weight management.”

Still, she’s wary of how that message is being packaged.

“We eat food, not nutrients,” she cautions. “What the general public doesn’t realise is that common foods – like bread – can contain meaningful amounts of protein. Two slices of bread can give you 10 grams.”

The push to turn every snack into a protein delivery system, she suggests, may be missing the point.

Indeed, not all protein is created equal. Hart explains that while plant-based protein powders are popular – and more sustainable – they tend to lack the naturally occurring leucine and other amino acids that make animal proteins, such as whey or casein, more biologically available.

“Although some products add back the missing leucine, it’s not part of the original ‘milk matrix’,” she says, “so the amino acid isn’t as well absorbed.”

Lorna Jane Clarkson's Omelette Three Ways from her recipe book 'Nourish: The Fit Woman's Cook Book'. Photo / Supplied.

Try: Omelette Three Ways recipe

That doesn’t mean people need to eat steak at every meal. Hart’s preference is for minimally processed sources: Greek yoghurt, milk, eggs, legumes, fish, nuts, lean meats, even cottage cheese – which she notes is seeing a resurgence due to its affordability and nutritional profile.

“Protein foods can be expensive,” she says. “And they don’t always fit sustainability models. That’s why choosing a variety of sources is important.”

So how do high-protein processed foods like cereals or ice creams stack up? Hart offers a gentle caution.

“Boosted foods may come with additional kilojoules compared to the original product,” she says. “Just because ice cream is boosted with protein doesn’t all of a sudden make it healthy.”

That’s unlikely to stop consumers seeking them out, especially when convenience and functionality are driving the trend. Abe’s Protein Bagel’s 12g of pea protein per serve – “the equivalent of two eggs or a full cup of cottage cheese,” according to the brand – has 30% fewer carbs and 17.6g of fibre. It’s pitched not just at athletes but at time-poor eaters who want to stay full longer.

“The demand for protein-packed foods is soaring, especially among gym goers and women,” says Catherine Parlane, head of marketing at Abe’s Bagels. “Studies show that starting the day with protein helps regulate appetite, support muscle health and even improve energy levels.”

That wide-reaching appeal may be why supermarkets are no longer treating protein as a niche fitness category. From protein popcorn (Khloé Kardashian just launched her own) to snackable balls and high-protein drinks, the macro is being woven into everything from wellness to weight loss, skin health to satiety.

But Hart’s parting advice is simple: focus on variety, not just volume. “Older adults need more protein in smaller portions due to reduced appetite. Vegetarians need to combine sources to get all essential amino acids. And for everyone, it’s important to look past the front-of-pack marketing and check the rest of the label – especially for added salt, sugar and fat.”

In short? Protein matters. But context matters more.

Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years. From managing your kitchen to cutting costs, she’s shared some helpful advice recently, including how to prep your barbecue for summer grilling, gourmet hacks for elevating budget ingredients and what toppings to choose for different crackers.