• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, May 13, 2025

As the wellness and protein boom reshapes grocery aisles, Oikos is stepping out of the dairy case and into glove compartments. With new shelf-stable protein-and-fiber shakes, the Danone-owned brand is chasing growth in the $7 billion ready-to-drink category, tapping into on-the-go lifestyles, center-store expansion, and the rising nutritional needs of GLP-1 users. CMO Linda Bethea tells Marketing Daily why the move marks a new chapter for the brand — and possibly the category.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: The protein craze has been building, and Danone has been expanding the Oikos protein-rich Greek yogurt offers for several years. Why is now the right timeto jump out of the dairy aisle?

Linda Bethea: We're always looking for innovative, new ways to bring health and wellness to more consumers, and we've seen huge growth in protein — 70% of Americans say they're interested in consuming more protein in their diets. We already have a great protein-packed yogurt portfolio, and our Oikos Pro line offers 20 grams of protein per serving. But we [saw] opportunity in ready-to-drink protein shakes and thought this was a fantastic opportunity to double down on protein and extend the Oikos brand. 

Our shake has 30 grams of protein, which delivers on that protein need consumers are seeking, but also five grams of prebiotic fiber, just one gram of sugar and no artificial sweeteners. This is an exciting, differentiated offering: protein, health and strength. And the fiber results in enhanced nutrient absorption, 

Marketing Daily: Americans have never been as enthusiastic about shelf-stable dairy products as people in other countries. Is that a challenge?

Bethea: There has been explosive growth here not just in protein overall, but also in ready-to-drink protein shakes. But there's still only 33% household penetration, so we view that as a significant runway in this space. Danone is known for delivering nutritious products in a delicious way, and Oikos is known for appealing taste and texture.

Marketing Daily: New products are always a risk. You’re diverting marketing money and energy away from the main portfolio. Is the hope that this will add to the Oikos brand halo? Are you concerned that the shakes might cause a disconnect? Or cannibalize your refrigerated yogurt drinks?

Bethea: Oikos is a strong brand. It’s associated with protein and strength, and we focused on expanding the portfolio to deliver against all consumer needs for protein, as well as various occasions and consumption moments. We've expanded beyond our yogurt cups to yogurt drinks, with 23 grams of protein.

Last year, we launched Remix, which is leaning more into the snacking occasion while still delivering the protein consumers are looking for. This felt like a natural extension of the brand into a space where consumers are seeking protein in a different way. Shakes are a much more convenient on-the-go offering now that we're out of the dairy aisle. You can bring it to the gym, hike, or keep it in the car.

Marketing Daily: What are the distribution challenges? You must have had to brand out beyond dairy buyers, and refrigerated trucks.

Bethea: We’ve got a robust supply chain we’ve tapped into. And what’s exciting is that this opens up new channels of distribution that were previously inaccessible due to refrigeration. We can now look at ecommerce and D2C, for example.

Marketing Daily: How are you marketing the shakes?

Bethea: With the message that our shakes can shake up our game. We want to lean on that equity of Oikos, with the offer of protein plus fiber plus no artificial sweeteners. People deserve more from their protein shake. The campaign is 360 degrees, including paid search, targeted display ads, connected TV, and many health and wellness influencers.

We also want to bring this to life through our ecomm channels, including Subscribe and Save digital coupons. We'll have in-store demos. Retail media networks are a big piece of the campaign, too.

Marketing Daily: How specifically are you referencing GLP-1 users?

Bethea: Protein shakes have always targeted gym users, but with GLP-1 users, the audience is so much larger. This appeals to a more mainstream audience beyond those core fitness enthusiasts, right? People are looking to incorporate more protein into their diet.

GLP-1 users need more protein to maintain muscle mass, and we think this will also play a role in that segment. I can’t say much now, but I can tease that we will have an Oikos-branded product specifically designed to support the nutrition needs of people on GLP-1 later this year.