Nutrition company Kate Farms is bringing its protein shakes to thousands of mass retail shelves this summer, aiming to tap into the growing demand for supplement products from GLP-1 users and increasingly label-conscious customers.Last year, Kate Farms launched protein shakes as part of its quest to target a more general consumer audience beyond its core products meant for tube feeding and medically necessary supplements. The company specifically formulated the shakes while considering the needs of GLP-1 users with a reduced appetite: The dairy-free, sugar-free shakes have 25 grams of plant-based protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 27 other vitamins and minerals, with 160 calories.
This month, Kate Farms’ shakes are expanding from just under 1,000 Walmart stores to 3,879 Walmart locations. The company is also adding distribution in several thousand CVS locations, bringing its total retail store count to 6,800 locations by August. The rollout includes chocolate and strawberry shakes, as well as a new vanilla version.
But going into mass retail means more than just repackaging its existing products. Catherine Hayden, evp and chief marketing officer at Kate Farms, said the company specifically designed its shakes for a mass audience, whether that’s someone looking for more protein or easy-to-digest calories, or those on weight loss journeys. Some product marketing carries callouts like “Designed to support nutrition during GLP-1 use when your appetite may be reduced.”
