Kate Farms’ range of medical nutrition products occupy a small but growing niche – organic, plant-based, GMO-free and clinically-developed alternative formulas.
Outside of medical nutrition, the company’s Everyday Nutrition Shakes are its leading consumer product. Sold DTC and available on subscription, these cater to the highly-discerning consumer that seeks convenience as well as medically-precise formulations.
Kate Farms’ ability to bring health science into everyday wellness products turned heads at Danone, which recently acquired the firm, adding it to a growing portfolio of specialized nutrition brands such as Nutricia.
Speaking at the time, former Danone CEO Americas Shane Grant described the deal as a partnership that ‘aligns perfectly with our science-based and patient-centered approach to specialized nutrition’. “Kate Farms’ innovative medical nutrition products expand our offerings, enhance our ability to provide better solutions for people with wide-ranging health needs, and support healthier lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kate Farms chairman and CEO Brett Matthews said joining Danone would enable Kate Farms to expand internationally.
The first product launched by the company since the acquisition – though formulated without Danone’s input – was the High Protein Nutrition Shake, a plant-based fare formulated with direct input from GLP-1 users and which packs fiber, vitamins and minerals in addition to protein.
Protein shakes: A billion-dollar category
Protein consumption is paramount to consumers on weight loss medications who seek satiety and muscle support; driving both sales and NPD across food and beverage.
In the US, the ambient high-protein shakes market is estimated at $7bn in value and Danone entered it this year with its consumer brand Oikos. But the company didn’t have a consumer-oriented plant-based offering in the US segment; something that Kate Farms’ new product addresses.
The company’s High Protein Nutrition Shake boasts 25g of plant protein, but also fiber, vitamins and minerals to address various health needs. Formulated with direct input from GLP-1 medication users, the product is designed with this growing consumer cohort in mind but is equally suitable for the wider health-conscious consumer base.
We speak to Kate Farms CMO Catherine Hayden to find out how the company brought its nutrition shake to market . . .
Spotting an opportunity for holistic, GLP-1 friendly nutrition shake
“We identified a gap in the broader ready-to-drink high protein nutrition shake market in the plant-based space with an eye towards clinically precise ingredient selection,” Hayden told us.
“We saw the opportunity to go beyond a total number of grams of protein to an offering that included 6g of fiber, 27 vitamins and minerals and 0g of sugar to support filling nutrient gaps that may be present as consumers are on their health journeys.” That way, the product provides both protein content but also delivers key nutrients, she explained.
And how did feedback from GLP-1 users inform the company’s product development process? “Nutritional challenges shared by GLP-1 users include a reduction in appetite, and low desire to eat,” Hayden told us. “Consumers also speak about changes in how food appeals or tastes.
“When we began work on a High Protein Nutrition Shake, it was natural to begin the process in understanding the needs of GLP-1 users as well as other consumers who are on a health journey that requires a higher protein and lower calorie nutrition shake than we currently offered.”
Catherine Hayden, CMO, Kate Farms
“One piece of feedback that came through clearly was that consumers know they need to include a high level of protein in their diets, but they are also very focused on ways to support their gut health. We designed our nutrition shake to help support consumers in balancing those two important dietary needs.
“We also integrated feedback around flavor and texture acceptability over the course of product development to create a product that people would enjoy drinking.”
Critical to the product’s USP is the clinically-precise ingredient selection: the inclusion of 25g of protein, 6g of fiber, 27 vitamins and minerals and 0g of sugar was made with purpose.
“We used these insights to clinically-develop an offering that provides plant protein in addition to fiber and vitamins and minerals, to help fill other nutritional gaps that may be present as appetite is low,” Hayden said. “We also tested these products with people who were currently taking GLP-1 medications, as well as those on health journeys without a GLP-1 medication to be sure that we were meeting the taste and texture expectations of these consumers.”
One product, many USPs
While the shake packs a nutritional punch, communicating these health benefits clearly to the consumer will be crucial for the product’s commercial success. Kate Farms has already made a name for itself among health professionals and the discerning health-conscious shopper, so these are the channels the company will target now, too.
“We’re taking a multi-channel approach that connects with both consumers and healthcare professionals,” Hayden told us. “Our campaign is anchored in the idea of ‘Protein with Purpose’ – the belief that protein should do more than just hit a number. For consumers, we’re leading with that purpose – not just product features, but why they matter.
“We’re highlighting how 0g of sugar, 160 calories, 27 vitamins and minerals, and 6g of fiber work together with 25g of plant-based protein to support meaningful health goals. It’s about helping people make informed choices aligned with their purpose.”
Catherine Hayden, CMO, Kate Farms
At the same time, we’re leveraging our long-standing credibility in clinical settings to bridge medical integrity with everyday wellness.
We’re showing up in both digital and professional channels – through educational content, conferences, and clinician outreach – to ensure our clinically-developed nutrition is understood, trusted, and accessible to those who need it most.”
How is the shake going to be distributed?
Kate Farms’ High Protein Nutrition Shake is now available in the US via Amazon and the company’s own website – but the firm sees potential to expand in retail at a later stage, we were told.
“We’re starting with Amazon and our own D2C site to reach highly engaged consumers already searching for trusted, high-protein options,” Hayden told us. “From there, we’re exploring select retail partnerships that align with our mission and values.
“We see this shake as having strong potential in retail and are planning for broader availability in late 2025 and 2026.”
