The Protein Soda Pitch
Jeff Church is betting that protein soda will reshape the beverage market much as energy drinks did to traditional soda over the past two decades. His new brand Proda, which launched at Sprouts Farmers Market and online via Amazon earlier this year, enters a category that has begun gathering momentum with competing entrants including SkyPop, Koia, and Clear Protein Soda from Clean Simple Eats.
Church's thesis rests on a straightforward consumer overlap. He notes that 60% of adult consumers take a protein enhancement or supplement and 50% of adults drink soda. This creates what he calls "an intersection of two behemoth segments" where protein soda combines the flavor and fun of soda with functional protein delivery.
His track record gives the bet credibility. Church spent over a decade building Suja Juice into a $100m+ brand over its first six years, with the company valued at $300m when it sold a 50% stake to Coca-Cola and other investors in 2015. He exited the brand in 2020.
Solving the Protein Problem
Protein's entry into soda required solving a technical hurdle that had stymied earlier efforts. Most proteins break, cloud, or create off-notes in carbonated beverages, saddling the drink with the chalky, powdery, and bitter flavors that protein powders are known for. In the soda category, where flavor and refreshment drive purchase, this is a major liability.
Church and co-founder Matthew Postlethwaite spent more than 18 months and 1,000 hours of R&D to develop Proda's formula. Their answer was clear whey protein isolate, which allows the drink to remain transparent and crisp rather than thick and milky. Each 12oz can delivers 10g of protein, 3g of fiber, no added sugar, and around 45 calories, with no lactose, gluten, or caffeine.
Standing Out in a Crowded Field
Church identifies four competitive levers for survival in the protein soda space. Taste ranks first, with 93% of consumers buying beverages based on flavor. The second is functionality that delivers: he emphasizes "meaningful, complete protein, with all nine essential amino acids, not just three, like a collagen." Third is brand identity, or having "something that people actually want to be seen with and drink daily." Fourth is distribution and awareness building.
Proda's lineup includes seven flavors described as "nostalgic-meets-modern": Classic Orange, Shirley Temple, Cherry Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, Lemon Lime, Golden Apple, and Root Beer. The brand is leaning into the fitness channel for early awareness, targeting the assumption that consumers exposed to the brand at gyms will seek it out in retail.
A Measured Rollout
Church is approaching the category with discipline. He plans to establish strong velocity and consumer pull at Sprouts before scaling, while building direct-to-consumer sales and influencer support in parallel. The rollout aims to prove the category works within the natural foods segment before moving beyond it. His stated goal is to build "a brand with real staying power, not just short-term hype," a lesson he appears to have learned from decades in the beverage space.