Why is there a whey shortage summary
- Global whey protein demand is surging due to functional food trends
- Whey market projected to grow at 7.7 percent CAGR through 2033
- US supply is extremely tight with contracts sold well into 2026
- GLP-1 prescriptions drive whey demand as 12 percent of Americans use them
- Buyers shift to Europe but prices face strong upward pressure globally
Protein is one of the most popular food ingredients in the world. The boom seen this year is in part due to the popularity of functional foods, and next year, it is predicted to be the single biggest trend in food.
Whey protein is no exception. It is used in functional foods such as bars, snacks and drinks, as well as in supplements, as more and more consumers focus on building muscle and getting healthier.
Whey protein is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2025 to 2033, according to market research platform Grand View Research.
Nevertheless, despite the global dairy oversupply, whey shortages have started to be seen in some markets. What is causing these shortages? Well, it is connected to another trend: GLP-1s.
Why there’s a whey shortage
Strong demand for whey protein, alongside casein, is one of the main reasons that there is a shortage, according to Floor van der Horst, global marketing director for performance and active nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients.
“With demand rising, supply security has become a key concern across the industry, especially given the current scarcity of whey.”
The company recently acquired Wisconsin Whey Protein, a US whey producer, which, it says, will give it greater capacity to tap into the performance and active nutrition trends.
Ingredients company Prinova agrees. “Demand for whey protein has consistently grown over the last few years due to the protein fortification trend in most categories,” says Sebastian Rivas, sales manager for Prinova. Applications for whey are moving far beyond sports, he points out, with the ingredient even making its way into coffee shops – high protein lattes have been seen in giants such as Starbucks.
“At the same time production has not increased at the same pace, so we’ve reached a scenario where we have strong demand, limited availability and high prices.”
Whey shortage driven by GLP-1s
But why is this strain on the supply of whey making itself known now?
This scarcity is largely stemming from the US market, according to Jasper Endlich, dairy market analyst at commodity analytics company Vesper. US whey protein isolate and concentrate is “essentially unavailable”, as suppliers have sold well into 2026. Whey protein isolate prices have reached unprecedented heights.
This is in part due to GLP-1s. Whey is often prescribed alongside GLP-1s in the US. Since many US consumers – around 12% – are using GLP-1s, this means that whey protein demand is skyrocketing. Manufacturers are attempting to increase production, but they cannot keep up with demand.
Those who want whey protein now are looking to European markets. Buyers from China are shifting from the US to Europe, and even European buyers themselves are looking closer to home. This is, obviously, great for Europe. But it’s unclear if even the European market will be able to satisfy global demand. Prices of whey protein isolate in Europe are, like those in the US, experiencing upward pressure.
Augustus Bambridge-Sutton
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