Arla Foods Ingredients](https://www.arlafoodsingredients.com/) is bringing three new personalized clear shake concepts to SupplySide Global in Las Vegas (October 28–30), spotlighting the Denmark-based ingredient supplier's latest push into multi-benefit, transparent-format sports and functional nutrition.
Clear shake formats — beverages that deliver protein, vitamins, or other active ingredients in a water-clear, juice-like liquid rather than a traditional opaque shake — have emerged as one of the more disruptive formats in the better-for-you beverage segment. The category appeals to consumers seeking functional performance without the heavy, dairy-forward mouthfeel associated with conventional protein drinks, and has been gaining shelf space across the natural/specialty channel and mass channel alike.
Why the Format Matters
The personalized nutrition angle underscores a broader reformulation trend that CPG brands and contract manufacturers are navigating: shoppers increasingly expect products tailored to specific goals — weight management, muscle recovery, energy, or immune support — rather than one-size-fits-all positioning. Ingredient suppliers like Arla Foods Ingredients are responding by developing modular systems that allow brand owners to dial in benefit stacks without sacrificing clarity, taste, or clean-label credentials. For category managers evaluating protein and meal-replacement planograms, the clear shake format occupies a distinct adjacency between ready-to-drink sports nutrition and enhanced water, opening potential for new shelf sets or incremental TDP expansion.
Trade Show Stakes
SupplySide Global is a primary sourcing and formulation event for food and beverage manufacturers, making it a strategic venue for ingredient suppliers to seed new platforms ahead of the next buying cycle. Concepts debuted at the show frequently move into commercial development within 12–18 months, eventually appearing across grocery, club, and mass channels as branded or private-label SKUs. Arla Foods Ingredients' decision to lead with three distinct solutions — rather than a single hero concept — suggests the company is targeting a range of brand partner profiles, from mainstream sports nutrition players to emerging functional CPG startups.
The functional beverage space continues to attract significant investment from both national brands and own-brand programs. Retailers with active store-brand development pipelines, particularly in the natural and specialty channel, have been scouting differentiated protein and hydration formats to compete against established national brand velocity leaders. A clear shake with a credible multi-benefit profile could support incremental turns at shelf without requiring deep TPR support to drive trial.
For more on the evolving functional beverage and sports nutrition landscape, see Grocery CPG's coverage of sports nutrition and better-for-you beverages and ingredient innovation trends shaping private-label development. Coverage of SupplySide Global launches also appears across the Food & Beverage Magazine network.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
