2026 Dairy outlook: The ‘protein craze’ makes waves in the dairy sector, by: Graeme Crosbie, Senior Economist
- ZISK
- Apr 1
- 1 min read
Whether it’s a general shift in consumer preferences, the surge in widespread adoption of GLP-1 drugs in North America, and/or the growing influence of social media personalities, there is little doubt that demand for protein and protein-added products is on the rise. In response, regional marketing boards in both western and eastern Canada are changing how producers will be paid for milk components in 2026. In this blog, we break down the why and the so-what behind the ‘protein craze’ and what it means for Canadian dairy producers.
Consumers are seeking high-protein dairy in pursuit of healthy diets
Less than a decade ago, the dairy sector was in a predicament. Consumers were demanding more products high in butterfat (e.g., cream, butter). On the surface this appeared a positive development; after all, how could more demand for your products be a bad thing? The problem, though, is that at a given point in time the components of milk are structurally fixed between butterfat, protein, and other solids (OS). So, to meet that additional demand for butterfat in the short-term, more milk needed to be produced; this, however, created a surplus of the other components – namely protein – that processors and consumers didn’t want at the time. Simply put, the sector was faced with a structural surplus of protein.
By Tanya Eadie
February 18, 2026
Comments