Distinctly marketed fitness or protein product lines aimed at exercise and sports enthusiasts are popular lines among food producers as well as high-protein content foodstuffs more broadly.

A 2002 EU regulation states that a food product can be labeled "high in protein" if and when proteins make up at least 20 percent of the product's energy content. The label "source of protein" may be used for foods where proteins provide less than that, but a minimum of 12 percent of the energy content.

There are nearly 900 high-protein products in Selver's product range alone, about 200 of which have been added over the past seven years, Kristjan Anderson, head of Selver's business accounting department, told ERR.

"The share of high-protein products in the shopping basket is close to 6 percent. Most of these products are found among meat ranges, cheeses, nuts, and health foods. The largest growth in product numbers has been seen in the meat and cheese categories. Turnover of high-protein products has risen by 35 percent compared with 2019, which is slightly rapider than the overall turnover growth of food products," Anderson said.

Sales of high-protein products have also multiplied at Coop, where among customers' favorites are to be found both specially labeled products and those which lack such labeling, Siiri Liiva, communications manager at Coop Eesti, noted.

"Sales of high-protein products at Coop stores have only increased over the past three-and-a-half years, yet quite significantly. For example, if we compare the first six months of this year with the same period last year, the growth has been threefold. If we compare this year to the first half of 2022, growth has been manifold. Naturally, it must be taken into account that awareness of these products may have been somewhat lower in 2022, which is why they were not labeled accordingly. Today, our sales statistics group various types of products under high-protein foods," Liiva said.

TAI: Most people do not need additional protein

Tagli Pitsi, a researcher with TAI, said there has been no direct research as to why high-protein products have become so popular, but it is well-known that many trainers and some nutrition advisors promote higher protein consumption.

"At the same time, we have to admit that among those who start seeking protein-rich products in stores or buy protein powders, are also those people who don't know that the Estonian word for protein is 'valk' and so have no idea how much protein we actually need — and that most people don't need any additional protein, beyond their regular diet. This gives manufacturers and sellers a great opportunity to market all kinds of protein-rich products to them," Pitsi went on.

"With nutrition, people tend to follow trends rather than evidence-based recommendations. Some time ago people dreaded fats and cholesterol; now they dread all carbohydrates, so proteins appear to be a good alternative to both. Unfortunately, it is often not grasped that all nutrients — both macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and water) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) — have a specific role in the body, and should be consumed adequately (not too much and not too little) and in a balanced manner," she noted.

Ordinary consumers have joined the 'fitness crowd'

According to Nele Jõemaa, marketing and product development director at dairy products firm Valio Eesti, protein items were originally mostly the preserve of sports enthusiasts, but nowadays high-protein products have become part of the daily menu for an increasing number of Estonians of all walks of life.

"As in many other fields, the food sector also has clearly distinguishable trends, one of the strongest currently being the growing popularity of protein products. Valio Eesti launched its first protein dairy product line almost 10 years ago, at a time when the protein trend had already emerged in Finland. Since then, sales growth has been multiple and continues to rise. At the same time, sales of other dairy products have not decreased, which means each product still has its consumer base," Jõemaa said.

The growth in high-protein dairy product sales is not limited to Estonia and is also reflected in exports. Dairy companies Tere and Farmi produce protein yogurts for the U.K. market, Skyr yogurt for the Danish market, and protein curd snacks for the Netherlands, Janne Laik-Lõhmus, Maag Food's product development and marketing director, noted.

"Due to favorable climatic conditions, Estonia has a high milk production from dairy cattle (our self-sufficiency in milk is high), so as dairy producers, we direct the excess production to export markets where local raw material is lacking. /.../ That's why we are constantly developing new products specifically for export — to ensure that high-quality Estonian products can be enjoyed in other countries too," Laik-Lõhmus said.

Meanwhile, Marie Ojamaa, marketing director at Atria Estonia, which includes the meat brands Maks & Moorits and Wöro, noted that the "high protein" tagline is not a general strategic direction for the entire portfolio, but rather an added value for the nutritionally aware consumer.

She said: "It should be observed that highlighting protein content has so far been more common with dairy industry products — such as yogurts, curds, and protein drinks, where adding or emphasizing protein is a conscious and widely marketed approach. With the meat industry, including our Maks & Moorits range, the situation is a bit different. Meat products — especially chicken — are inherently high in protein, so they don't always need special emphasis there. Consequently, in the meat industry, the impact of labeling has not been as strong and is not necessarily directly linked to increased demand."

"In our experience, a 'high protein' type of message works better with the more nutritionally aware target groups, who pay attention to nutritional values and make choices based on food information. Rather than a mass preference, it is a piece of specifically valued extra information that helps the consumer make a quicker suitable choice," Ojamaa continued.

Nõo lihatööstus meat producers' most popular "high protein" labeled products come from the Fitlap range, developed in collaboration with the Fitlap personal nutrition app specialists and part of its dietary program.

Nõo has also noticed a growing demand for high-protein products, and at the same time, the label has become the new norm, Silver Kruustük, Nõo's head of sales and marketing, noted.

"The trend began five to seven years ago when producers started placing more stress on marketing healthier products. /.../ Nowadays, all producers highlight protein content on their packaging," Kruustük said.

"The market for protein-rich products has reached a phase where it has become the new norm — similar to how 'green energy' was once a sales argument on packaging, then later became a standard," Kruustük added.

How much protein should you consume per day?

TAI researcher Tagli Pitsi said that the minimum daily protein requirement for adults is 0.83 grams per kilogram of body weight. Those who exercise intensely — as well as older adults — should get more than that, about 1.2 grams, she said. This translates to 50 or 70 grams of protein per day for someone weighing 60 kg; 60 or 85 grams for someone weighing 70 kg, and so on. Those wanting to make gains in terms of muscle don't have much to gain from overdoing it, she added.

"Protein-rich products are likely primarily purchased by people who want to build muscle mass. But it should be noted that protein is not stored in muscle limitlessly — a single meal's protein intake should be a maximum of 28–30 grams. If protein gets regularly consumed beyond needs, it will eventually lead to increased body fat. From a health perspective, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that, due to insufficient evidence, no exact upper limit can be set for protein intake in people with normal kidney function. However, regularly exceeding the recommended protein intake (over 20 percent of energy) may impose increased nitrogen stress on the kidneys, especially in older adults or individuals with reduced kidney function," Pitsi said.

People who follow a varied mixed diet certainly do not need to worry about gaining sufficient protein from food. Indeed, some plant-based foodstuffs provide as much or even more protein as a percentage than some animal-based products.

"For example, among animal-based foodstuffs, the highest protein content per 100 grams comes in cooked skinless poultry (about 24–34 grams), cheeses (about 20–40 grams), red meats and fish (about 20–30 grams), eggs (12.5 grams), and plain curds/cottage cheese (9–13 grams). Among plant-based foods, the highest protein content per 100 grams is found in seeds (14–36 grams), nuts (3–26 grams), and legumes (5–15 grams). With a varied diet, there is no need to consume additional high-protein products or protein powders," Pitsi concluded.

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