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Protein coffee? Brands cash in on functional beverage boom

Cnbc · · 1050 words · By Sawdah Bhaimiya
Health and Wellness Claims Corporate Strategy Market Growth and Consumer Trends
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What to know about Health and Wellness Claims

Beverage brands are cashing in on the growing demand for functional drinks among younger, health-conscious consumers by introducing increasingly innovative offerings, including protein-boosted coffees and CBD-infused sodas.

Claims checked 15
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Beverage brands are cashing in on the growing demand for functional drinks among younger, health-conscious consumers by introducing increasingly innovative offerings, including protein-boosted coffees and CBD-infused sodas.

Why it matters

The $160 billion global functional drinks market has become an increasingly lucrative category, encompassing multipurpose drinks that claim to promise taste and enjoyment alongside wellness benefits, as consumers look for convenient ways to meet their health…

Common ground

"Functional beverages are beverages that are going to provide an outcome," Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor of consumer goods and food services at consumer insights firm Circana, told CNBC.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/28/protein-coffee-cbd-soda-starbucks-functional-bev…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Glittering Generalities 70% confidence
Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5
info Single Source 4
verified Verified By Reference 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
check_circle Corroborated 1
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Claim 1: “TRIP, a U.K.-based wellness drinks startup founded in 2019, sells beverages containing adaptogens and botanicals with ingredients ranging from CBD to magnesium.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 2: “Pepsi acquired a prebiotic soda startup Poppi in a $2 billion deal.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for this claim.
info
Claim 3: “Circana's 2026 beverage evolution report showed that nearly 64% of consumers sometimes choose to have a drink as a snack, and this jumped to 70% for 25-to-34-year-olds”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is explicitly supported by one web search result ('From protein coffee to CBD soda...'), but other results for Circana do not mention these specific percentages, meaning it is not yet corroborated by a second independent source.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Circana, Inc., formerly known as Information Resources, Inc. and the NPD Group (previously National Purchase Diary Panel Inc. and NPD Research Inc.), is an American market research and technology comp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circana
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hoppers is a 2026 American animated science fiction comedy film directed by Daniel Chong from a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and a story by Chong and Andrews. Produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Wa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoppers_(film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Supergirl is a 2026 American superhero film based on the DC Comics superheroine Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, it is the second film in the DC Univer…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(2026_film)
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 4: “Around 75% of millennials and 80% of Gen Zers consume functional beverages ranging from energy drinks, probiotic drinks, and vitamin-enhanced drinks, according to EY's most recent consumer beverage survey of over 2,500 adults in the U.S. and Brazil.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web sources confirm the EY survey results: one explicitly stating 75% of millennials and 80% of Gen Z consume functional beverages, and another confirming 80% of Gen Z and 75% of millennials consume them at least every two weeks.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — JPMorgan Chase & Co. (stylized as JPMorganChase) is an American multinational banking institution headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. It is the largest bank in the United Stat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPMorgan_Chase
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — YouTubers are people mostly known for their work on the video sharing platform YouTube. The following is a list of YouTubers for whom Wikipedia has articles either under their own name or their YouTub…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_YouTubers
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The video game industry in the United States is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the country. The American video game industry is the largest video game industry in the world. Ac…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games_in_the_United_Stat…
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 5: “TRIP, which became TikTok Shop U.K's No.1 drink brand in January 2025”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 6: “Over half of respondents said they're willing to pay more for drinks that support their health and wellness goals, EY found.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided mentions a Nielsen survey about weight and an EY survey about sports content/AI, but nothing regarding EY finding that over half of respondents are willing to pay more for health and wellness drinks.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — EY-Parthenon (often shortened as EY-P or EYP) is Ernst & Young's global strategy consulting arm. The firm was established as The Parthenon Group LLC in 1991 by former Bain & Company directors William …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EY-Parthenon
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, previously known as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, is an annual award program sponsored by EY in recognition of entrepreneurship. Founded in 1986 in Milwau…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EY_Entrepreneur_of_the_Year_Aw…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — EY, previously known as Ernst & Young, is a multinational professional services network that provides assurance, tax, information technology services (including managed services in areas like Cybersec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_&_Young
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 7: “72% of Gen Z look to social media for food and drink-focused wellness trends, according to 2025 data shared with CNBC by food & beverages analytics firm Datassential.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 8: “Starbucks introduced protein coffees sold in its stores across the U.S., Canada, and Europe in the past year”
SINGLE SOURCE
One source confirms Starbucks added Protein Cold Foam and Protein Lattes in the US and Canada. However, there is no mention of Europe in the evidence provided, and only one source supports the core claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In late September, Starbucks stores in the United States and Canada added Protein Cold Foam alongside a new line of Protein Lattes made with Protein-boosted Milk. These new drinks deliver approximatel…
https://www.aol.com/articles/starbucks-launches-trendy-drink…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Explore our menu of handcrafted drinks, order ahead, sign up for Starbucks® Rewards, manage your gift card and more.
https://www.starbucks.ca/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Starbucks is also partnering with the Peanuts brand on a global merchandise collection and two limited-time themed beverages celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary. The Starbucks x Peanuts merch…
https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/starbucks-new-fall-ite…
help
Claim 9: “Starbucks' in-store protein coffee prices range from around $5.75 to $6.75, while its protein-boosted milk and protein cold foam can be added to any drink for an additional $1 and $2, respectively.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for this claim.
info
Claim 10: “Coca-Cola launched its prebiotic soda brand Simply Pop early last year in the U.S.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence discusses French 'anti-gift' laws (dispositif anti-cadeaux) and has nothing to do with Coca-Cola or prebiotic sodas.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 19, 2017 · Le décret n°2020-730 du 15 juin 2020 a introduit les articles R.1453-13 et suivants du CSP pour déterminer les modalités d’application du dispositif anti-cadeaux prévu par l’ordonnance …
https://www.ordre.pharmacien.fr/je-suis/pharmacien/pharmacie…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2023 · Le dispositif « anti-cadeaux », applicable depuis le 1 er octobre 2020 (Ordonnance n° 2017-49 du 19 janvier 2017 et décret n° 2020-730 du 15 juin 2020), est régi par les articles L. 145…
https://blog.avocats.deloitte.fr/loi-anti-cadeaux-rappel-des…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Apr 17, 2023 · A ce jour, ces derniers sont toujours les montants fixés par l’arrêté du 7 août 2020. Or, un constat général est fait sur le montant des seuils qui pourrait être à revoir au vu de la fo…
https://www.vigier-avocats.com/rapports-des-autorites-sur-le…
verified
Claim 11: “The $160 billion global functional drinks market has become an increasingly lucrative category”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of unrelated search results regarding S&P 500 stocks and Wikipedia entries for the word 'The'. No evidence regarding the functional drinks market value was found.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Falling Man is a photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew of an unidentified man falling from the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks in New York City, United …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falling_Man
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 12: “A single TRIP drink usually costs over £2.00 ($2.60) and is found in supermarkets across the U.K., as well as several U.S. retailers.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a TRIP advert for its Cucumber Mint, Mindful Blend Drink in 2025, ruling that it made misleading claims about the drink's health benefits.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 14: “an expansion of its ready-to-drink protein coffees in supermarkets launched in 2024.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of generic Starbucks menu and corporate links. There is no specific mention of a 2024 launch of ready-to-drink protein coffees in supermarkets.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Starbucks is a chain of coffee shops. Starbuck or Starbucks may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbuck
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowk…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starbucks
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tata Starbucks Private Limited is an Indian coffeehouse company, which owns and operates Starbucks outlets in India. It is a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks Corporatio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Starbucks
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 15: “French food and beverage corporation Danone recently acquiring the Steven Bartlett-backed protein drinks maker Huel as part of a reportedly $1.15 billion deal.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim is entirely unrelated, focusing on Microsoft's AI transformation. No mention of Danone or Huel is present.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · AI is reshaping work faster than any organization has fully mastered. Across industries, the conversation has shifted from what AI can do to how companies can use AI to create business va…
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2026/09/17/what-weve-learne…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sep 4, 2026 · Explore Microsoft’s AI and Copilot integrations and updates across Surface, Windows, Azure, and more for enhanced productivity.
https://msftnewsnow.com/ai-and-copilot/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sep 16, 2026 · Move from experimentation to impact with expert insights and guidance from a curated set of AI business resources, guides, and e-books. Get news, updates, and insights about Microsoft's…
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-cloud/blog/
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.