Canadians are paying more for their daily protein shake as whey prices soar amid trade war with US, but is there any relief in sight?

The surging demand, supply crunch and a new tariff on US imports have rapidly increased the prices of whey protein in Canada and consumers are feeling the heat. Canadians who are trying to hit their protein goal are feeling the brunt of it and the cost of a daily protein shake is becoming harder to ignore. Food economist Mike von Massow expects higher prices to remain for some time. "I think your protein drink is probably going to get more expensive and it's likely to stay more expensive for a while," he said.

For instance, Jennifer Mason has been adding whey protein powder to her diet for the past few years, but the skyrocketing prices are now making her re-think whether she should continue buying whey protein or not.

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"I'm just cutting back. I'm trying to find protein in whole foods that I'm eating rather than actually getting products," she was quoted as saying by CBC News. Not just Mason, consumers and food manufacturers are facing higher whey protein prices as global demand surges and supplies become tighter.

Not just Canada, the situation is similar in the United States of America too. Prices on some whey protein concentrates have shot up above average in the last couple of months, amid robust demand, and some suppliers are already sold out "for the remainder of the year," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ABC reported earlier this year. Over the last two years, however, the price of that same whey protein concentrate is up nearly 83%, according to Leonard Polzin, an agricultural economist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Why is whey protein getting so expensive in Canada?

Whey protein has become an essential ingredient in the already booming high-protein food market. Manufacturers are adding whey to snacks, drinks and other everyday products as people are looking for convenient and easy ways to increase their protein intake. Apart from this, fitness influencers are also promoting “protein-maxxing" and the rapid use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic has encouraged some people to consume more protein to help prevent muscle loss. Thus, the growing demand of whey protein is eating into the global supply of whey protein concentrate, particularly WPC80, one of the most widely used forms of whey. WPC80 prices rose 60 per cent in 2025. By June 2026, buyers were facing another 76 per cent increase.

Protein is suddenly everywhere

The protein trend has grown tremendously over the past few years. Walk through a Canadian grocery and you will realise it. To sell their products, food companies are also opting to add whey protein in products ranging from chips and Pop-Tarts to candy and drinks. Khloé Kardashian has launched protein popcorn, while Starbucks now offers protein cold foam.

John Murray, who manages marketing for protein snack manufacturer Daryl's Bars in Tecumseh, Ont., told CBC news that major companies placing large orders are making it harder for smaller businesses to secure supplies. Canada imports most of its whey protein concentrate from the US, where prices have more than doubled over the past year and a half. Moreover, the ongoing US-Canada trade war has made the situation for protein lovers even more difficult.

On September 8, Ottawa imposed a 50 per cent tariff on American whey imports in retaliation for a fresh round of US tariffs on Canadian goods. Canadian companies can apply for tariff relief, but they have to show that the products cannot reasonably be sourced from Canada or other countries.

For businesses such as Daryl's Bars, finding alternatives is not easy and it is affecting business. "Most of the company's whey protein comes from Wisconsin," Murray said, adding that there are few alternatives. "If we could source 100 per cent of everything that we needed from inside Canada, we would opt for that."

Why Canada cannot quickly make more whey

Canada's problem is not simply limited a lack of milk or cheese. Whey is a byproduct of cheesemaking and requires specialized processing before it can become the powdered ingredient used in protein products. Mike von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph, said increasing Canadian production would take time and money and is not a feasible solution.

"We can't produce milk just for the whey. That's not economic. Even though the price is up, the rest of the milk would be a byproduct," he said. Canadian businesses could turn to suppliers in New Zealand, but that would bring additional shipping costs.

Will Canadians pay more for protein?

Higher costs have already knocked the doors of food manufacturers, and consumers could eventually feel the impact across protein powders, drinks and snacks. Murray said his company has already had to raise prices, adding, "We absorbed as much as we could, but over the last year it's just been impossible. It's been outstripping our margins completely."

"I think your protein drink is probably going to get more expensive and it's likely to stay more expensive for a while," he said.

Some Canadians are cutting back on whey

For people who rely on protein powder every day, simply stopping is not always easy. Audrey Marcoux told CBC News she is still paying the higher price because protein supplements have become part of her workout routine. "Unfortunately, I'm still paying the more expensive price because it's part of my routine. I work out a lot," she said.

Nathan Bugiardini, however, says another price increase could change his mind. "It's a little upsetting, frankly. I usually buy in bulk which helps the price a little bit."

Others are switching to plant-based protein or whole foods. For 19-year-old Melania Antic, the rising cost is already affecting her motivation.

"It discourages me a lot, especially, like, to actually get motivation to go to the gym and take protein after."