Arla Foods Ingredients will present three new personalized clear shake solutions at SupplySide Global, running October 28–30 in Las Vegas — a demonstration that underscores the ingredient supplier's push into functional, transparent beverage formats that are gaining traction across foodservice and retail channels.
The Innovation
Clear shakes represent a departure from the traditionally opaque protein and meal-replacement drinks that have long dominated the functional beverage landscape. Designed to appeal to consumers who associate clarity with clean-label quality, these formulations allow brands to deliver multiple nutritional benefits — such as protein, hydration, or added vitamins — without the dairy-cloudy appearance conventional shake products carry. For beverage developers and foodservice operators exploring functional beverage industry trends, the category is attracting serious R&D investment.
What It Means for Operators
For foodservice and hospitality operators building out better-for-you menu programming, personalized nutrition in ready-to-drink or made-to-order shake formats is an increasingly viable differentiator. The "personalized" framing Arla Foods Ingredients is applying to these solutions points toward customizable nutrient profiles — an approach aligned with growing demand for individualized dietary options in gyms, hotel wellness outlets, and fast-casual concepts.
Arla Foods Ingredients has positioned itself as a key supplier of whey and milk-based ingredients to global food and beverage manufacturers. Its presence at SupplySide Global, one of the industry's leading ingredient and formulation trade events, reflects a broader trend of dairy-derived ingredient innovators targeting the performance and lifestyle beverage segment as a high-growth opportunity.
SupplySide Global draws thousands of formulators, brand developers, and procurement professionals annually, making it a critical venue for ingredient suppliers to signal where category innovation is heading. Operators and brand developers tracking restaurant and beverage product development will want to monitor which clear shake formats move from trade floor concept to commercial launch in the months following the show.
The broader clear beverage trend has been building momentum globally, with sports nutrition brands, food-tech startups, and established CPG companies all exploring ways to deliver protein and functional nutrition in lighter, more refreshing formats — particularly as consumer interest in hydration-forward products continues to rise.
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.
