Forty years into its run as the world's top sports nutrition brand, Optimum Nutrition is stepping squarely into the non-alcoholic beverage space with ChampionSips™, a protein-fortified brew that carries 10g of protein, 90 calories, 11g of carbs, and 0g of fat per 16 fl. oz. can — specs that place it at an unlikely crossroads of the craft beer aisle and the supplement shelf.
The Product
ChampionSips is brewed in partnership with Wisconsin Brewing Company, a Verona, Wis.-based independent craft operation, and built on a malted barley and hops base that delivers citrus and hop notes with what the brand describes as a crisp, familiar finish. Protein comes from a pea-and-rice blend rather than dairy, broadening its appeal to consumers avoiding whey. The product contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. The limited-edition drop is available now in 4-packs of 16 fl. oz. cans for $14.99 exclusively at OptimumNutrition.com, with purchase restricted to consumers 21 and older. It is not available in Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, or South Carolina.
Why Operators Should Watch
For beverage buyers and foodservice operators already navigating the rapid expansion of non-alcoholic drink options, ChampionSips signals a meaningful convergence: the sports nutrition category is no longer confining itself to gyms and supplement aisles. The product targets what Optimum Nutrition frames as a consumer trade-off problem — active consumers skipping social occasions to protect their routines. A Morning Consult survey of 6,601 U.S. adults fielded in June 2025 found that 62% said they had wished they had gone out after choosing to stay in, a data point the brand cited as a direct catalyst for the concept.
Jeff Schoenfield, Director of Innovation at Glanbia, framed the launch as the result of ongoing consumer behavior tracking rather than a one-off stunt. "We're constantly looking at how consumers' needs and routines are evolving and where we can create something new," Schoenfield said. "ChampionSips reflects that mindset, opening up an entirely new occasion for Optimum Nutrition and challenging expectations of where the brand can show up."
Kevin Zerman, President of Wisconsin Brewing Company, acknowledged the unconventional nature of the collaboration. "The partnership may seem unconventional, but that's what made the challenge so interesting to us," Zerman said. "We were able to approach the brew differently while still delivering the crisp, refreshing taste and familiar drinking experience people expect from a cold one."
Market Context
ChampionSips arrives as the non-alcoholic beer and functional beverage segments both post sustained growth, with better-for-you positioning increasingly driving purchasing decisions across on-premise and retail channels. For bar and restaurant operators already stocking athletic brewing brands and NA craft options, a protein-fortified entry from the world's top sports nutrition company represents a new SKU category worth monitoring — particularly as restaurant beverage programs continue expanding to serve health-focused guests who want a social drinking format without the alcohol or the nutritional compromise. Whether Optimum Nutrition ultimately pursues retail or on-premise distribution beyond its direct-to-consumer debut will be the more consequential story for the foodservice and hospitality trades to watch. For now, ChampionSips functions as a market test: proof-of-concept for a protein-beer hybrid that, if it resonates, could draw broader industry interest from both supplement and beverage-forward restaurant concepts.
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.
