Arla launches protein water in Denmark with 12g of whey protein per bottle

Arla has launched a whey-based protein water in Denmark, adding a clear, fruit-flavored drink to its protein portfolio as it tests demand for alternatives to conventional dairy shakes.

• Arla Protein Water launches in Denmark.
• Each 500ml bottle contains 12g protein, zero sugar and 50 calories.
• Initial distribution targets fitness centers and gas stations.

Arla Protein Water went on sale on November 1, with the company announcing the launch the following day. The still drink comes in Lemon Lime and Peach Raspberry flavors, contains milk-derived whey protein and includes magnesium as an added electrolyte.

“Protein is no longer a niche,” said Henrik Lilballe Hansen, Country Director at Arla Denmark. He said protein had become part of everyday purchasing decisions for many consumers, creating demand for additional formats.

The company described the drink as a complement to its existing protein range, intended for occasions such as after physical activity or while traveling. It said the product was not intended to replace ordinary drinking water.

Arla’s choice of launch channels gives the company an opportunity to assess consumer reactions before determining how the category develops. Gas stations and fitness centers were selected because of demand for convenient functional products in those locations.

“We start where the need for on-the-go products is greatest,” Hansen said.

Each 500ml bottle provides 12g of protein and 50 calories, with no sugar. Arla describes the drink as a lighter alternative to its milk-based protein shakes, with a clear appearance and a refreshing flavor profile.

That format retains the use of dairy protein while changing the drinking experience. The water base and fruit flavors offer a different option from creamy shakes, allowing Arla to extend its protein range into refreshment occasions.

Both flavors carry the same stated protein and calorie content. The company’s product information identifies magnesium as the electrolyte added to the formulation, alongside the whey protein.

The Danish launch follows strong growth in Arla’s existing protein business. In its first-half 2026 results, published in August, the cooperative reported growth of 34.4% for Arla Protein and 39.6% for Arla Skyr. Arla Foods Ingredients also reported revenue growth of 19.3%, supported by demand across its key segments.

Those results gave the new launch a commercial backdrop: Arla was adding a beverage format to an established brand already benefiting from demand for protein-rich products. The company’s announcement emphasized learning from the initial distribution rather than setting out a timetable for expansion into other countries.

The wider clear protein category has also attracted manufacturers combining sports nutrition brands with soft drink production and distribution expertise.

In July, Nichols and THG’s Myprotein announced Myprotein Clear Whey Protein Water for a September UK launch. Their 500ml ready-to-drink range contains 15g of clear whey protein and comes in Vimto and Raspberry Lemon flavors.

Under that agreement, Nichols manufactures and distributes the drinks through its UK network. The range was designed for convenience, wholesale and grocery channels, offering another example of whey protein appearing in a refreshment format.

For ingredient suppliers, these drinks require protein systems that deliver the intended nutrition without the texture consumers associate with a milkshake.

Arla Foods Ingredients separately markets PROWATER, an application concept using Lacprodan ISO.Water. The concept delivers 10g of protein in a 500ml serving and is designed to maintain water-like clarity and a neutral flavor.

The ingredient business says the concept can be processed on direct and indirect UHT lines, giving beverage manufacturers options for production. PROWATER is an unflavored development concept; the newly launched Arla Protein Water is a fruit-flavored consumer product with a different stated protein content.

Arla has not identified a specific branded protein ingredient used in the Danish product in its launch announcement.

For the consumer launch, the immediate focus remains the initial Danish channels. Arla said the rollout would allow it to build experience with the category and assess demand through consumer responses at gas stations, fitness centers and other participating outlets.

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