The USDA put proteins at the top of the new food pyramid, and snack brands are following suit.
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Three major brands are launching protein chips at the same time, signaling a category shift.
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The moves range from SimplyProtein to Quest to mainstream giant Doritos.
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Each launch reflects the same underlying consumer insight: Better For You snacks.
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For retailers, buyers, and operators, the protein chip shelf is about to get competitive.
Three launches this season make the trend impossible to ignore: a spicy newcomer from Simply Protein, two bold new flavors from Quest, and a first-ever protein chip from Doritos. Here’s what’s happening on shelf.
SimplyProtein: Jalapeño Ranch Tortilla Chips
SimplyProtein has added Jalapeño Ranch to its growing tortilla chip lineup, joining existing flavors Sea Salt and Hint of Lime. The brand has built its following on clean-label, protein-forward snacks, and this new flavor pushes into bolder, spicier territory without abandoning that identity. It’s a smart shelf play for a brand trying to grow beyond its core health-store audience.
Source: Snack & Bakery
Quest: Pizza and Mexican Street Corn
Quest is adding two new flavors to its protein chip lineup: Mexican Street Corn (Target exclusive, available now) and Pizza (rolling out nationwide at Walmart in February). Each delivers 19g of protein and 4g net carbs per serving. Quest has been in the protein chip game since 2014 and is leaning into its category authority hard, calling itself “the most recognized and recommended protein chip in the market.” The new flavors are bold, retail-exclusive plays designed to drive traffic at two of the country’s biggest chains.
Source: PR Newswire
Doritos: Protein Chips (Coming in 2026)
PepsiCo announced that Doritos Protein is coming to shelves later this year. Details are slim, but the move is part of a broader PepsiCo Foods initiative to remove artificial colors and flavors while boosting protein, fiber, and whole grains across its portfolio. When the world’s most recognizable chip brand decides protein is worth a product line, that’s a signal the category has officially crossed into the mainstream.
Source: Allrecipes, Bakery & Snacks, Associated Press
Proteins & The New Food Pyramid | Clean Food Forum, Feb 19
These launches are not happening in a vacuum. The USDA’s decision to elevate protein is reshaping product development, consumer messaging, and retail strategy across the industry. We’re digging into all of it at the next Clean Food Forum, our monthly executive roundtable, on February 19th. Join senior food industry leaders for a candid conversation on what the new food pyramid means for your brand.
