Alpro and Starbucks Germany add protein soy drinks to permanent menu

Starbucks Germany put plant protein on its permanent menu with Alpro Plant Protein Soy Drink, a move that makes the chain’s protein push feel less like a stunt and more like a new default. Danone said in Frankfurt am Main on May 6 that the partnership took effect immediately, with two drinks at the center of the rollout: the Protein Vanilla Plant-Based Latte and the Protein Matcha Plant-Based Latte. The soy drink carries 5 grams of plant-based protein per 100 millilitres, and Starbucks Germany now lets customers swap it into other beverages as a customization option.

The drinks are available hot and cold, and Starbucks Germany’s menu pages now list Protein Sugar Free Vanilla Latte and Protein Matcha Latte, along with iced versions. That matters because the company is framing the launch around the Proffee trend, the mashup of protein and coffee that turns a daily café stop into a functional nutrition occasion. On the German site, Starbucks describes the range as high in protein and low in sugar, while also pointing out that favorite drinks can be customized with the new Alpro soy protein drink.

The Germany rollout fits a broader Starbucks pattern that has been building for months. In September 2025, Starbucks said its coffeehouses in the United States and Canada would add protein lattes and Protein Cold Foam as part of a menu modernization strategy, with the new beverages capable of adding roughly 15 to 36 grams of protein per grande drink. Starbucks also said those drinks had been tested through its Starting 5 innovation program before the wider launch, a sign the company is treating protein as a serious menu lane rather than a one-off seasonal experiment.

For Alpro, the Starbucks deal extends a long-running playbook. The brand says it has pioneered plant-based products for more than 40 years and is available in more than 25 countries. Its plant protein range is aimed at active lifestyles, and soy brings nine essential amino acids, a useful selling point for consumers who want more than a dairy replacement. Christine Borghardt said coffee is increasingly becoming part of a more protein-focused lifestyle, and Lukas Porazil said Starbucks guests want drinks that combine great taste with added benefits.

The result is a cleaner path for plant protein in foodservice: not as an unusual request, but as part of the standard order flow. That is where the category starts to look mainstream.