Danone expands Silk protein line with yogurt and shakes in U.S.

Danone is pushing Silk deeper into the protein wars, widening the brand’s lineup beyond plant-based milk into yogurt and ready-to-drink shakes as it tries to make protein density the new baseline in alt-dairy. The move builds on Silk Protein, the refrigerated plant-based milk Danone launched earlier in 2026 with 13 grams of complete plant protein per serving and a claim of category-leading protein for refrigerated plant-based beverages.

That earlier milk rollout began nationally in January 2026 in 48-ounce multi-serve bottles, with Danone signaling that more product innovation would follow later in the year. The new Silk Protein Yogurt and Silk Protein Shakes make that promise look less like a one-off and more like a broader portfolio strategy, one aimed at keeping Silk in everyday routines where dairy still has the advantage: breakfast, snacking and post-workout recovery.

The product specs show how aggressively Danone is meeting the category on protein terms. Silk Protein Yogurt is arriving in 5.3-ounce cups in vanilla, strawberry, peach and mixed berry, along with a 24-ounce vanilla tub. Coverage of the launch said the yogurt is soy-based, with 12 grams of complete plant protein per cup and 13 grams per tub serving. Silk Protein Shakes are shelf-stable ready-to-drink beverages in vanilla and chocolate, with 30 grams of complete plant protein per serving. Together, the formats suggest Danone is trying to cover both refrigerated and shelf-stable occasions while speaking to shoppers who want the convenience of dairy-adjacent products without dairy itself.

That positioning matters because the plant-based aisle has been under pressure. IFIC’s 2025 consumer research found that a high-protein diet was the most common diet Americans followed in the past year, and that “good source of protein” was the top criterion consumers use to define a healthy food. At the same time, NielsenIQ pointed to weak protein profiles and ingredient overload as forces pushing shoppers away from plant-based milk, while Euromonitor said U.S. plant-based dairy sales declined in 2025 and expected soy drinks and plant-based yogurt to face volume declines. Danone’s answer is to make Silk feel less like a substitute and more like a mainstream protein brand.

Danone North America has said Silk is its No. 1 plant-based beverage brand, and the company has already linked Silk Protein to sports marketing through a Big Ten partnership and activations with Monique Billings. That gives the expansion a clearer strategy: use protein to broaden Silk’s role from dairy alternative to functional food, and compete directly with both dairy and rival plant-based brands on the metrics that now matter most.