Naked Smoothies adds 20-gram plant protein to new functional blends

Naked Smoothies just pushed harder into a market that now wants more than fruit and sweetness from a bottle. The company unveiled Chocolate Banana Protein and Blueberry Cheesecake Protein with 20 grams of plant-based protein and 6 grams of fiber per bottle, a move that makes the drinks read less like refreshment and more like a meal-adjacent grab-and-go option.

That positioning matters because the brand built the new line around familiar cues, not gym-rat shorthand. Naked said both smoothies were made with real fruit and contain no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. Chocolate Banana Protein leans into a comfort profile, while Blueberry Cheesecake Protein goes straight at dessert, the kind of flavor strategy that can pull protein buyers beyond shakes and bars and into a cooler-door format they can treat like breakfast, a post-workout recovery drink or an afternoon snack.

Chris Tussing, chief marketing officer of Tropicana Brands Group, framed the launch as an extension of Naked’s longstanding fruit-and-vegetable-first identity. He said consumer interest in healthy ingredients is “exploding” and that Naked has been letting fruits and vegetables “speak for themselves” since 1983. That origin story is central to the brand’s pitch: Naked says it was born on the beaches of Santa Monica, California, and has been a leader in the bottled smoothie category for more than 40 years.

The protein push did not come out of nowhere. On November 3, 2025, Naked refreshed its lineup with Protein and Fiber smoothie lines, introducing products such as Protein Pineapple Orange, Strawberry Lemon Ginger Fiber and Tropical Greens Fiber. The company also rolled out a new label design inspired by California roots and the chalkboard menus of local smoothie shops, a visual cue meant to make the bottle feel more handcrafted even as the nutrition profile gets more functional.

Naked’s own product pages show how aggressively it is tuning the formula. Blueberry Cheesecake Protein is listed with 30% less sugar than the leading smoothie flavor, while Tropical Protein carries 40% less sugar, 20 grams of plant-powered protein, a good source of fiber, and vitamins B6 and B12. Coco Gauff, identified by Naked as its Chief Smoothie Officer, gives the line an athlete-backed lifestyle angle that fits the brand’s broader push.

Timed to National Smoothie Day on June 21, the launch shows where the category is heading: protein is no longer just for the shaker cup. Naked is betting that a smoothie can win on satiety, clean-label credentials and flavor first, then cash in on the protein claim.