Optimum Nutrition launches Clear Whey in UK as clear protein booms

Optimum Nutrition launched Clear Whey Protein in the UK on June 9, 2026, adding a juice-style format to a clear-protein range that is now doing more than one job for the brand. Glanbia framed the move as an expansion of the Clear portfolio with “a refreshing new way to enjoy high-quality protein,” and backed the brand’s muscle with Circana (UK) Ltd value-sales data showing Optimum Nutrition as the UK’s No. 1 sports nutrition brand through January 3, 2026.

The product itself is pitched very differently from a heavy shake. Optimum Nutrition says Clear Protein is made with extra-filtered whey protein isolate, delivers 20 grams of protein per serving, is fat-free, zero sugar and 82 calories. The company positions it for before, during and post-workout use, but the format tells the real story: this is protein stripped of the milkshake cues that keep plenty of shoppers at arm’s length. The selling point is not just what it does, but how easily it fits into a day.

That is why the wider portfolio matters. On its UK site, Optimum Nutrition now groups Clear Whey Protein, Clear Whey Protein Isolate + Collagen, Clear Protein 100% Plant Protein Isolate and Protein Water together. The lineup stretches from whey to plant protein and from powder to ready-to-drink, which suggests the company sees clear protein as a platform rather than a single launch. Protein Water, in particular, pushes the category further into everyday hydration, while the collagen and plant options widen the net beyond traditional sports nutrition buyers.

Optimum Nutrition has been laying groundwork for that shift for some time. Earlier UK educational content described clear protein as a transparent, fruity alternative to milky protein shakes, and the latest launch makes that positioning commercial. It is a sign that protein is being sold less as hardcore recovery fuel and more as a light, drinkable lifestyle product that can move from the gym bag to the desk, the commute or the afternoon slump without changing the texture of the day.

The market backdrop supports the bet. Grand View Research estimates the UK clear whey protein market will reach US$82.1 million by 2033 and forecasts a 7.5% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033. That growth case lands at a time when Glanbia said Optimum Nutrition delivered 6.4% like-for-like revenue growth in fiscal 2025 and double-digit growth in the second half, even as record whey input costs squeezed margins. The company has also kept the brand visible with its “The Optimum Advantage” campaign, fronted by Lando Norris, Dan Sheehan and Marcus Smith, underscoring how central performance credentials remain as the category tilts toward lighter, more mainstream formats.