PRODA launches Shirley Temple-inspired protein soda with 10 grams of protein

PRODA is betting that nostalgia can do what nutrition panels often cannot: make protein feel like a treat. On May 9, the brand put its Shirley Temple-inspired protein soda at the center of a strategy to move protein out of the supplement aisle and into everyday refreshment, using a familiar soda cue to soften a category that often reads as clinical.

The drink is positioned as the world’s first Shirley Temple protein soda and as the hero flavor in PRODA’s broader functional soda line. Each 12-ounce can delivers 10 grams of clear whey protein isolate, 3 grams of prebiotic fiber, zero sugar and 45 calories. PRODA also says the beverage is lactose-free, gluten-free and caffeine-free, a combination that broadens the use case beyond gym bags and into afternoon pick-me-ups, meal occasions and soda swaps.

That formula matters as much as the flavor story. Clear whey protein isolate is widely used in clear acidic protein beverages because it solubility holds up at low pH and it produces a lighter, more juice-like mouthfeel than the heavy texture that can turn shoppers away from traditional protein drinks. PRODA says that choice helps preserve real carbonation, which is central to the soda positioning and to the brand’s attempt to win consumers on texture and familiarity as much as on macros.

The launch followed PRODA’s national debut on April 1, 2026, through an exclusive partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market. The drinks carry a suggested retail price of $3.49 per can and are available through Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide, along with DrinkProda.com, Amazon and TikTok Shop. The initial lineup includes seven flavors: Classic Orange, Shirley Temple, Cherry Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, Lemon Lime, Golden Apple and Root Beer.

Jeff Church, who previously led Suja Juice, built the concept around a simple premise: consumers should not have to choose between the pleasure of soda and nutritional goals. Sprouts Farmers Market chief forager Kim Coffin said the chain sees PRODA as a brand that combines elevated nutrition, craveable flavor and everyday functionality, which frames the launch as more than a novelty in a crowded protein-drink field.

The Shirley Temple name carries its own baggage, and that is part of what makes the flavor choice notable. The traditional mocktail usually combines ginger ale and grenadine and is garnished with a maraschino cherry. Shirley Temple Black reportedly disliked commercial uses of her name and sued a California company in 1988 over a bottled Shirley Temple soda, winning the case. PRODA is stepping into that history while trying to recast it as modern functional refreshment, a sign that in protein beverages, cultural memory may be becoming as valuable as the nutrition facts panel.