“GHOST Energy has been an amazing success story out of the blocks this year,” Daniel Lourenco, Ghost’s CEO, told NutraIngredients-USA. “This year was supposed to be a crawl/walk year but we've found ourselves immediately at a light jog blowing our forecasts out of the water. GHOST Energy is a top performer in almost all of the accounts that we're in even outside of specialty sports nutrition including HEB, HyVee, QT, Circle K, GetGO and more.
“All of that said, I'm potentially even more excited by the opportunity to innovate within ready to drink protein,” added Lourenco. “This has been one of the most complex products I've ever worked on. RTD protein is a completely new format to my team and I, and the product type brings with it limited manufacturing partners and line time availability, long R&D lead times, and exhaustive flavor development with CHIPS AHOY!”
The on-the-go Ghost Protein Shake delivers 25 grams of protein per bottle (15 grams of which is an isolate and 10 grams of concentrate) and launches with two flavors: Cereal Milk and Chips Ahoy!
Transparency
Lourenco said while the energy drinks category is busy and crowded, he’s excited to enter the RTD protein because “there hasn't been a whole lot of excitement in RTD protein.
“The same product offerings have existed for years and in very straightforward basic flavors like Chocolate and Vanilla,” he said.
“GHOST is entering the RTD protein category first and foremost bringing the first transparently labelled RTD protein I've seen in the market,” said Lourenco. “Like our powders, customers know exactly how much of each protein source they're getting. We're also bringing the first ever authentic flavor to the category beginning with CHIPS AHOY! and backing those up with the fun, nostalgic flavors GHOST is known for such as Cereal Milk.”
Distribution
Lourenco noted that GHOST Protein RTDs are initially launching exclusively at GNC with a broader roll out to follow.
The protein shakes are not part of the JV that GHOST signed with Anheuser-Busch last year, he added.
