Written by Tim Rigby
It had to happen eventually. Until the early 1990s, consumers of supplemental protein had no choice but to use high-powered blenders to assimilate chalky powder with milk, water or juice. If you didn’t happen to have a blender, you were often out of luck and forced to stir your powder for a few minutes until it became palatable. Finally, a small company based in the fitness-oriented, laid-back community of Carlsbad, California developed a protein powder that could actually be mixed almost instantly with a spoon. Hallelujah!
The product was Designer Protein, which became known for its distinctive green cylindrical can and it’s easy-to-blend powder which also happened to taste pretty good too. This was still before the days where whey protein became the most popular form of protein for its high biological value (BV). To those in the ‘90s looking to keep their protein consumption high in a more convenient way, Designer Protein was a godsend. Consumers for the first time ever were mixing shakes at the gym, since they didn’t need to tote a blender around. This led to a whole new paradigm and eventually was the precursor to intra-workout drinks.
Designer Protein had a brief run for a few years as the king of the protein powder market until other companies developed higher quality proteins and other blends with many more options for flavours.
Stay tuned next week when we discuss Champion Nutrition, and be sure to read our previous articles if you’ve missed out!