Dairy poised to meet protein demand

Corey Geiger, Abbi Prins and Billy Roberts CoBank
Feb 2, 2026
Feb 2, 2026

1 of 2

Consumer demand for foods with excellent-quality protein continues to surge. The demand has shifted buying patterns in dairy and beyond.

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Corey Geiger, Abbi Prins and Billy Roberts CoBank

Consumer focus on eating more protein has gained further traction, with 70 percent of Americans saying they want more protein in their diets. That’s an increase from 59 percent four years ago. Food and beverages with a high-protein claim on the label can command a price premium of as much as 12 percent.

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Corey Geiger and Billy Roberts are lead industry analysts and Abbi Prins is an industry analyst with the Knowledge Exchange Division of CoBank.

CoBank is a $158 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. It’s a member of the Farm Credit System. Visit www.cobank.com for more information.