High demand is driving up the price of a popular dairy byproduct and protein supplement.
Whey is a byproduct of the cheesemaking process, and whey protein is a popular ingredient in a variety of products promoting ‘fibre maxing’ and ‘protein maxing’ – including protein powders used by bodybuilders.
Marketing Director with Transparent Labs, Lauren Carnell says whey is used in a wide variety of products and addressing demand isn’t as simple as just “making more whey.”
(VOCM News)
She says because of how it’s made, “expanding production capacity takes significant investment, it can take several years. So, even though the demand for protein is growing, the industry unfortunately just can’t flip a switch and produce more whey overnight.”
Her company, she says, is looking at long-term planning and sourcing ingredients. She says many people are now turning to plant or soy-based proteins.
Carnell emphasizes whey remains a core product for Transparent Labs and they are not trying to move away from that. That means they have to find “ways to manage these supply management challenges.”
