Protein Is No Longer a Niche: Why Founders Table’s Bet on Protein Bar Signals the Next Phase of “Better-for-You” Food

 

The acquisition of Chicago-based Protein Bar & Kitchen by Founders Table—the parent company of Chopt Creative Salad Company and Dos Toros Taqueria—is not simply a portfolio expansion. It is a strategic acknowledgment that protein-forward, better-for-you food has moved from trend to structural demand in U.S. foodservice.

Protein has become the defining macronutrient of early 2026. In the first two weeks of the year alone, roughly 20 national chains—from Dunkin’ to Jack in the Box—introduced protein-enhanced menu items, underscoring how deeply this demand has penetrated both QSR and fast casual. When legacy indulgence brands begin reformulating menus around protein, the signal is unmistakable: consumer expectations have permanently shifted.

 

The Size of the “Better-for-You” Opportunity: Follow the Dollars

The “better-for-you” food ecosystem—encompassing high-protein, lower-sugar, functional, and clean-label offerings—now represents a $120+ billion annual U.S. food and beverage market, growing at 6–8% annually, outpacing conventional packaged and restaurant food growth. Within that:

·       High-protein food and beverages alone exceed $35 billion in annual U.S. sales

·       Protein shakes and RTD beverages are growing north of 10% year-over-year

·       More than 60% of Gen Z and Millennials actively seek protein-forward menu items at least weekly

·       Protein is now the #1 functional claim consumers associate with satiety, weight management, and energy—surpassing “low fat” and “low carb”

Founders Table CEO Nick Marsh’s focus on Protein Bar’s shake platform is particularly prescient. Shakes deliver:

·       Higher margins than bowls

·       Faster throughput

·       Daypart flexibility (breakfast, snack, post-workout)

·       Off-premise portability, critical as over 70% of restaurant occasions now involve takeout or delivery at least once per week

 

Three Documented Success Models in Protein-Forward Food

1.       Chopt Creative Salad Company
Chopt proved that customization + protein variety drives frequency. By offering multiple protein sources—animal, plant-based, and functional add-ins—Chopt generates higher average checks and repeat visits than legacy salad concepts.

2.       CorePower / Fairlife (RTD Protein)
In retail, CorePower demonstrated that protein is not just for athletes. By pairing clean taste with functional nutrition, the brand crossed into mainstream convenience, becoming a staple in c-stores, grocery, and foodservice grab-and-go.

3.       Sweetgreen’s Protein-Centric Menu Reset
Sweetgreen’s shift toward warm bowls and protein-forward builds stabilized traffic and increased dinner relevance—proving that protein drives occasion expansion, not just health halo.

Protein Bar & Kitchen fits squarely within this success blueprint—if executed correctly.

 

Three Real-World Failures That Offer Cautionary Lessons

1.       Pret A Manger’s Early U.S. Health Positioning
Pret leaned heavily into “natural” and “healthy” messaging without sufficiently localizing flavor, portion size, or protein density—resulting in underperformance outside urban cores.

2.       Protein-First Fast Casual Concepts with Narrow Menus
Several regional protein bowl chains failed by over-indexing on macros while under-delivering on craveability. Consumers want protein—but never at the expense of flavor.

3.       Plant-Only Protein Brands That Ignored Omnivores
Brands that positioned plant protein as a replacement rather than an option alienated flexitarian consumers. The fastest-growing segment today is protein variety, not exclusion.

 

Three Structural Difficulties Facing Protein Bar & the Category

1.       Protein Inflation and Supply Volatility
Whey, egg, and premium animal proteins remain cost-volatile. Margin management will require disciplined menu engineering and strategic sourcing.

2.       Menu Complexity vs. Speed
Protein customization increases perceived value but can slow throughput. Operational simplicity must be engineered without diluting choice.

3.       Differentiation in a Crowded Protein Landscape
With everyone selling “more protein,” brands must articulate why their protein matters—source, function, flavor, or format.

 

Why This Acquisition Matters

Founders Table now controls three complementary platforms:

·       Chopt: Customization and health credibility

·       Dos Toros: Flavor-forward protein indulgence

·       Protein Bar & Kitchen: Functional nutrition and beverage scalability

Together, they create a modular foodservice ecosystem aligned with how consumers actually eat in 2026: fragmented dayparts, blended health goals, and high expectations for both taste and function.

Protein is no longer a differentiator—it is a requirement. The winners will be those who make protein delicious, accessible, and operationally scalable.

 

Four Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       Protein Is the New Menu Anchor
Carbs and fats are modifiers; protein now defines the core of menu architecture.

2.       Shakes Are the Trojan Horse
Protein beverages quietly deliver frequency, margin, and brand entry across dayparts.

3.       Flavor Still Wins
Consumers will forgive indulgence—but never bland “healthy” food.

4.       Better-for-You Is Now Table Stakes
The next competitive edge is personalized nutrition at speed, not health claims alone.

The Founders Table acquisition is not about salads or shakes—it is about owning the future of how America eats, one protein-forward decision at a time.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Why Casey’s General Stores Continues to Win at the Intersection of Food, Convenience, and Value

For decades, convenience stores struggled to be taken seriously as food destinations. Casey’s General Stores has methodically dismantled that perception by leaning into what I call the grocerant sweet spot: fresh food credibility, craveable takeout, and disciplined mix-and-match bundling that consistently grows ticket size across dayparts according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Casey’s is no longer just selling food as an add-on to fuel—it is architecting a food-forward ecosystem where prepared meals, dispensed beverages, and grocery adjacencies reinforce one another with impressive financial results.

Prepared Foods: The Economic Engine of the Brand

Casey’s prepared food and dispensed beverage business continues to perform like a high-margin foodservice operator rather than a traditional c-store. Prepared food and dispensed beverage sales rose 4.8% year over year, and an even more telling 10.3% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 58.6%. That margin profile rivals—and in some cases exceeds—many QSR concepts.

Whole pizzas remain a cornerstone, but the growth story is broader. Whole pies and hot sandwiches performed well across all dayparts, reinforcing the importance of all-day food availability. Even more notable is breakfast, which performed exceptionally well, driven by innovation such as the Maple Waffle Breakfast Sandwich. This product underscores an important strategic shift: Casey’s culinary team is not merely refreshing legacy items—they are actively innovating with flavor-forward, comfort-driven offerings that resonate with time-starved consumers.

Fresh Food and Takeout: Expanding the Grocerant Halo

Casey’s success is rooted in its ability to blur the line between grocery and restaurant. Freshly prepared pizzas, hot sandwiches, and breakfast items anchor the takeout experience, while adjacent grocery items allow shoppers to build complete meal solutions.

Same-store grocery and general merchandise sales increased 2.7% year over year and 6.4% on a two-year stack basis, with an average margin of 36%, up approximately 40 basis points from the prior year. This improvement was driven by a favorable mix shift toward higher-margin items such as energy drinks and nicotine alternatives.

From a grocerant perspective, this matters because these items are not purchased in isolation. They are commonly bundled with food—pizza plus energy drink, breakfast sandwich plus coffee, hot sandwich plus snack—creating incremental ticket lift without requiring incremental labor.

Mix-and-Match Bundling: Where Ticket Size Is Won

Casey’s demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of bundled behavior. Customers don’t come in for “a pizza”; they come in for dinner. They don’t want “a breakfast sandwich”; they want breakfast solved.

By leveraging grocerant mainstay principles—mix-and-match bundling across prepared foods, beverages, and grocery adjacencies—Casey’s consistently increases basket size. The data supports this strategy: higher-margin grocery items complement prepared food purchases, while dispensed beverages deliver margin accretion with minimal friction.

This bundling capability is a competitive moat. It allows Casey’s to monetize traffic across multiple missions: fuel stop, meal occasion, and pantry replenishment—all within a single visit.

Fuel Still Matters—But Food Makes It Stick

Fuel remains an important traffic driver. Same-store gallons sold increased 0.8%, with a fuel margin of 41.60 cents per gallon, supported by strong premium and mid-grade demand, stable diesel sales, disciplined pricing, and solid fleet volume gains.

However, from a Grocerant Guru® perspective, fuel is increasingly the entry point, not the profit center. The real long-term value lies in converting fuel customers into repeat food customers—something Casey’s does better than most through consistent food quality and broad daypart relevance.

 

Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       Casey’s Is a Food Company That Happens to Sell Fuel
With prepared food margins approaching 60%, Casey’s economic model increasingly mirrors foodservice leaders rather than traditional convenience retailers.

2.       Breakfast Innovation Is the Next Growth Multiplier
Products like the Maple Waffle Breakfast Sandwich signal that Casey’s understands breakfast is no longer transactional—it must be indulgent, portable, and memorable.

3.       Bundling Is the Silent Profit Driver
Casey’s disciplined mix-and-match strategy across food, beverages, and grocery adjacencies quietly but consistently expands ticket size without adding operational complexity.

In an era where convenience alone is no longer enough, Casey’s General Stores proves that when fresh food, innovation, and bundling discipline align, the grocerant model delivers both customer loyalty and sustainable margin growth.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call    1-253-759-7869

2026 Guest the Forces Redefining Loyalty, Experience, and Foodservice

 

Convenience store retailers and restaurants alike are investing heavily in loyalty programs, upgrading technology stacks, and launching mobile ordering platforms. Yet a fundamental challenge remains: moving guests from a single transaction to a sustained brand relationship. In 2026, engagement—not access—will separate winning brands from interchangeable ones.

Paytronix, a recognized leader in guest engagement solutions, recently released its 2026 Trends Predictions Report, outlining ten forces expected to shape how restaurants and convenience retailers connect with guests in the year ahead. Collectively, these trends reflect a decisive shift away from price-driven interactions toward experience-driven loyalty.

A Grocerant Guru® Preview: Proven Success Behind the Trends

The relevance of Paytronix’s 2026 trends is already evident across foodservice and convenience retail, where early adopters are converting engagement strategies into measurable performance gains:

1. Mobile-First Loyalty Driving Frequency (Trend #3 & #9)
A national convenience retailer leveraging app-based loyalty, mobile ordering, and personalized offers increased visit frequency among Gen Z customers by double digits within 12 months. The key driver was not discounts, but gamified challenges tied to routine trips—coffee, fuel, and grab-and-go meals—delivered seamlessly across channels.

2. AI-Powered Personalization Increasing Basket Size (Trend #4)
A regional fast-casual brand implemented AI-driven offer targeting based on daypart, prior purchase behavior, and weather conditions. The result was a sustained increase in average check size, as guests perceived offers as relevant rather than promotional noise—validating Paytronix’s assertion that AI is becoming a core engagement engine, not a novelty.

3. Subscription Models Locking in Loyalty (Trend #8)
A convenience retailer subscription program offering unlimited beverages for a monthly fee drove incremental food attachment rates and materially reduced churn. Subscribers visited more frequently, spent more per visit, and demonstrated stronger brand affinity than non-subscribers—illustrating how subscriptions convert habitual behavior into predictable revenue.

These real-world examples underscore a central theme in Paytronix’s report: engagement strategies that reduce friction, personalize value, and reward consistency outperform traditional discount-led approaches.

The 2026 Guest Engagement Trends at a Glance

According to Paytronix, the following ten trends will define guest engagement in 2026:

1.       Health-conscious guests will continue prioritizing personalized, wellness-focused experiences.

2.       Value is increasingly measured by experience—not price—as price sensitivity drives fewer visits across demographics.

3.       Millennials and Gen Z demand mobile-first, gamified experiences, while older generations prioritize digital convenience.

4.       Artificial intelligence will drive deeper personalization and operational optimization.

5.       A robust cybersecurity posture is now the baseline requirement for guest trust.

6.       Cloud kitchens and hybrid models will continue reshaping foodservice economics.

7.       Cross-brand loyalty partnerships will unlock incremental engagement.

8.       Subscription models will expand, increasing both revenue stability and loyalty.

9.       Omnichannel experiences are no longer optional—brands without them will be invisible.

10.   Texture-focused dining will gain traction, elevating sensory engagement beyond flavor alone.

What This Means for Convenience Retailers and Restaurants

Despite significant investments in technology, many brands still struggle to differentiate themselves in the eyes of the guest. Mobile ordering, loyalty apps, and digital payments are now table stakes. The competitive advantage lies in how effectively these tools are orchestrated to create emotional connection, relevance, and trust—rather than simply enabling another transaction.

Paytronix’s 2026 outlook makes clear that loyalty is earned through consistency, personalization, and experiential value across every touchpoint.

 

Four Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1.       Loyalty Is Behavioral, Not Programmatic
Points and perks matter less than habit formation. Brands that integrate loyalty into daily routines—coffee, commute, meal shortcuts—win long-term relevance.

2.       Experience Inflation Is Real
As prices rise, guests expect more than food. Speed, personalization, sensory appeal, and digital ease now define perceived value.

3.       AI Is the New Store Manager
When deployed correctly, AI replaces guesswork with precision—optimizing offers, staffing, and assortment in real time.

4.       Convenience Retail Is Becoming a Lifestyle Platform
The future c-store is not a place to stop, but a brand guests choose repeatedly—because it understands them, remembers them, and rewards them.

Elevate Your Brand with Expert Insights

For corporate presentations, regional chain strategies, educational forums, or keynote speaking, Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, delivers actionable insights that fuel success.

With deep experience in restaurant operations, brand positioning, and strategic consulting, Steven provides valuable takeaways that inspire and drive results.

💡 Visit GrocerantGuru.com or FoodserviceSolutions.US
📞 Call 1-253-759-7869