A Popular Protein Bar Company Is Selling... Raw Fish. Here's Why. David Protein is now selling frozen cod fillets. Is it a marketing ploy or the start of a new trend?
By Erin Davis Edited by Sherin Shibu
Key Takeaways
- Protein is suddenly a food marketing buzz term.
- Brands from Starbucks to Pepsi are adding protein to food and drink products.
- David Protein, a snack bar company, is now selling raw, frozen cod fillets.
Gen Z is obsessed with eating more protein (at least on TikTok), and now brands from Pepsi to Starbucks are adding it to foods and changing packaging to cash in on the trend. Some are even adding a whole new product.
David Protein, which sells a line of popular high-protein snack bars (and claims it has more protein per calorie than any bar on the market), now sells something with even more protein — cod.
Related: Starbucks Is Looking to Remove Seed Oils From Some of Its Food Products
After hearing feedback from customers who were trying to avoid processed foods, David Protein CEO and co-founder Peter Rahal told the Wall Street Journal that the company was looking to do "something bold that sparks the conversation" while finding a new product.
Rahal, who previously founded Rxbar, which sold to Kellogg for $600 million, said they found it with cod. The 6-ounce frozen fillets have 23 grams of protein.
David Protein's wild-caught Pacific cod is sourced from a sustainable fishing company, according to the company. It sells in a four-pack for $55 online and is marketed as having "slightly more protein per calorie than a David bar." The fillets need to be boiled before consuming.
Keagan Tigges, chief of staff at David, told National Fisherman that the price "reflects direct, traceable sourcing and peak freshness."
Related: Coca-Cola Is Releasing Coke Made with Cane Sugar. Here's When It's Expected in Stores.
"Most of our customers are in the continental U.S., where high-quality cod is harder to find and often more expensive and expensive to ship from Alaska," Tigges said. "This is a premium, ultra-lean protein source for people serious about building muscle and reducing fat."
How much protein you actually need depends on your weight and lifestyle factors, according to the Mayo Clinic.
On average, protein should account for 10% to 35% of your calories. If taking in 2,000 calories a day, it averages to around 200 to 700 calories from protein, or approximately 50 to 175 grams.
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