Russian dairy shake sales rise 60% as protein drinks drive growth
Russian dairy shake sales reached 142.8 million kilograms in the first half of 2026, rising 60% year on year, according to NTech data cited by Izvestia. Market value increased 90% to 32.1 billion rubles, while protein drink volumes rose 415-fold to 21 million kilograms.
Sales reach 142.8 million kilograms
Sales of dairy shakes in Russia increased 1.6-fold year on year to 142.8 million kilograms in the first half of 2026, according to data from analytics company NTech reported by Izvestia. In value terms, the market expanded 90% to 32.1 billion rubles.
The difference between volume and value growth indicates that the average revenue generated per kilogram increased substantially. The available data do not separate the effects of higher prices, changes in pack sizes and a shift toward more expensive products, but the rapid expansion of protein beverages suggests that product mix played an important role.
Protein drinks accounted for 21 million kilograms of sales between January and June. Their volume was 415 times higher than in the corresponding period of 2025, making them one of the principal drivers of the broader dairy shake category. On the reported figures, protein drinks represented almost 15% of total dairy shake volume in the first half.
Retailers report broad-based momentum
Large Russian retailers also recorded strong growth, although their reporting periods and product definitions differ. X5 said dairy shake sales rose 35% over six months, while sales of dairy protein beverages increased by more than 1.5 times.
Magnit reported that sales of milk with added ingredients grew 148-fold over eight months. The share of protein shakes within its modern dairy products segment nearly tripled. These figures cannot be compared directly with NTech’s national data, but they show that the shift is visible across major retail channels and is not limited to a single supplier or product line.
Market participants attribute the rise to greater consumer interest in healthy eating. Buyers are increasingly considering protein content and other functional properties alongside taste and price when choosing drinks and desserts. Data from NAFI show that about 80% of Russians try to maintain a healthy diet, creating a broad potential audience for products positioned around nutrition and convenience.
Functional dairy gains commercial weight
The results indicate that functional claims are becoming a major point of differentiation in Russia’s dairy aisle. For processors, the 21-million-kilogram protein beverage market offers room for specialized formulations, new flavors and additional formats. Retailers, meanwhile, must decide how much shelf space to allocate to a fast-growing category whose value is advancing considerably faster than its physical volume.
The trend also reflects growth in the wider international market. Grand View Research valued the global market at $4.26 billion in 2025 and forecasts it to reach $9.16 billion by 2033. Russia’s current acceleration gives domestic dairy companies an opportunity to build scale and brand recognition, although the extraordinary year-on-year multiples partly reflect a low comparison base. Producers and investors will need to watch whether repeat purchases can sustain growth after the initial expansion of distribution and assortment.
