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Heavyweight Product Development Match-Up: MRP or Protein Powder?

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Chris Lockwood, PhD, CSCS — 1 comment

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Meal Replacement Powder vs. Protein Powder: The ‘What’ and ‘Who’ Every Formulator Must Know

Looking to develop and market a meal replacement powder (MRP) or protein formula (Protein)? Like a Rocky Balboa fight scene, there have been times within the industry’s past where each has been victor apparent; one dominating while the other takes a beatdown.

Prospector® sports nutrition material searches

  • Meal replacement ingredients
  • Protein powders

The original MET-Rx®, and then EAS® MyoPlex® shakes, for example, revolutionized protein supplementation and the entire diet and sports nutrition categories; putting MRP packets into the everyday lexicon. Before their rise to fame, poor tasting and even worse mixing Protein powders were the norm; or, insulin-shocking maltodextrin bombs marketed as weight gainers. However, when ephedra went away and the industry transitioned consumers to everything low-carb, MRPs took it on the chin for several punishing rounds. Protein with minimal carbs ruled the ring.

What makes a meal replacement powder (MRP) different from a protein powder? Who is the target customer for each? Find these answers and more insight here.
Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo

Now it seems the segment is realizing another stage of its lifecycle whereby both can coexist successfully. However, if you don’t formulate correctly, you could find your product and brand hitting the mat harder than Apollo Creed after an Ivan Drago knock-out punch.

What makes an MRP different from a Protein?

Generally speaking, a product that’s sold as a Protein will provide little more than supplemental protein as the primary nutrient. The protein may be derived from just one or a blend of sources, but carbohydrates and fats are typically provided in low quantities; and sugar is especially avoided whenever possible. A Protein powder often won’t exceed 0.5 grams of total carbs for every 1.0 gram of protein.

An MRP, on the other hand, may be formulated with as high as 4-6 grams of total carbs for every one gram of protein, based upon the target consumer and recommended timing relative to exercise. Digestive enzymes or other ingredients may be included within a Protein product to address stomach discomfort or affect amino acid absorption; but otherwise, very few other active ingredients are added to most Protein powders.

An MRP, however, is intended to serve as a complete, nutrient-dense, high-protein snack. In addition to protein, it’s not uncommon to find an MRP formulated with a blend of “fast” and “slow” carbohydrates, functional fats, and an MRP almost always contains a blend of major vitamins and minerals (typically around a 20-50 percent RDA premix).

In addition to a higher carbohydrate-to-protein ratio (1:1 to 6:1 is the range), MRPs often include a variety of other supplemental ingredients too. Added polyphenols, specific flavonoids, fiber, pro- and prebiotics, and any number of category-specific functional ingredients are fair game for an MRP.

Cost per serving and packaging are also common points of differentiation between an MRP and Protein. Because an MRP is often used to replace a meal, it’s not uncommon for the end cost to a consumer to run $2.50-$5.00 per serving. For the same amount of supplemental protein, a Protein powder typically only costs the consumer about $0.75-$3.00 per serving.

And because of cost, as well as how MRPs versus Protein powders are typically used, the packaging for each is also different. Protein powders are most often sold in bulk powder form; an MRP is generally packaged in individual sachets and sold in boxes of between 10-20 packets per box. If your product is meant to be resold in a typical brick-and-mortar store, then those boxes should double as a display tray so that retailers can sell your MRP by the single packet or sample your product to customers.

Who’s your target consumer?

I don’t know who said it first, but ever since my brand management days, I’ve followed the marketing motto of, “If you try being everything to everyone, you’ll be nothing to no one.” Know, and remain focused on your target consumer. Begin believing everyone in the world is your core demographic, and you’re formulating to fail.

In sports nutrition, for example, physique, strength/power, aerobic, and cross-training athletes present remarkably different product demands. People who train to look better naked don’t train with enough duration to significantly deplete glycogen stores during exercise. For these folks – which is the majority of people who join a gym or exercise recreationally – a whey Protein powder with minimal carbs provides enough of a post-exercise insulin response to support their needs and move toward achieving their goals.

However, if that same person has a lot of excess bodyweight to lose and struggles with controlling their eating, then a nutrient-dense MRP that doesn’t exceed about a 2:1 ratio of total carbs-to-protein (e.g., no more than two grams of total carbohydrate for every one gram of protein) may be a more effective product to get such a consumer on the right path to achieving success. An advanced trainer or competitive athlete, however, may very well benefit by taking both an MRP and Protein; the time of day and specific training phase being what differentiates when and how one is consumed versus the other.

Additional resources:

  • Whey Protein: Formulating with Human Life’s Most Effective Protein
  • Whey Protein: Formulation Considerations, Part 2
  • Popular Pea Protein – A Versatile Plant-Based Ingredient
  • News Brief: Rice as a protein source

The views, opinions and technical analyses presented here are those of the author or advertiser, and are not necessarily those of ULProspector.com or UL. The appearance of this content in the UL Prospector Knowledge Center does not constitute an endorsement by UL or its affiliates.

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Filed Under: Food, Beverage & Nutrition Tagged With: protein, Category Overview

About Chris Lockwood, PhD, CSCS

Dr Lockwood is President of Lockwood, LLC, an innovations, research, and consulting firm within the dietary supplement, nutrition and fitness industries. In this role, Dr Lockwood has been a co-investigator on, and has raised over $1.03MM in cash donations toward protein and dietary supplement research, is the sole or lead inventor on five patents and pending applications, sole license owner of two breakthrough ingredient innovations currently in their respective final phases of development, has formulated or co-formulated hundreds of industry-leading and trendsetting products, and is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in performance nutrition and dietary supplements.

His clients have included Auburn University, Nutrabolt Brands Worldwide (Cellucor®), Eurpac Service Inc. and Muscle Foods USA, BNRG, Inc. (PowerCrunch®), Scivation, Inc. (Xtend®), Biotest, LLC., Glanbia Nutritionals, iSatori, Inc. (Bio-Gro™), TSI USA, Inc., Metabolic Technologies, Inc. (HMB®), Bergstrom Nutrition (Opti-MSM®), and Matthew McConaughey (Magic Mike, True Detectives) and Ciara Harris (One Woman Army), to name a few.

Dr Lockwood has authored or is a co-author on 63 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presentations, three textbook chapters, has been an invited guest lecturer at numerous research and trade events, and has authored and edited thousands of consumer and trade industry articles; his work or himself being featured in such publications as Natural Products INSIDER, Nutraceuticals World, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Fit Pregnancy, Oxygen, Ironman Magazine, Muscular Development, as well as on ULProspector.com, Bodybuilding.com and T-Nation.com, to name a few. Dr Lockwood previously served as Editor in Chief of Muscle & Fitness and M&F Hers magazines, Senior Category Director of the Diet, Energy, Food and Beverage category of General Nutrition Centers (GNC®), Senior Brand Manager of American Body Building (ABB™), and Chief Scientific Officer for 4Life Research.

Dr Lockwood will soon begin serving as an Adjunct Science Editor for Bodybuilding.com and, in Fall 2017, as an Adjunct Professor for Auburn University School of Kinesiology. Dr Lockwood earned his PhD in Exercise Physiology at the University of Oklahoma, and his MS in Exercise Science at the University of West Florida.

One Response to “Heavyweight Product Development Match-Up: MRP or Protein Powder?”

  1. Henry says:
    August 29, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    This post is really helpful, it contains lots of information. Thank you so much for gathering this amount of info, it helps a lot. 🙂

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