Optimum Nutrition is stepping outside the supplement aisle with ChampionSips, a limited-edition non-alcoholic brew that delivers 10g of protein per 16 fl. oz. can — a direct play at the fast-growing intersection of functional beverages and the no-and-low alcohol segment that c-store buyers have been watching closely.
The product, co-developed with Verona, Wisconsin-based Wisconsin Brewing Company, is built on a malted-barley-and-hops base styled after an American pils. Protein comes from a pea-and-rice blend. The full nutritional profile clocks in at 90 calories, 11g of carbs, and 0g of fat per can — numbers that align squarely with the better-for-you positioning that has fueled growth in functional and enhanced beverages across the convenience channel.
The Product Specs
ChampionSips launches exclusively online as a 4-pack of 16 fl. oz. cans priced at $14.99, available at OptimumNutrition.com while supplies last. The SKU carries a 21-and-older purchase requirement despite containing less than 0.5% ABV — standard for non-alc malt beverages — and is not available in Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, or South Carolina due to state distribution restrictions. The limited-edition format and direct-to-consumer-only launch suggests a test-and-learn posture before any potential retail or channel expansion.
Why C-Store Buyers Should Pay Attention
The non-alcoholic beer segment has been one of the stronger growth stories in the cooler over the past two years, with NACS data and Nielsen tracking double-digit velocity gains at convenience retail. Operators have increasingly dedicated cooler doors to no-and-low SKUs alongside traditional beer sets, and better-for-you attributes — low calorie, low carb, added function — are the primary purchase drivers for that shopper. ChampionSips stacks two of those attributes: the familiar drinking occasion of a cold brew and the protein count of a post-workout shake.
Jeff Schoenfield, Director of Innovation at Glanbia, framed the launch as an occasion expansion rather than a line extension. "We're constantly looking at how consumers' needs and routines are evolving and where we can create something new," he said. "ChampionSips reflects that mindset, opening up an entirely new occasion for Optimum Nutrition and challenging expectations of where the brand can show up." For c-store operators, the occasion framing matters: the product targets the post-game, post-workout, and social-setting dayparts that already index well in the channel's evening and weekend traffic windows.
Kevin Zerman, President of Wisconsin Brewing Company, noted that the collaboration pushed his team to rethink non-alc brewing. "The partnership may seem unconventional, but that's what made the challenge so interesting to us," he said. "We were able to approach the brew differently while still delivering the crisp, refreshing taste and familiar drinking experience people expect from a cold one."
Channel Outlook
Optimum Nutrition, part of Glanbia Performance Nutrition, holds the No. 1 global position in sports nutrition by retail value share according to Euromonitor International. Its Gold Standard Whey franchise is the top-selling whey protein powder worldwide. Extending that brand equity into a drinkable, social-occasion format is consistent with the broader sports-nutrition-meets-convenience-channel trend, where protein RTDs, bars, and enhanced waters have become core planogram staples rather than specialty-set items.
A retail or wholesale channel expansion for ChampionSips has not been announced. Given the 21-and-older gate and state-by-state regulatory patchwork for non-alc malt beverages, any move into the c-store cooler would require category buyers to navigate the same compliance framework applied to traditional beer — a manageable but not trivial operational consideration for single-store operators and regional chains alike.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
