Amazing. How a product that’s been around for well over 30 years, has become such a hot commodity that the industry experienced several whey protein raw material price increases in 2007 alone.
Now those price increases are not just because of the escalating demand for a product that’s gone seriously mainstream – several factors come into play here:
- The global demand for whey protein raw materials (mothers in Asia are going to work right after child birth – therefore babies are not breast fed by the mother, resulting in the need for baby food infused with whey).
- Consistently rising oil prices.
- The global environment state – specifically in whey rich producing countries like New Zealand and Australia (crops are all out of whack due to global warming and more, and the herds are not as healthy as before).
- Feeding the herds – the popularity and rise of alternative fuel methods are using up the very food that is used to feed those herds, therefore resulting in a scarcity of nutrition to maintain healthy herds.
- The honest to goodness increasing popularity and reality of mainstream. If you think the iPod went mainstream fast, look no further than whey protein powder to surpass that. Everybody and their grandmother are either consuming or plan to consume it sometime in the near future. The health benefits are undeniable, and the flavors that they are now making them in – are just too good to pass up.
With the abundance of brands/products out there on the market – here are a few that have been in the game for quite some time, and that I have personally consumed and approve of.
Optimum Nutrition Natural Whey, Proteins+, Brad King’s Ultimate Protein and Strive PRO ISL. Enjoy.
