Clean Simple Eats (CSE) announced on May 22, 2026 the launch of its Frosted Lemonade Clear Protein Soda at 100 Costco stores in the Southwest region and on costco.com, beginning May 13, 2026. The product delivers 20 grams of grass-fed whey protein isolate per serving with zero sugar, zero artificial sweeteners, zero artificial flavors, and zero artificial colors. The brand is also Non-GMO certified, third-party tested, and gluten-free. Erika Peterson, Founder and CEO of Clean Simple Eats, is the spokesperson. Clean Simple Eats is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was founded by Erika and JJ Peterson. The brand credits itself with introducing the “clear protein” format to the market. The Costco launch follows a Walmart launch that began March 28, 2026.
What Clear Protein Soda Actually Is
Clear Protein Soda is a carbonated beverage format for protein delivery. It is distinct from conventional protein shakes, protein smoothies, and ready-to-drink protein drinks in a key sensory way: the protein base is whey protein isolate rather than whey protein concentrate or casein, and the product is clear rather than opaque.
Whey protein isolate differs from whey protein concentrate in its processing depth. Whey protein isolate is produced by additional filtration and processing steps beyond the initial concentration stage, removing most of the fat and lactose from the whey fraction to produce a powder that is typically 90% or higher protein by weight, with very low lactose and fat content. The high purity and low fat content of whey protein isolate is what allows it to dissolve in water and remain clear rather than producing the opaque, milky appearance of a conventional protein shake. The Frosted Lemonade descriptor refers to a lemon flavor with a creamy vanilla finish, achieved through natural flavor compounds rather than dairy-derived cream, since the clear format requires the beverage to remain visually transparent.
At 20 grams of protein per serving from grass-fed whey protein isolate in a carbonated lemonade format with zero sugar and no artificial additives, Clean Simple Eats is targeting the same consumer who is ordering GOGO Protein pouches from GoGo squeeZ, buying MOSH High Protein bars at Target, and choosing poppi prebiotic soda over conventional soft drinks at Subway. The clear protein soda category positions itself as the functional beverage choice for a consumer who wants meaningful protein intake from a format that delivers the sensory experience of a soda or lemonade rather than a supplement drink.
The “Grass-Fed” Whey Isolate Distinction
The grass-fed descriptor on the whey protein isolate is the most sourcing-specific claim in the announcement. Grass-fed whey protein isolate is derived from the milk of cows that are pasture-raised and primarily grass-fed rather than grain-fed. The distinction matters for several reasons at the sourcing and labeling level.
Grass-fed dairy cattle produce milk with a different fatty acid profile than grain-fed cattle, with a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). In a whey protein isolate application where fat content is already very low (typically below 1% in an isolate), the fatty acid profile difference is minimal in the finished product, but the sourcing credential carries consumer trust and clean-label positioning value.
At the production scale required for a Costco regional launch at 100 stores, grass-fed whey protein isolate is a more constrained supply chain than conventional whey protein isolate. Grass-fed dairy operations are concentrated in New Zealand, Ireland, and parts of the United States (particularly California and the Pacific Northwest), and the supply is smaller relative to conventional dairy. The grass-fed specification requires supplier documentation of pasture-based feeding practices, which narrows the eligible supplier pool and creates a more defined, documentation-intensive procurement relationship.
The Costco Distribution Model and What It Signals
The Costco regional launch at 100 Southwest stores follows the March 28 Walmart launch. The sequence matters commercially: Walmart first, then Costco. That is a specific retail channel strategy. Walmart placement establishes mainstream grocery visibility. Costco placement in the Protein Department, where club members specifically shop for functional nutrition products in club-sized quantities, reaches the protein-engaged shopper who is most likely to make a repeat, high-volume purchase.
Costco’s Protein Department placement is distinct from conventional beverage aisle placement. It positions CSE’s Clear Protein Soda alongside protein powders, protein bars, and functional nutrition supplements rather than alongside conventional sodas and sparkling waters. That placement signals to the Costco member that this is a functional nutrition product, not a lifestyle beverage, which is exactly the consumer intent segmentation that commands the $20 per serving protein price premium that CSE’s Costco pack format will carry.
The Southwest regional launch rather than nationwide Costco launch is consistent with how most functional nutrition brands scale into Costco: regional proof-of-concept, then national expansion if sell-through data supports it. The announcement explicitly states the brand hopes to expand to all Costco locations nationwide, confirming the Southwest launch is a regional test rather than the full scope of the Costco program.
The Clear Protein Category CSE Created
Clean Simple Eats claims to have introduced the clear protein format to the market, a claim that is consistent with the brand’s history. The clear protein supplement category, in which a whey protein isolate is dissolved in a clear, flavored, carbonated or still liquid rather than blended into an opaque shake base, emerged from the fitness supplement space starting around 2022 and has grown steadily through 2025 and 2026 as consumers sought protein delivery formats that did not require the sensory commitment of a conventional protein shake.
The Frosted Lemonade flavor is CSE’s best-selling clear protein soda flavor according to the announcement, which is consistent with lemon-forward flavors being the dominant preference in the clear protein beverage category, where the acidic citrus character masks any remaining whey off-notes more effectively than sweeter flavors and pairs naturally with the carbonated soda format’s characteristic brightness.
Why It Matters for Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate, Natural Lemon Flavor, and Functional Beverage Ingredient Suppliers
Clean Simple Eats’ Frosted Lemonade Clear Protein Soda launch at 100 Costco Southwest stores and on costco.com creates a sustained procurement requirement for grass-fed whey protein isolate at the purity, clarity, and digestibility specification required for a 20g per serving carbonated clear protein beverage with zero sugar, zero artificial sweeteners, zero artificial flavors, and zero artificial colors, sourced from pasture-raised dairy operations with documentation supporting a grass-fed label claim at third-party tested Non-GMO and gluten-free certification standard. For grass-fed whey protein isolate suppliers and specialty dairy protein manufacturers serving the functional beverage segment, the Clean Simple Eats Costco launch is a new high-velocity retail channel demand event for the grass-fed whey isolate specification at club channel distribution volume, where Costco’s pack sizes create higher per-transaction protein ingredient volume than conventional grocery single-serve formats.
The Frosted Lemonade flavor system requires natural lemon flavor compound at the tart, citrus intensity specification for a carbonated clear protein beverage with a creamy vanilla finish note, both delivered without artificial flavors or sweeteners at the clarity and color stability specification required for a visually transparent carbonated beverage with 20g of dissolved whey protein isolate. For natural lemon and vanilla flavor compound suppliers serving functional beverage manufacturers with clean-label and no-artificial-flavors standards, the clear protein soda format is one of the most demanding flavor masking applications in the functional beverage category: the lemon and vanilla must work together to mask any residual whey off-notes while remaining visually clear, which requires flavor compounds at a higher purity and clarity specification than opaque shake applications where color and turbidity are not limiting factors.
The zero-sugar formulation with no artificial sweeteners requires a natural sweetener system (likely stevia or monk fruit at a low enough concentration to avoid the characteristic aftertaste that limits their use in higher-concentration applications) or a flavor masking approach that creates sweetness perception without a dedicated sweetener input, at the carbonation system integration specification required for a stable sparkling beverage that does not exhibit sweetener precipitation or CO2 instability across the product’s shelf life. For stevia and monk fruit suppliers and natural sweetener manufacturers serving the functional beverage segment, the Clean Simple Eats Costco expansion is a demand signal for natural sweetener systems in clear protein soda at the club channel retail distribution scale.
FAQs
What is Clean Simple Eats Frosted Lemonade Clear Protein Soda? A carbonated clear protein beverage delivering 20 grams of grass-fed whey protein isolate per serving in a Frosted Lemonade flavor with a creamy vanilla finish. Zero sugar, zero artificial sweeteners, zero artificial flavors, zero artificial colors. Non-GMO certified, third-party tested, gluten-free.
Where is it available? At 100 Costco stores in the Southwest region and on costco.com beginning May 13, 2026. Also available at Walmart (since March 28, 2026) and at cleansimpleeats.com. The brand hopes to expand to all Costco locations nationwide.
What is “clear protein”? A functional beverage format where whey protein isolate is dissolved in a clear, flavored liquid rather than blended into an opaque shake base. The high purity and low fat content of whey protein isolate allows it to remain visually transparent in a carbonated or still water base.
What is grass-fed whey protein isolate? Whey protein isolate derived from the milk of pasture-raised, grass-fed dairy cattle. It requires supplier documentation of pasture-based feeding practices and commands a premium over conventional whey protein isolate due to the more constrained supply chain and consumer trust credentials.
Who founded Clean Simple Eats? Husband-and-wife duo Erika and JJ Peterson, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Erika Peterson is CEO. The brand credits itself with introducing the clear protein format to the market.
About Source86
Clean Simple Eats’ Frosted Lemonade Clear Protein Soda Costco launch reflects active demand for grass-fed whey protein isolate at the clarity, purity, and digestibility specification for a 20g per serving zero-sugar carbonated clear protein beverage at third-party tested Non-GMO and gluten-free certification standard, natural lemon flavor compound at the tart citrus intensity and color clarity specification for a carbonated clear protein soda without artificial flavors, natural vanilla flavor compound for a creamy vanilla finish note in a clear protein beverage application, natural sweetener inputs (stevia or monk fruit) at the no-aftertaste and carbonation stability specification for a zero-sugar clear protein soda, and the functional beverage co-manufacturing infrastructure capable of producing a carbonated clear whey protein isolate beverage at the club channel pack size and fill weight specification for Costco’s Protein Department distribution requirements. At Source86, we connect functional beverage manufacturers, clear protein brands, and CPG ingredient buyers with trusted bulk and wholesale sourcing partners for grass-fed whey protein isolate, natural citrus and vanilla flavor compounds for clean-label protein beverage applications, natural sweetener systems for zero-sugar functional beverages, and the ingredient sourcing infrastructure that supports premium protein beverage production at club channel and national retail distribution scale.
Whether your production team sources grass-fed whey protein isolate for a clear protein soda application, natural lemon flavor for a zero-sugar functional beverage, or stevia for a no-artificial-sweeteners protein drink formulation, Source86 is your bridge to the right manufacturing and supply chain partners. Contact Source86 today to start your sourcing search.
