Elmhurst Launches Plant Protein Drink in Canada

TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2026 — If you’ve ever turned over a standard ready-to-drink protein shake and read the ingredients, you know the drill. It’s usually a chemical laundry list of gellan gum, sunflower oil, sucralose, and industrial emulsifiers designed to make chalky powders taste like artificial milkshakes. Elmhurst 1925 thinks that whole approach is broken. The New York-based brand is…

TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2026 — If you’ve ever turned over a standard ready-to-drink protein shake and read the ingredients, you know the drill.

It’s usually a chemical laundry list of gellan gum, sunflower oil, sucralose, and industrial emulsifiers designed to make chalky powders taste like artificial milkshakes.

Elmhurst 1925 thinks that whole approach is broken. The New York-based brand is officially bringing its Clean Protein lineup north of the border into Canadian grocery stores, promising 27 grams of complete plant protein with zero seed oils, zero gums, and no synthetic sweeteners.

Key Takeaways

• Heavyweight Nutrition Profile: Each 11 oz. ready-to-drink carton packs 27g of complete plant protein derived from mung bean and pea protein, sitting at just 190 calories and 3g to 4g of sugar.
• Zero Filler Philosophy: The formulation completely skips carrageenan, cellulose gel, industrial seed oils, and artificial sweeteners, relying instead on a nut-milk base naturally sweetened with cane sugar and stevia.
• Mass Canadian Retail Rollout: Partnering with UNFI Canada for national distribution, the four-flavor lineup is hitting major chains including Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Farm Boy, and Save-On-Foods.

The timing of this Canadian expansion isn’t random. Functional beverages are exploding across North America, but gym-goers and health-conscious shoppers are getting significantly pickier about clean labels. Slapping “20g Protein” on the front of a bottle doesn’t work like it used to if the back label reads like a chemistry experiment.

Elmhurst is anchoring its Canadian entry on four distinct flavors: Chocolate Sea Salt, Vanilla, Strawberry, and a flagship Pistachio.

That Pistachio variant isn’t just marketing fluff either—it already picked up a 2026 NEXTY Award for Dairy Alternative at Expo West and snagged a 2026 Good Housekeeping Snack Award for Best Protein Drink.

Delivering actual nut bases using whole cashews and pistachios gives these drinks a smooth texture without relying on cheap thickening agents.

Stripping Away Gums and Seed Oils

How do you get 27 grams of protein into an 11-ounce carton without it turning into sludge? Elmhurst uses a blend of mung bean and pea protein suspended in a rich nut cream base.

The mechanics come down to the company’s proprietary HydroRelease™ process—a water-based processing method that separates and recombines the nutrients of nuts, grains, or seeds without needing synthetic emulsifiers to hold everything together.

It’s an interesting pivot for a company whose history stretches back a hundred years. Originally operating as Elmhurst Dairy in New York, the multigenerational family business shut down its traditional fluid milk operations in 2016.

Owner Henry Schwartz made the call to retool the business completely around ultra-clean plant-based milks. Pushing into the ready-to-drink functional protein aisle is the logical next step in that pivot.

Dan Bukowski, President of Elmhurst 1925, believes Canadian consumers are more than ready for a cleaner protein option:

“We’re thrilled to bring Clean Protein™ to the Canadian market. This launch marks a major milestone in our mission to provide shoppers with cleaner, more nutritious plant-based options. As demand for more functional wellness continues to grow, we see a significant opportunity to expand the category with a product that delivers exceptional nutrition and taste without compromising ingredient integrity. This launch allows us to continue building alongside our tremendous retail and distribution partners who have put their trust in Elmhurst and our vision for the plant-based beverage space. We’re proud to introduce Clean Protein to Canadian shoppers and continue our commitment to making better-for-you nutrition accessible to more households across North America.”

Canadian Retail Play and Category Disruption

Breaking into the Canadian consumer packaged goods space requires real distribution infrastructure. Elmhurst isn’t taking a slow-drip approach here.

By locking in UNFI Canada as its distribution engine, the brand is securing immediate access to major grocery networks like Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Longo’s, Fortinos, and Western Canada’s Save-On-Foods.

The brand is making its formal Canadian trade debut at the CHFA NOW Toronto show on September 26 and 27, showing off its four-packs to regional buyers.

Priced competitively and sitting at just 190 calories per serving, the cartons pack up to 44% of the daily recommended intake for protein, along with naturally occurring iron, calcium, and potassium.

Honestly, the ready-to-drink protein segment has needed a shakeup like this for a while.

For years, consumers had to choose between chalky “clean” plant shakes that tasted like lawn clippings, or delicious, highly processed dairy-based shakes packed with artificial junk.

If Elmhurst can pull off high flavor marks using real pistachio and cashew bases while keeping seed oils out of the mix, established CPG brands in the functional aisle should be paying very close attention.