As the sun rises over San Luis Obispo, residents similarly rise out of their morning slumps. Whether it’s a coffee, a trip to the gym or simply a step out the door, waking up in San Luis Obispo is different for everyone— yet residents share a common morning ritual of getting coffee.
But Robby McLaughlin takes his morning coffee a little differently than most.
Each morning, McLaughlin goes to Headstrong Gym for a morning workout and grabs his daily caffeine fix mixed with protein at the small coffee trailer next door. As a fitness enthusiast and avid gym member, McLaughlin always has one thing on his mind: meeting his protein goal.
“I shoot for about 200 grams of protein each day, but I also like my coffee,” McLaughlin said. “So I asked them to create an almond milk latte mixed with protein.”
At SLO Rooted Coffee Company, McLaughlin ordered his creation so frequently that it landed a spot on the menu—“The Robby.”
According to Camden Winton, the manager of SLO Rooted, the employees realized how much protein coffee could benefit their customers. However, it was a struggle to make it taste as good as it was nutritious.
Jordyn Schwartz, an SLO Rooted employee, explains how she also faced the difficulty of making the combination taste the best; however, once she got it down, she began to experiment with new combinations.
“The protein powder we use, it’s not super grainy, especially the vegan one,” Schwartz said. “The ratio is definitely a full scoop of protein and a little more liquid than you would normally do.”
They aimed to go beyond the basic combination of protein powder and espresso with hopes of making it taste better, according to Winton.
“We can create our own spin on it,” Winton said. “People will come and get a protein matcha, or cold foam with protein powder mixed into it.”
The SLO Rooted team of employees worked to create original beverages that showcased their specialty drinks, enhanced with extra grams of protein.
However, the trend of protein coffee did not start with McLaughlin.
The trend kickstarted on TikTok in 2024, with individuals ordering a single or double shot of espresso from their local coffee shop, then mixing it with a protein shake from the grocery store for extra flavor. Big chain coffee corporations such as Dutch Bros have also incorporated protein-related drinks to their menu.
Since its origin, the protein market size has been estimated at around $4.48 billion, and is only expected to grow, according to Market Research Future.
Now it has transformed many people’s daily routine, with the hashtag #Proffee having over 5 million views, as people find new ways to combine their protein goals with a caffeine kick.
As the trend continued to grow, coffee lovers began to catch on and try it out for themselves.
Another coffee shop in San Luis Obispo, Kaffeine Coffee Company, has introduced protein coffee recently to their menu. Katie Taylor, the store’s manager, hoped to create an environment of unique and different coffee drinks, which led her to establish a permanent spot for protein coffee on the menu.
“When I knew I was gonna step into the position and take over, creating the menu, I was trying to be imaginative,” Taylor said. “I really wanted to do some sort of protein drink, so that was the main idea of caffeine and protein would be so nice and perfect before the gym, because you’re getting two of the things you want.”
Taylor said that the process of creating a protein coffee that both met nutritional goals and tasted good was also a challenge for her. She faced numerous trials and errors, working hard to eliminate that gritty, powdery aftertaste often left by protein shakes. After perfecting her recipe, Taylor developed a simple yet effective protein coffee, allowing customers to add protein powder to any drink for just $1.
From one man’s protein-fueled pour-over to a viral trend transforming coffee counters across the country, #Proffee has evolved the coffee scene and continues to take the world by surprise.