Japan's Protein Powder Prices Soar Amid Global Demand and Weak Yen
Protein powder prices in Japan are skyrocketing due to strong demand overseas, particularly in the US, and a weak yen. The key ingredient, whey, has seen its price rise to over three times what it was two years ago.
The growing use of weight-loss drugs such as Mounjaro and GLP-1 diabetes treatments is driving up demand for protein supplements. Doctors are advising patients to increase their protein intake, leading to a surge in whey protein sales.
Japanese companies, including Meiji, are struggling to secure whey at competitive prices due to the weak yen, which reduces their purchasing power overseas. As a result, prices for related products have increased by 6-28% since June, with some products seeing further price hikes in September.
Ko Yoshioka, a 25-year-old physique competitor, is feeling the pinch of rising protein powder costs. He has to carefully measure his ingredients and seek cheaper alternatives like soy protein, which is about 60% cheaper than whey-based products but absorbed by the body more slowly.