Coffee and protein have been sharing the same morning for years, usually in separate cups, shakers and breakfast plates. Polar Joe decided that was unnecessarily complicated.
Billed as the original protein cold brew, Polar Joe combines real coffee with premium New Zealand whey protein isolate to create something that sits somewhere between a cold brew and a protein shake, without making either one feel like an afterthought. The concept is remarkably simple: add cold water, shake and drink. No coffee maker, blender or elaborate morning production required.
And for anyone whose experience with protein powder involves gritty texture, aggressive sweetness or the unmistakable taste of something that desperately wants to convince the drinker it’s chocolate, Polar Joe takes a decidedly different approach.
Cold Brew That Happens to Pack 21 Grams of Protein
The Classic Protein Cold Brew delivers 21 grams of protein per serving along with approximately 110 mg of caffeine. The blend uses 100% coffee, premium New Zealand whey protein isolate, organic coconut sugar and non-dairy creamer. A serving is prepared by adding two scoops to roughly 14 ounces of cold water and shaking.
That’s part of what makes the idea interesting. It isn’t necessary to pull an espresso shot, brew coffee the night before or drag out a blender. Throw it into a shaker with ice-cold water and it becomes an instant iced protein coffee in about 30 seconds.
For busy mornings, that makes considerable sense. It can also work as an afternoon pick-me-up or a convenient pre- or post-workout drink when both caffeine and protein sound considerably more appealing than another conventional shake.
Polar Joe also offers a decaf Classic for people who want the coffee-and-protein combination later in the day without the full caffeine hit. The decaf version contains less than 10 mg of caffeine while retaining 21 grams of protein.
Polar Joe protein coffee and matcha
And Then There’s the Matcha
The sleeper hit may be Polar Joe’s Matcha Tea Protein Latte.
Created for people who wanted a non-coffee option, the Matcha Latte delivers the same basic convenience with a completely different personality: creamy, slightly sweet green tea paired with 21 grams of protein and approximately 70 mg of caffeine per serving. Like the coffee, it requires little more than cold water and a good shake.
That makes it an interesting alternative to the traditional café matcha latte. It can be served over ice, mixed with unsweetened almond or oat milk for a richer drink, or thrown into a smoothie when breakfast needs a little more substance.
For serious matcha people, there’s another option. Polar Joe’s Molto Matcha + Protein Café is designed around a stronger, less sweet matcha profile. It combines pure-grade matcha tea with 20 grams of whey protein and can be prepared with cold water or milk. The company positions it as the choice for people who want more of the actual matcha flavor rather than the sweeter, creamier profile of its original Matcha Latte.
In other words, the coffee drinkers don’t get to have all the fun.
The Protein Drink for People Tired of Protein Drinks
Perhaps the smartest thing about Polar Joe is that it doesn’t require someone to reorganize their day around taking protein. Coffee is already a ritual for millions of people. Matcha has become one, too. Folding protein into something people actually look forward to drinking makes the whole proposition considerably easier.
There are also several ways to make either drink more interesting. The cold brew could be shaken with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and ice, blended with banana for a quick coffee smoothie, or mixed with extra ice for something closer to a frozen café drink. The matcha lends itself to coconut milk, oat milk, berries or a banana-and-matcha smoothie.
And there’s something refreshing about a functional beverage that doesn’t require a chemistry experiment before leaving the house.
Polar Joe launched its Classic protein cold brew in 2017 and has since expanded the idea into matcha, espresso, decaf, lower-sugar and plant-protein options.
For coffee lovers who have been choking down a protein shake simply because it’s “good for them,” Polar Joe offers a much more appealing proposition: make the protein part taste more like the coffee break.
And if coffee isn’t the answer that day, there’s always matcha.
Explore Polar Joe and its protein cold brew and matcha drinks