The Protein line expands from three to 13 products, now including pasta, hamburgers, breaded items, and cold cuts, keeping pace with the growing demand for more protein for various consumption occasions.
The search for more protein is extending beyond the categories traditionally associated with functional foods and reaching new consumption occasions. In response to this trend, Seara is expanding its Protein line portfolio from three to thirteen products, now including pizzas, pasta, hamburgers, breaded products, meatballs, and cold cuts. With approximately 90% of the new products concentrated in frozen foods, the expansion also reinforces the brand’s presence in a category it has led for almost a decade.
The strategy stems from the understanding that interest in protein has increased, but consumers don’t necessarily want to change their habits to consume it. This opens up space for innovation in categories where flavor, convenience, and indulgence traditionally carry more weight in the purchase decision. “Consumers want to increase the presence of protein in their diet, but not necessarily change what they like to eat. We aim to bridge these two demands. Protein can be in a traditional meal, but also in pizza, hamburgers, or a quick snack,” says Rafael Palmer, Marketing Director at Seara.
A Mintel survey from June 2026 shows that 31% of Brazilians look for protein when thinking about healthy foods and beverages. The economic dimension of this behavioral change is becoming increasingly relevant. The market for foods with added protein moves around R$ 2 billion per year in Brazil and more than US$ 50 billion globally, according to Euromonitor data. The category is also expanding its presence in the shopping carts of 12.8 million Brazilian households, equivalent to 21% of the country’s households, according to data from Worldpanel by Numerator.
For Seara, however, the opportunity lies not only in the growth of this market, but also in expanding the situations in which protein factors into the purchase decision. Research conducted by the consulting firm Equilibrium, commissioned by the company, surveyed 93 nutritionists and identified convenience and indulgence as areas with potential for expanding the product line. In practice, the strategy is to bring protein to categories with greater market penetration and increase its presence at different consumption moments.
“There are avenues for growth when we stop thinking of protein as an isolated category and start seeing it at different times of the day. Seara’s strength lies precisely in operating in categories with high penetration and transforming a change in behavior into products with scalability potential,” adds Palmer.
Seara Protein debuted in September 2025 with three complete meals (Chicken with rice and vegetables, Minced meat with rice and vegetables, and Pork Ragu with Mashed Potatoes), all with at least 30 grams of protein per meal. The performance of the first phase reinforced the decision to expand the portfolio. The three complete meals with added protein boosted the category’s growth and today account for approximately 25% of Panelinhas’ sales, considering products with and without added protein.
With the expansion, the Seara Protein line now offers 13 products, covering different consumption occasions and options with 15 to 36 grams of protein per serving. The complete portfolio includes new additions such as lasagna bolognese, pepperoni and 3-cheese pizzas, beef meatballs, mini beef burgers, breaded chicken fillets, and stuffed breaded chicken, as well as fettuccine bolognese and Levíssimo, a sliced cold cut made from 100% cooked pork loin, in 150g and 180g versions.
The new items began arriving at points of sale across the country two weeks ago, and the first sales results also indicate a good consumer response: in the categories in which they were launched, the versions with added protein show a turnover 10% higher than similar products without the attribute.
