Good Protein is a Canadian-founded wellness brand disrupting one of the most saturated markets with unheard-of growth and strong consumer demand.
After launching a new format at select Costco warehouses earlier in 2025, the brand is entering all Costco warehouses in Canada. Most recently, Good Protein embarked on its first Costco Roadshow in the fourth quarter of 2025 where they visited 10 Costco locations over a period of two months. Now, the brand embarked on a new Costco roadshow, visiting five Costco warehouses at a time for 13 days each over the course of six months.
In Good Protein’s first year in retail, they expanded from zero to over 3500 stores, including Costco, generating eight-figure retail revenue. Retailers were eager to stock the brand, having seen its strong presence and following online, a testament to its rapid traction and market impact.
Good Protein’s founder Edward Lalonde said the brand entered the retail market quickly but strategically, by choosing its first retail partners wisely.
“We initially launched in natural and independent stores to dip our toes in the retail world, then expanded into conventional grocery and pharmacy. At first, it may have seemed tempting to launch everywhere all at once, but as a young business entering retail for the first time, we knew we needed to take it step by step. By doing this, we were able to focus on placing our products where they fit most naturally first and build key relationships–including with Costco, which was our dream retailer,” he said.
“To make this happen, we quickly realized we needed to expand our production capabilities, and now partner with four large manufacturers across Canada, which was no small feat.”
When Costco first reached out to Good Protein in 2022, the brand had to make the most heartbreaking decision in the company’s history and say no.
“We knew we had significant work to do before being able to make it happen (including upping production capacity) and wanted to make sure a Costco launch would be a success. We also focused on building brand awareness and community, so that customers would recognize us and be excited once we were available at Costco,” explained Lalonde.
“In March 2025, our hard work paid off —we launched in our first rotation across 70 Costco locations, and it ended up being one of their top launches of the year. We sold three months’ worth of forecasted inventory in just six weeks, proving that the product and format were the right fit and that Costco shoppers were just as excited as we were. They definitely value data and are extremely selective, but to secure more than one rotation, you also need to be a trustable and collaborative partner; which is something we’ve built (and are still building) with them over time.”
Lalonde said the company’s community and brand awareness is a strong part of who it is, and it believes it helped drive its success within Costco, especially since the category is very saturated within retail.
“By the time we launched in Costco in March 2025, we had built brand credibility and reputation, which meant customers knew us and were more likely to pick up our product on their next Costco run,” said Lalonde.
“Our key differentiator is the taste and texture of our products. Our customers consistently purchase Good Protein not only because it’s packed with high-quality ingredients and is approachable from a brand standpoint, but also because it tastes delicious and is genuinely enjoyable to drink.
“For this reason, we invest heavily in product demos across all Costco locations, and are about to launch our second roadshow, which will span over six months and run five locations at a time, coast to coast. We know that Costco consumers are strongly driven by product trial, and our product stands out that way.
Lalonde said the best part of roadshows is getting to meet its customers face to face and getting their feedback in real time.
“Over time, we’ve noticed which of their questions come up the most and are using these insights to inform brand ambassador training and develop marketing materials to support product demos better. For example, frequently asked questions revolve around basic product education, like how to make a shake or smoothie, which liquid to use, or what time of day they should consume our product. This led us to reshaping how we educate consumers on our product, and to explore different formats (like ready-to-drink shakes or individually wrapped sachets),” he said.
“Building a strong in-house supply chain team is a key part of our retail expansion strategy; as it wouldn’t be possible without their expertise.
Being available in big-box retail represents a major opportunity for us, but we always keep profitability in mind. Why sell millions of dollars’ worth of products if it results in a negative bottom line? It’s very important for us to ensure that every new retailer deal remains profitable for all parties and allows us to support additional initiatives that help leverage our sales within the retail channel.”
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