This month, MUSH expanded distribution of its ready-to-eat overnight oats into Starbucks grab-and-go cases worldwide and into 7‑Eleven stores. This expansion brings MUSH into more than 36,000 retail doors nationwide and follows over 200 million cups sold since the brand’s 2015 founding.
The Starbucks rollout features MUSH’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats. In May, MUSH launched refrigerated protein bars at Target—each bar delivers 15 grams of protein in a portable format and complements the existing oats line. All MUSH products are gluten-free, non-GMO, and free of artificial additives.
As demand for high-protein, grab-and-go breakfasts grows, MUSH is showing how clean-label refrigerated brands can use convenience and coffee-channel distribution to reach health-focused shoppers throughout the day.
Image Credit: MUSH/Starbucks
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- High-protein Grab-and-go Breakfasts
- Growing consumer preference for portable, protein-rich morning options creates openings for single-serve refrigerated items that combine satiety with on-the-go convenience.
- Clean-label Refrigerated Convenience
- An emphasis on gluten-free, non-GMO, and additive-free refrigerated offerings points to market space for products that deliver fresh-like quality within cold-chain retail formats.
- Coffee-channel Refrigerated Distribution
- Placement of chilled breakfast items in coffee retailer grab-and-go cases highlights new pathways for refrigerated goods to reach habitual daily audiences and impulse buyers.
Where This Applies
- Retail Convenience Chains
- High foot traffic and impulse purchasing at c-stores and convenience retailers suggest opportunities for chilled protein snacks to broaden assortment and frequency of purchase.
- Foodservice and Coffee Retail
- Coffee chains’ expanding grab-and-go ecosystems indicate potential for refrigerated, ready-to-eat products to complement beverage sales and capture morning routines.
- Refrigerated CPG Manufacturers
- Growth in chilled, clean-label categories points toward innovation in shelf-stable refrigeration technology, packaging, and formulation to extend reach and shelf life while maintaining freshness.
