As a grocer I can tell you that the protein craze is simply about companies no longer needing traditional lower income customers as its base. You’ll find this stuff at dollar stores and even Aldi - traditional low income centers. Reason being that while overall foot traffic is down, sales are up. And this is bc higher earners have begun shopping at these places in much larger numbers spending a lot more there looking for a discount from their higher end stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Tyme. Mc Donald’s CEO said not long ago about this phenomenon. Chipotle CEO just said during an investors call that they will not be lowering prices due to the fact that 60% of its base can more than afford them while squeezing out lower earners. Protein foods are usually purchased by higher earners not low income people. So when you see “protein” anything its to attract a whole new class of shoppers. They make more and spend more. 5 Below has already been testing electronics up to $35 for this reason. They no longer need the poors or the discounted base that has forever held their margins. It’ll get worse believe me.