GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Protein Pints, a high-protein, low-sugar ice cream, can now be found in 2,200 Kroger family stores across the country, a major expansion for the startup launched in 2022 by two childhood friends from Hudsonville.
“We presented to them, to the buyer, and they did take a big leap with us, a big bet on us,” said co-founder and CEO Paul Reiss, 24. “But they believed in the product, and they believed in the team. We were ready to go, and they gave us a shot.”
Shoppers at Kroger’s family of stores, including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s and Baker’s, can now grab one of the company’s five flavors: Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chip, Mint Chip, Chocolate and Strawberry.
Protein Pints is made from all-natural ingredients, and each serving has about 10 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar. The ice cream doesn’t include artificial sweeteners and is gluten-free, the company says.
“We are thrilled to embark on this expansion,” said Michael Meadows, co-founder and chief operating officer of Protein Pints. “From our beginnings in a handful of stores close to home in Michigan, to nationwide with Kroger, this launch represents an incredible step forward in our mission to redefine the ice cream experience and offer a taste-forward ice cream that can be enjoyed every day without guilt.”
Reiss said he and Meadows created Protein Pints as a treat for themselves.
The childhood friends, who graduated from Hudsonville High School in 2019, “grew up eating ice cream” but cut back on the treat when they got involved in sports and became more mindful of nutrition, Reiss said.
“Instead, we were eating things like protein shakes and bars,” he said. “But we didn’t really like the taste, and we really wish we could eat ice cream again. So that’s why we created it initially was for ourselves.”
They started experimenting at home in 2022, and after using a store-bought ice cream maker to perfect their recipe, they entered a business pitch competition hosted by Start Garden in Grand Rapids.
That’s where they caught their first break.
Their product caught the attention of a Meijer representative, who helped them get Protein Pints on the shelves at Bridge Street Market, the Walker-based retailer’s small format grocery store near downtown Grand Rapids.
“We were in that one store and we just blew it out of the water,” Reiss said. “Meijer gave us a shot at 10 super centers, because they’re like, okay, these guys have some real traction and the product is selling and people are asking for it in more stores.”
Since inking their agreement with Kroger, Protein Pints has expanded with Meijer, too, and is now in about 200 of the retailer’s locations, Reiss said. Another grocery store, Texas-based H-E-B, is also planning to add Protein Pints to 100 of its stores, he said.
Those expansions have brought new challenges and opportunities.
That includes raising money to finance the company’s growth and increasing Protein Pint’s size from two employees to eight. New hires include a chief customer officer, chief financial officer, chief marketing officer, a creative director, and a chief innovation officer who oversees recipes and flavors.
As for the ice cream itself, the days when Reiss and Meadows whipped up batches themselves on a Ninja CREAMi are long gone. They now work with a U.S.-based contract manufacturer to make Protein Pints.
“Going from 14 stores and getting that kind of distribution and that kind of win this early on was a dream come true,” said Reiss, who attended Aquinas College and Michigan State University but left school to focus on his business. “Our goal has always been to provide our product to everyone across the United States.”
