Rising Star: Protein Pints

Before “protein‑forward everything” became a mainstay across grocery aisles, founders Paul Reiss and his co‑founder, Michael Meadows, were focused on a simple but overlooked idea: a frozen dessert that didn’t feel like a compromise. Best friends since the age of five; the two grew up in Hudsonville, Michigan, an unexpected but fitting backdrop known as a hub for ice cream manufacturing. What began as a summer ritual of brainstorming business ideas eventually led to a concept that felt different: a low‑sugar, high‑protein ice cream that actually tasted good. Not chalky. Not functional first. Just good.

“We kept asking why this doesn’t exist in a way that actually feels indulgent,” says Paul.

That question became the foundation of Protein Pints.

By 2022, conviction turned into commitment. Reiss made the decision to leave college and pursue the business full‑time, eventually convincing his co‑founder to do the same. What followed wasn’t an immediate scale, but a period of disciplined, almost obsessive product development. Over two and a half years, the founders conducted thousands of local taste tests and customer interviews, refining the product until it met their standards.

At a time when many brands rush to market, Protein Pints took the opposite approach.

“If the product isn’t great, nothing else matters,” says Paul.

That philosophy shaped every decision early on, including one of the most critical. After struggling to find an existing product that met their expectations, or a partner capable of producing it, they made the decision to build it themselves. The process was slower, but it gave them complete control and a much deeper understanding of what they were creating.

That rigor paid off. In their first 14 retail locations, Protein Pints wasn’t just performing; it was outperforming. The product sold at twice the rate of established competitors, a data point that quickly became central to the brand’s growth story. When it came time to pitch to Target, they weren’t relying on vision alone; they had proof. What they didn’t have yet was access. That came through a connection built well before any formal pitch.

Through mentorship with a Target team member, the founders were able to refine not just their product, but how they thought about retail. That relationship ultimately led to an introduction to Target’s Takeoff program lead, who recognized the brand’s potential and ensured it landed on the right buyer’s radar.

At a time when protein innovation was reshaping multiple categories, Protein Pints stood out for bringing something new to frozen dessert. The buyer took a chance, awarding the business and, shortly after, nominating the brand for Takeoff, providing access to the tools and guidance needed to support a successful launch.

After Takeoff, the result was rapid expansion: from a small test set to placement in over 2,000 stores.

“Once we had that data, the conversation shifted from ‘why should this exist?’ to ‘how big can this get?'”

But distribution alone doesn’t guarantee success. What followed was a focused effort to build awareness and drive velocity. The founders leaned into organic TikTok content, allowing the product to find its audience naturally, while also building a foundation of trust through hundreds of authentic customer reviews.

At the center of it all was a simple principle: stay close to the customer.

Rather than over‑engineering growth, the team focused on listening and using feedback to refine not just the product, but how it showed up in the market. That responsiveness, combined with strong fundamentals, helped sustain momentum as the brand scaled.

Programs like Target Takeoff played a supporting role, helping accelerate the founders’ understanding of retail dynamics and decision‑making. Access to mentorship and real‑time insights through the program’s 9‑week curated retail curriculum, helped the founders sharpen their understanding of retail dynamics and decision‑making, allowing them to move with greater clarity and confidence, particularly as they navigated the complexities of mass retail for the first time.

Still, the biggest lesson from Protein Pints’ rise is a familiar one, executed exceptionally well. In a category increasingly crowded with better‑for‑you options, the brands that endure are the ones that deliver on both promise and experience. Protein Pints understood that early and built accordingly.

Today, as functional foods continue to reshape consumer expectations, the brand offers a clear blueprint for emerging founders: invest deeply in product, validate demand with real data and scale with intention.

Because in the end, growth doesn’t come from chasing trends. It comes from building something people actually want and keep coming back for. Check out Protein Pints at Target near you.

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