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Natural Flavours for Protein Powder, Bars and Sports Nutrition
Metarom Australia manufactures natural flavours and masking flavours for protein powders, RTD protein shakes, protein bars and sports nutrition products at its ISO 22000 site in Banksmeadow, Sydney. Dosage runs from about 0.2% in a protein shake to 0.5% in a protein powder or protein-rich bar, with a 10kg minimum order and a 5 business day lead time plus transit.
Protein is a flavour problem before it is a flavour opportunity. Whey brings a cereal and sour note, plant proteins bring bitterness, earthiness and astringency, and high-intensity sweeteners bring a metallic finish and a lingering aftertaste. So this category uses two products together: a primary flavour, and a masking flavour that clears the way for it.
That is why our Masking range - including 2X and 10X concentrated versions - and our Sugar and Cocoa Booster codes sit alongside the usual chocolate, vanilla, caramel and cookies and cream profiles. Published ladders put protein-rich matrices and protein powder at the top of the dose range, around 0.5%, because there is a lot of off-note to cover.
Recommended flavours for protein
Every code below links to its own page with the full specification, dosage ladder, price breaks, PIF and SDS. Codes marked 2026 pick are the flavours Metarom selected for this category in the 2026 market newsletter.
| Code | Flavour | Tasting notes | Dosage here | Carrier / solubility | MOQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMC0237 | Chocolate | sweet, milky, hot chocolate | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMV0088 | Vanilla | creamy, velvety, caramelised | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMW1685 | White Chocolate | sweet, condensed milk, buttery | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC0718 | Cookies & Cream | milky, cookie, vanilla | 0.1% Protein milk, smoothie | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC4000 | Caramel | creamy, buttery, biscuit | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMB2518 | Banana | ripe, true-to-fruit, creamy | 0.1% Drink, juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMS5245 | Strawberry | fruity, ripe, jammy | 0.1% Drink, juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMM9000 | Masking | vanilla, creamy, milk | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC9028 | Cream | dairy, sweet, fresh | 0.1% Drink, juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC7022 | Coffee | chocolate, espresso martini, mocha | 0.1% Fizzy drink & juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMH0222 | Hazelnut | roasted, indulgent, spread | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMP2270 | Peanut | roasted, caramelised, nutty | 0.1% Drink, juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC9033 | Coconut | creamy, woody, rich | 0.1% Drink, juice | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
| AMC0651 | Cocoa Booster | sweet, cocoa, rich | 0.1% Dough & milk | Mpg, water soluble & heat stable | 10kg |
This is a selection, not the full range. Browse the complete flavour catalogue or ask us for a shortlist against your brief.
What is driving protein and sports nutrition flavour choices in 2026
Protein has moved well beyond sports nutrition into everyday food and drink. High-protein yoghurts, drinks and desserts now lead with protein content on the front of pack, and the taste expectation is that of a normal indulgent product rather than a supplement.
Dessert and confectionery profiles are the growth area: cookies and cream, white chocolate, caramel, cheesecake and biscuit, rather than plain chocolate and vanilla alone. Fruit profiles hold up in clear protein waters and RTD shakes.
Plant protein keeps taking share, which makes masking more important rather than less: pea, soy and oat bases carry more off-note than whey, and the gap has to be closed by flavour rather than by sugar.
Sugar reduction and sweetener switching run through the whole category. Where stevia or monk fruit replaces sugar, a masking flavour plus a sweetness modifier is the standard fix for the metallic and lingering notes.
Technical notes for protein applications
- Use masking as a component, not a substitute. Masking codes are designed to be dosed alongside your primary flavour. They cover bitterness, astringency and sweetener off-notes so the fruit or dessert profile can be tasted as intended.
- Dosage. Published ladders put protein milks and smoothies at about 0.1 to 0.2%, protein-rich matrices and bars at 0.2 to 0.4%, and protein powder at around 0.5%. Concentrated 10X codes drop those figures by roughly a factor of five.
- Powder blending. Liquid flavours can be blended into dry mixes at typical dose rates. Tell us the carrier and the process you use and we will point you to the codes other customers run on the same setup.
- Boosters. Cocoa Booster lifts a chocolate profile without adding cocoa, and the Sugar codes build perceived sweetness where sugar has been removed.
Ordering, lead time and shipping
- Minimum order: 10kg for natural liquid flavours. Some ethanol-carrier beverage flavours are packed in an 8kg drum; each flavour page states its own figure.
- Lead time: 5 business days plus transit, Australia-wide. We aim to confirm a purchase order the same business day.
- Price breaks: published in every flavour guide on this site, so you can cost a formulation before contacting us.
- Shipping: DAP fees are charged per purchase order - A$100 flat to metropolitan Australia, and A$100 plus A$5 per kg to regional Australia and New Zealand. Delivery only, no pick-ups.
- Samples: individual 50g samples and curated sample kits are available from the samples page.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop protein powder tasting bitter?
Use a masking flavour alongside your primary flavour. Masking codes are formulated to cover the bitterness and astringency of whey and plant proteins and the metallic finish of high-intensity sweeteners, rather than simply adding more sweetness.
What dosage is used in a protein powder or bar?
Published ladders put protein powder at around 0.5% and protein-rich bars at about 0.2 to 0.4%, while a protein milk or shake sits nearer 0.1 to 0.2%. Each flavour page shows its own figures.
Do your flavours work with plant protein?
Yes, and plant bases are where masking matters most. Pea, soy and oat proteins carry more bitterness and earthiness than whey, so we would normally sample a masking code with your chosen flavour in your own base.
Can you match the flavour of a protein product we already sell?
Yes. Send us the product or the flavour you currently use and our ESG matching service reverse-engineers the profile, which is the usual route when a brand moves a line onto locally made flavour.
Are the flavours suitable for a clean label sports nutrition product?
All our flavours are 100% natural, clean label, vegan, gluten-free, GMO-free, sugar-free and free from additives and allergens, and they are declared as natural flavour.
Talk to us about your protein brief
Send us the application, the profile you are chasing and your target dose rate, and we will come back with a shortlist and samples. Our NPD team also develops flavours to brief, and our ESG matching service can reverse-engineer a flavour you already use.
Request samplesContact the teamDevelopment services