Protein Pop Plus Review: The Biggest Number on the Shelf, Read the Blend
Protein: 30g per 12 oz can, published on the carton as 15g whey protein isolate plus 15g collagen
Sugar: 0g
Where: All 600+ US Costco locations as of February 2026, plus Amazon and proteinpop.com
Price: $41.99 for a 12-pack on Amazon (verified August 2026); cheaper per can at Costco, where warehouse pricing varies by region
The Costco Protein Arms Race
Rise Wellness launched Protein Pop Plus at Costco nationwide in early 2026, planting the biggest protein flag in the category: 30 grams in 12 ounces, lightly carbonated, built to drink like soda rather than shake. It shares the warehouse lane with Genius Gourmet's Blue Raspberry Lemonade sparkling protein, also 30 grams and also Costco-exclusive, which Tasting Table described as candy-like and closer to an energy drink than a true soda (it ranked seventh of eleven there).
The Collagen Asterisk
Here is the part worth slowing down for. Protein Pop Plus hits 30 grams with a blend of whey isolate and bovine collagen. Collagen is protein, so the label is legal and accurate. But collagen is an incomplete protein: it lacks tryptophan and is low in leucine, the amino acid that primarily triggers muscle protein synthesis. Gram for gram, collagen contributes much less to muscle building than whey isolate does.
Update, August 2026: the ratio is published and it is exactly half. We previously wrote that we could not verify the whey-to-collagen split. Protein Pop's own 4-pack carton states it plainly: 15g whey protein isolate, 15g collagen. So the muscle-relevant number on a 30 gram can is 15 grams, and the honest comparison against a Bucked Up can is 15 against 25, not 30 against 25. If your goal is joints, skin and general protein intake, the blend is fine and the collagen is a feature. If you are counting grams toward muscle, the biggest number on the shelf is the second-smallest on this list.
Who Should Buy It
Pros
- Highest protein number in the category
- Costco warehouse pricing usually beats per-can online prices
- Zero sugar, soda-style drinking experience
Cons
- Collagen padding makes the 30g less than it appears for muscle goals
- Cheapest per can at Costco, which needs a membership; Amazon and the brand shop cost more
- Half the headline 30g is collagen: 15g whey isolate, 15g collagen, per the brand's own carton
Verdict: Worth throwing in the cart on a Costco run if you value collagen anyway and the per-can price beats Bucked Up. If every gram needs to count for muscle, buy the 25 gram all-whey can instead: 15 real whey grams for around $3.50 is worse math than 25 for $3.33, whatever the front of the can says. See protein soda vs protein shake for where all of these fit in a real protein plan.