COEUR d’ALENE — Tom Lunneborg, chief operating officer of Genius Gourmet, calls the North Idaho company’s clear sparkling protein drink “one of a kind.”

Consumers nationwide seem to agree.

The protein drinks are selling out in many of Costco’s 634 locations, including the Coeur d’Alene warehouse. 

They’ve also been a trending topic on social media platforms X and TikTok, where hundreds of creators have posted review videos of the drinks, garnering tens of thousands of views.

“This is more than anyone would have expected,” Lunneborg said. “Even the national buyers at Costco were impressed and blown away.”

The drinks pack 30 grams of protein, less than one gram of carbohydrates, 130 calories and zero sugar. 

The main ingredient, other than water and additives for flavor, is whey protein isolate, a highly refined form of whey protein — giving it its high protein content.

Genius Gourmet offers the sparkling drink in one flavor — blue raspberry lemonade — and plans to roll out additional flavors in the future.

The product is currently sold out completely on the company’s website.

Though Genius Gourmet has worked with Costco since 2021, the leap from selling in regional stores to nationwide happened in May with the introduction of the protein drinks.

“They saw what we saw in terms of what the market is doing; people were wanting something new,” said Genius Gourmet president Peter Vas Dias.

The snack company’s other recently released product, protein nut roll bars, have also been well received and are the first in a line of snacks produced in partnership with the peanut butter brand Skippy.

More new snacks from the partnership, including a "Rice Krispies-style" protein bar and a wafer bar, could hit shelves as soon as September.

Vas Dias began Genius Gourmet six years ago alongside the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Lance Rankin — the former CEO and founder of Premier Protein, another widely-recognized brand.

The mission has always been the same: to offer “high protein, low sugar, nutritious items,” Vas Dias said.

“We’re making sure what we put out is healthy for everybody,” Lunneborg added. “We’re not just hitting a niche.”

And though production is done through manufacturers throughout the U.S., the heart of Genius Gourmet remains in North Idaho, where the team is constantly brainstorming their newest innovations.

“We’re in each other’s hair every single day,” Vas Dias said. “I think that actually allows us to move faster than the competition.”