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IrelandIsrael's protein boom puts prices and nutritional need under scrutiny
A supermarket investigation follows cheaper imports through port delays and asks whether ordinary meals can deliver what premium products promise.
IsraelWhy this story? One of חדשות 13's most watched videos since yesterday, with 46,365 views.
חדשות 13: The news company of Israel's Channel 13. 276K subscribers and 299M views.
המחיר עולה והביקוש בשמיים, אבל האם האובססיה לחלבון מוצדקת?
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Things we can learn from the video
Press to jump
- 1:43Importers describe inspection delays affecting German protein drinks at Ashdod and argue that the barriers restrict competition.
- 4:26Exercise physiologist Dr. Shawn Portal argues that the fixation on extra protein has become excessive.
- 5:39A breakfast-buffet demonstration shows how ordinary foods can supply protein without specially enriched products.
- 8:53The imported shipment is released, and its importers compare their drinks' prices with competing products.
- 9:47Food technologist Yikrat Shechter explains formulation and production costs, while acknowledging a marketing component in the premium.
- 11:19The studio presenter reads the Health Ministry's response concerning inspection delays at the port.
A breakfast buffet offers a counterpoint to Israel's crowded protein-product shelves: eggs, yogurt and other familiar foods, without the premium "PRO" branding.
In a report for Israel's Channel 13 News, consumer affairs correspondent Noga Nir Neeman examines two questions that are easily bundled together at the supermarket: why enriched products cost so much, and whether shoppers need them in the first place.
Food importers Eli Zak and Shlomi Franco show protein drinks from Germany that they are trying to bring into Israel. They describe lengthy Health Ministry inspection delays at Ashdod, a Mediterranean port, and argue that the barriers restrict competition and protect established domestic producers. The report follows the shipment's eventual release, after which the importers present their lower-priced alternative alongside competing products.
Exercise physiologist Dr. Shawn Portal challenges the nutritional premise behind the shopping trend. He argues that the fixation on counting protein has become excessive and demonstrates at the breakfast buffet how ordinary food can supply enough. The report also compares enriched products with chicken, eggs, tuna, yogurt and tofu. His central point is that extra protein need not mean buying a specially branded product.
Food technologist Yikrat Shechter offers a more complicated explanation for the price premium. Adding protein is not simply a matter of changing a label: it requires adjustments to a product's formulation and manufacturing process. She nevertheless agrees that marketing accounts for part of the gap.
The distinction matters throughout the investigation: cheaper imports could change the price of convenience, while ordinary meals offer another way to obtain the nutrient itself. The studio closes by reading the Health Ministry's response concerning the inspection delays.
Published on Trari
Where next?
What do you think?
- Channel
- חדשות 13
- Subscribers
- 275,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 3,658,901
- Channel views, pace per day
- 480,134 (on a normal day: 446,755)
- Video published
- November 4, 2026
- Video views so far
- 46,365 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 51,166
The numbers
The investigation drew about 46,000 views since yesterday, placing it among Israel's most-watched new news videos.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which country supplies the imported protein drinks featured in the investigation?
Eli Zak and Shlomi Franco present protein drinks they are importing from Germany.