- Sports nutrition brand MET-Rx enters the ready-to-drink space with its new 44g High Protein Shake, fronted by longtime ambassador John Cena.
- Each 14-ounce bottle delivers 44 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, five key nutrients, and up to 2,500 mg of electrolytes across three milkshake-inspired flavors.
- The rollout expands the brand’s video-game-inspired "Level-Up" creative platform with new animated digital and social content featuring Cena.
- The ready-to-drink line launches at Walmart and Amazon at a suggested retail price of $3.47 per bottle.
Sports nutrition pioneer MET-Rx has officially entered the ready-to-drink category with the rollout of its MET-Rx 44g High Protein Shake. To launch the product, the brand tapped multi-year ambassador John Cena to star in the latest expansion of its “Level-Up” creative platform.
The ready-to-drink lineup features three flavors: Strawberry Shortcake, Vanilla Milkshake, and Chocolate Milkshake. Formulated to combine high-protein nutrition with active recovery support, each 14-ounce bottle packs 44 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, five essential nutrients, and up to 2,500 mg of electrolytes. The new shakes are available at Walmart and Amazon for a suggested retail price of $3.47.
The campaign places Cena into an animated, retro video-game universe where nutritional power-ups mirror physical fitness breakthroughs. Cena first signed a multi-year partnership with MET-Rx in May 2024 and headlined their Big 100 bar campaign in March 2026.
MET-Rx, owned by 1440 Foods, maintains deep athletic roots, previously sponsoring NFL tight end Brock Bowers to endorse its high-protein nutrition lines.
The MET-Rx shake rollout adds to an exceptionally active commercial run for Cena following the conclusion of his full-time WWE retirement tour. In May 2026, he served as Nature’s Own “Breaducator” in a brand refresh highlighting his crossover appeal in clean-label grocery marketing.
He also teamed with fintech platform Chime for the “U Can’t Fee Me” ads, and more recently starred alongside Cody Rhodes in a Clash of Clans campaign, bringing their wrestling star power into mobile gaming.
Outside commercial work, Cena hosted WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas and introduced the “John Cena Classic” tournament.
Takeaways
The ready-to-drink protein space has turned into an intensely competitive retail sector, and MET-Rx is making its entrance by leaning directly into heavy-duty macros and authentic gym heritage.
Packing 44 grams of protein alongside fiber and up to 2,500 mg of electrolytes separates this formula from mainstream 20g to 30g lifestyle shakes. Rather than chasing casual dieters, MET-Rx is targeting dedicated lifters and athletes requiring high-yield post-workout recovery.
John Cena serves as an ideal anchor for this strategy; his decades of bodybuilding discipline give the formulation immediate credibility, while the lighthearted video-game aesthetic keeps heavy sports nutrition approachable and engaging.
How effectively does John Cena’s long-standing fitness credibility allow MET-Rx to carve out market share from established ready-to-drink giants like Core Power and Premier Protein? Could pairing high electrolyte counts with high protein accelerate an industry-wide shift toward all-in-one recovery beverages?
