NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - Danone introduced

a new protein shake under its Oikos yogurt brand this week as

rivals Fairlife and Chobani that have similar products gain

popularity with consumers and those taking weight-loss drugs

such as Wegovy.

The company is looking to enter the $7 billion protein shake

market, said Shane Grant, global deputy CEO of Danone, in an

interview last month.

"Three-quarters of (U.S. consumers) want more protein in their

diet, and GLP-1s are only accelerating this demand," Grant said,

referring to the weight-loss medications. "We see the explosive

growth across lots of demographics and occasions."

Danone said it spent about one year developing the shake, which

is priced at $3.69.

People taking weight-loss drugs are encouraged to eat more

protein to avoid losing muscle, Reuters has reported, leading to

food makers such as Nestle and Conagra offering

new products high in the nutrients or re-labeling existing ones

to meet the new demand.

Makers of smoothies and shakes have also joined the trend.

Coca-Cola's ultra-filtered milk brand Fairlife, which

offers protein shakes, isn't specifically marketed to people on

GLP-1s, but is growing substantially, Coca-Cola executives have

said in recent calls with Wall Street analysts, helping buoy the

entire company.

Energy-drink maker Celsius in February acquired Alani

Nu, another maker of a popular protein shake.

France-based Danone says the Oikos shake is good for

digestive health because it has five grams of a certain type of

fiber. The company, with the new product, is responding to a

trend of U.S. consumers paying more attention to what they eat.

"We see a larger movement toward nutrition and health as

part of the agenda for the American consumer," Grant said. "We

see that American consumer expectation (of) health through food

as growing."

Grant said he also sees U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy

Jr.'s Make American Healthy Again campaign, which is seeking to

overhaul U.S. packaged food and ingredients in it, as part of

that consumer movement.

Danone is turning to social media influencers to help sell

the product, the company said.