Flavors Tried: Chocolate & vanilla
Price: $26.99 for pack of 12 ($2.50 per can)
Nutrition Facts: 150 Calories, 2.5g Fat, 3g Carbs (1g Sugar & 1g Fiber), 30g Protein
While everyone’s out there drinking Fairlife Core Power and Quest’s ultra-filtered milkshakes, there’s another player in the ultra-filtered protein shake game that’s been flying under the radar: Nurri.
These shakes seem to be targeting Fairlife’s “Nutrition Plan” line, which sits between the regular Core Power and Core Power Elite with 30 grams of protein and 150 calories. Nurri matches those exact macros, positioning themselves as a middle-ground option in the ultra-filtered milk space.
The catch seems to be that Nurri shakes are surprisingly hard to find right now. You can grab them online through Amazon or hunt them down at wholesale clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club, but they’re not showing up in stores the way Fairlife shakes are… yet.
I happen to have a Costco membership, so I picked up cases of both chocolate and vanilla to see how these stack up against the other ultra-filtered milk options out there.
Chocolate Nurri Shakes
Right off the bat, drinking Nurri straight from the can gives you a completely different experience than other ultra-filtered shakes.
My first impression was that this tasted incredibly generic, almost exactly like those old Pure Protein shakes that came in cans back in 2008 when I first started lifting. There’s a metallic taste that comes through when you drink it straight from the can that immediately takes you out of the “ultra-filtered milk” experience and makes these feel like average protein shakes.
But here’s where it gets interesting: I did a blind taste test (which I posted on Instagram) and discovered that pouring this shake into a glass changes the flavor profile dramatically. Once you eliminate that metallic can taste, it actually drinks much more like the ultra-filtered shake it’s supposed to be.
Even poured out, this is still noticeably different from Fairlife. The chocolate isn’t nearly as rich, and the shake itself is much thinner. While Fairlife pours and drinks more like 2% milk, Nurri is much closer to skim or almond milk. Simply put: it’s much thinner.
You won’t mistake this for chocolate milk the same way you might with others, but it’s still smooth and drinkable. It’s a step up from generic protein shakes for sure, but not quite on the same level as other ultra-filtered milk options.
Vanilla Nurri Shakes
The vanilla is where Nurri really leans into the “milkshake” territory, but it might be too much for some people.
This one is noticeably sweeter than other ultra-filtered options and has the flavor profile of melted vanilla ice cream. That sounds delicious in theory, but it might not be a glowing endorsement if you’re not someone who loves overly sweet drinks.
I really enjoy it, but you need to know what you’re getting into. It’s very much on the sweeter side and does taste somewhat artificial. And like the chocolate, it’s noticeably thinner than some of the other options out there.
During my blind taste test comparing this to Fairlife’s vanilla shake, I still gave Fairlife the edge, but this actually came in second. The melted ice cream flavor profile is really good if you have a sweet tooth, but it’s very different from Fairlife, which tastes more like vanilla-flavored milk with subtle sweetness.
Nurri Protein Shakes: Final Verdict
My initial experience with Nurri was pretty disappointing, but I quickly learned that the can was sabotaging the entire experience.
When you drink these straight from the can, they taste like cheap protein shakes from a decade ago. But pour them into a glass, and they transform into something much closer to the ultra-filtered experience you’re expecting.
Many people love the fact that these come in a can for the environmental impact, and I totally get that.
It might not seem like packaging would make such a huge difference in terms of flavor, but after working through cases of both flavors, I can tell you these are significantly better when poured out. If they’re a 6/10 straight from the can, they jump to about a 7.5/10 in a glass, and that’s a pretty big improvement.
Are they bad from the can? No, and if you need a grab-and-go option, they work great. But you’re definitely not getting the best experience that way.
In the ultra-filtered shake arena, these fall behind both Fairlife and Quest for me when you take every flavor into account, but they’re ahead of other options I’ve tried like Slate. The thinner consistency and more artificial taste keep them from the top of the list, but they’re still a solid option (especially at the price point).
If you can find them at Costco and you don’t mind the extra step of pouring them into a glass, they’re worth trying. Just don’t expect them to directly replace Fairlife. Think of them more as a decent backup option when you want to switch things up.
