Stars + Honey has secured a minority growth investment from VMG Partners to fund national retail expansion, product development and a new 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The Detroit-based brand offers a line of collagen protein bars with 15 grams of protein across 18 chef-inspired flavors, including Espresso Vanilla Cinnamon and Cherry Chocolate Waffle Cone. All bars contain fewer than 200 calories and are free of gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols and seed oils.
Formulated with grass-fed bovine collagen peptides to support skin, hair and joint health, the bars grew by 300% last year and are on track to reach approximately $50 million in revenue in 2026. VMG General Partner McConnell Smith also joined the company's board.
Stars + Honey shows how chef-driven flavor innovation and clean-label positioning can help emerging brands stand out in the competitive protein bar category.
Image Credit: Stars + Honey
What's Driving This Trend
- Chef-driven Protein Bars
- Culinary-inspired flavor profiles are reshaping functional snacks by making high-protein formats feel more premium, indulgent and differentiated in crowded retail sets.
- Clean-label Performance Snacks
- Ingredient-conscious formulations free from common allergens, seed oils and sugar alcohols create room for wellness snacks that merge nutritional utility with broader consumer trust.
- Collagen-based Nutrition
- Beauty, joint and active-lifestyle benefits are converging in collagen-enhanced foods, giving protein products a more holistic wellness proposition beyond muscle support.
Who This Affects Most
- Functional Foods
- The category is expanding as everyday snacks integrate targeted health benefits, premium ingredients and convenient formats that blur the line between nutrition and lifestyle products.
- Retail Grocery
- National shelf expansion for emerging better-for-you brands reflects growing retailer demand for differentiated products with strong velocity and clear health-positioning signals.
- Food Manufacturing
- Purpose-built production facilities for fast-growing snack brands indicate increasing value in scalable, specialized manufacturing tied to quality control and rapid product development.
