Stars + Honey, the collagen protein bar brand redefining what nutrition can taste like, today announced its minority growth investment from VMG Partners (“VMG”), a premier growth equity firm focused on high-potential consumer brands. The investment will fuel Stars + Honey’s omnichannel expansion, drive continued product development and brand growth, and finance the expansion of its manufacturing footprint with a new state-of-the-art 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility — the unlock that will allow the brand to build the operational infrastructure needed to support national scale. McConnell Smith, general partner at VMG, will join the company’s board of directors.
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Stars + Honey has 18 chef-inspired, delicious flavors including Cherry Chocolate Waffle Cone, Espresso Vanilla Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate Coconut, and Cacao Salt Caramel Peanut.
Launched in 2023, Stars + Honey was founded on the belief that eating well should never come at the cost of your palate. Stars + Honey collagen protein bars deliver 15g of protein in 18 chef-inspired flavors including Espresso Vanilla Cinnamon and Cherry Chocolate Waffle Cone all under 200 calories and free from gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols, and seed oils. Formulated with Type I and Type III grass-fed bovine collagen peptides, each bar supports skin elasticity, hair health, and joint comfort to optimize health. Stars + Honey is the antidote in a category that has overindexed on protein and underdelivered on taste.
“Stars + Honey was created to bring care, craft, and attention to detail to a category that often lacks it,” said Daniel Rainey, founder and CEO of Stars + Honey. “Getting there has been far more difficult than we expected, and in many ways the industry isn’t built for the level of quality and control we wanted. That pushed us to build and refine so much in-house ourselves. VMG has an exceptional track record of building category-defining brands, and we’re excited to partner with them to help redefine what a protein bar can be.”
The focus on quality and dessert-like flavor profiles has been made possible by in-house-led flavor development and vertical integration of the brand’s supply chain that allows Stars + Honey to have end-to-end control of ingredient quality, production, and innovation. In the last 14 months, Stars + Honey has formulated 18 unique flavors of its collagen protein bars, with more planned for the year ahead. Last year, Stars + Honey saw 300% growth and is on track to reach approximately $50 million in revenue in 2026 supported by the brand’s upcoming expansion into national retail.
“We’ve invested in some of the most iconic bar brands over the past 20 years, which helped us very quickly recognize how special Stars + Honey is,” said McConnell Smith, general partner at VMG. “Daniel’s created a tremendous product that speaks to a really underserved consumer in the space, and he’s assembled a phenomenal team to build with.”
Stars + Honey collagen protein bars are available for purchase at StarsandHoney.com and Amazon.
For more information, visit www.starsandhoney.com.
ABOUT STARS + HONEY
Founded in 2023, Stars + Honey is a premium snack brand built on the belief that functional nutrition should never ask you to choose between taste and integrity. The company’s collagen protein bars are crafted with clean, purposeful ingredients — no sugar alcohols, no seed oils, no artificial sweeteners — and designed to deliver up to 15 grams of protein alongside collagen peptides in flavors that taste like dessert. Stars + Honey treats food with the same care and intention typically reserved for a premium product: obsessed with detail, elevated in design, and made to be enjoyed. Stars + Honey was founded in Michigan by entrepreneur Daniel Rainey. To learn more, visit StarsandHoney.com.
ABOUT VMG PARTNERS
VMG Partners is a growth equity firm founded in 2005 to identify and support the growth of innovative companies into iconic brands that span generations. Headquartered in San Francisco, the firm invests through its two core funds, Consumer and Technology, and is guided by the thesis that progress and innovation will prevail over the status quo. VMG specializes in enterprise and founder partnerships that drive successful investments, mergers and acquisitions across beauty and personal care, food and beverage, health and wellness, pet, and technology that powers operational excellence for consumer brands. For more information on VMG Partners, please visit www.vmgpartners.com.
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