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Misfits Health has announced a new protein bar made with dairy chocolate, whey powder, and bovine collagen, and its vegan customers are pushing back.
The brand is best known for its large range of sugar-free, candy-style protein bars, which, up until now, were labeled and marketed as being 100 percent vegan.
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Last week, Misfits announced its new “Stuffed” protein bars. The Stuffed range features Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel, and Chocolate Frosting flavored bars, which the brand says have “a creamy center” and are double-dipped in chocolate.
Misfits makes Stuffed bars with animal-derived ingredients, including bovine collagen – which comes from cows’ connective tissue, bones, cartilage, and skin – dairy chocolate, and whey powder, which is a byproduct of the cheese-making industry.
All three animal ingredients contribute to the significant carbon emissions, deforestation, land and water use, and animal cruelty caused by farming cows for meat and dairy. Dairy and whey protein both contain lactose, which is a major allergen, and can cause diarrhea, constipation, and other digestive issues.
At the time of writing, online searches for phrases such as “are Misfits protein bars vegan” pull up links to pre-existing blog posts from the brand’s website, at least one of which describes the entire range as “100 percent plant-based and vegan.”
The Misfits Stuffed bars, which are not suitable for vegans or vegetarians, are available exclusively in the US. The Misfits UK range appears to still be vegan-friendly. Misfits has clarified that its existing plant-based bars will remain suitable for vegans.
Plant Based News (PBN) reached out to Misfits for more information.
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‘I’d rather support a fully vegan company than second-guess what kind of bar I’m purchasing’
The decision to create a protein bar with animal products has received significant pushback from the vegan community, including many former Misfits customers.
Writing under a post by the brand on Instagram, one commenter said, “So disappointing to see you announce these non-vegan products. I hoped you were committed to cruelty-free food.” Another said, “This really sucks. Even if you withdrew this range, I couldn’t trust your company’s ethics again. Genuinely so proud of the vegan community for banding together on this one.”
Many more expressed similar frustration, and some highlighted the fact that the new bars are not even suitable for vegetarians, due to the use of collagen.
One person said, “I’d rather support a fully vegan company than second-guess what kind of bar I’m purchasing.”
In response to the comments, Misfits wrote, “Our plant-based bars are here to stay. Stuffed is an addition to the lineup, not a replacement. Thanks for all the feedback and for being part of our amazing Misfits community.”
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