Stars + Honey, a collagen protein bar company, announced that it has secured a minority growth investment led by VMG Partners. The funding is intended to support the brand’s omnichannel expansion, accelerate product development, strengthen marketing efforts, and expand manufacturing capabilities as the company prepares for national growth.
As part of the transaction, McConnell Smith, a general partner at VMG Partners, will join the company’s board of directors.
Founded in 2023 by entrepreneur Daniel Rainey, Stars + Honey aims to combine functional nutrition with premium taste. The company offers collagen protein bars containing 15 grams of protein and formulated with Type I and Type III grass-fed bovine collagen peptides. Its products are available in 18 chef-inspired flavors, including Espresso Vanilla Cinnamon and Cherry Chocolate Waffle Cone, while remaining under 200 calories and free of gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols, and seed oils.
The company said its emphasis on quality and dessert-inspired flavors has been enabled through vertically integrated operations and in-house flavor development. During the last 14 months, Stars + Honey developed 18 flavors, with additional products planned in the coming year.
According to the company, revenue increased by 300% last year, and it expects to generate approximately $50 million in revenue during 2026. The growth is expected to be supported by upcoming expansions into national retail channels.
The new capital will also help finance a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, which the company believes will provide the operational infrastructure necessary to support large-scale growth and maintain control over ingredient sourcing, production, and innovation.
VMG Partners, founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, specializes in growth investments in consumer and technology companies. The firm has backed brands across food and beverage, health and wellness, beauty, personal care, pet products, and technology.
Stars + Honey products are currently available through the company’s website and Amazon.
KEY QUOTES:
“Stars + Honey was created to bring care, craft, and attention to detail to a category that often lacks it. 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.”
Daniel Rainey, Founder and CEO, Stars + Honey
“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. 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.”
McConnell Smith, General Partner, VMG Partners
