Exo
Cocoa Nut (Classic)
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Complete, dairy‑free protein from cricket flour in a short, real‑food ingredient list—no sugar alcohols, no emulsifiers, just pantry staples plus cocoa.
When to choose Exo Cocoa Nut (Classic)
Adventurous eaters who want a filling, real‑food snack for long mornings or miles—especially if you’re dairy‑free, paleo‑leaning, or curious about sustainable animal protein.
What's in the Exo bar?
Exo’s Cocoa Nut (Classic) plays to its strengths: chocolate and coconut up front, almonds for crunch, dates and a touch of honey to bind, and cricket flour quietly delivering complete protein.
It’s built like a compact mini‑meal—calorie‑ and fat‑dense from nuts and coconut—so the energy lingers, while carbs sit mid‑pack and come largely from fruit rather than syrups.
If you’ve never tried insect protein, think of cricket flour as a dairy‑free stand‑in for whey in terms of amino‑acid quality, tucked into cocoa nibs and cocoa powder with vanilla and a pinch of sea salt to round out that cocoa‑coconut profile.
- Protein
- 10 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Calories
- 310
Protein
1015LOWProtein here comes chiefly from cricket flour, with smaller contributions from almonds and flax. Cricket protein is complete and high‑quality, so even though the bar lands on the lower side for total protein (10g), what you get is efficient. Consider it a nutrient‑dense snack rather than a 20‑gram whey-style recovery bar.
Fat
209HIGHMost of the fat is from almonds and coconut, with a supporting role from flax. Almonds bring heart‑friendly monounsaturated fats, while coconut tilts saturated—great for creamy texture and staying power, but worth noting if you’re watching saturated fat. This is a high‑fat bar compared with most, which helps with satiety and slow‑burn energy.
Carbs
2320MIDCarbs come primarily from whole dates, plus a little honey to bind. That means mostly unrefined, fruit‑based sugars for quick energy, cushioned by fiber from dates and flax and the fat from nuts and coconut to slow the release. Expect steadier energy than a syrup‑heavy bar, though it’s still a sweet, fruit‑forward ride.
Sugar
134HIGHThe sweetness is natural: mostly from dates, with a drizzle of honey—no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Dates add minerals and fiber along with their sugars, while honey is quick‑burning, so the bar tastes naturally sweet but not ‘diet.’ The fat‑and‑fiber matrix helps temper the rise, yet those watching sugars should still mind timing and portion.
Calories
310210HIGHWith a nut‑and‑coconut base, most calories come from fat, then carbs, with protein in a supporting role. It eats like a small meal—excellent for long stretches between meals or outdoor miles. If you want a light, low‑calorie bite, this isn’t it; it’s designed to keep you fueled.
Vitamins & Minerals
You get about 10% Daily Value each of calcium and iron, likely from almonds and coconut (calcium) and from cocoa and cricket flour (iron). Cricket flour also naturally carries vitamin B12—often not shown on panels—which is a nice extra for a non‑dairy bar.
Additives
This label reads like a pantry: almonds, dates, coconut, honey, cocoa nibs and powder, ground flax, vanilla, and sea salt. No gums, emulsifiers, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners—vanilla extract is the only notably refined ingredient, used at tiny levels for aroma. In short, a minimally processed bar built from whole foods.
Ingredient List
Almond tree seeds
Date palm fruit
Coconut palm fruit flesh
Honey bees collect floral nectar
Farmed house crickets
Cacao tree seeds
Defatted cacao bean solids
Flax plant seeds
Vanilla orchid beans
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Depends on your preferred source of protein here, but I enjoy Exo. They're made with crickets and pea protein. No, you don't taste either, and they're decently nutritious. 3g of sugar, too.”
“Additionally, I haven’t had them in a while but I remember liking the exo cookie dough one when I tried it.”
“Cricket protein is cheap to produce so it's a huge markup for sure. Exo protein is much better and cheaper anyway, and has more protein too”
Main Praise
Fans keep coming back to two things: ingredients you can point to, and a not‑too‑sweet chew. Bon Appétit puts Exo in the “we like it” camp for its soft texture and restrained sweetness, noting the absence of sugar alcohols.
NPR’s tasters call it slightly sweet and surprisingly satiating, which lines up with the fat‑and‑fiber matrix you’d expect from nuts, coconut, and dates. On Amazon, reviewers who click with it describe a simple, honest flavor that doesn’t melt all over your hands or masquerade as dessert.
And there’s the quieter win: cricket flour delivers complete protein without dairy, which is a rare combo in the bar aisle.
Main Criticism
The two knocks you’ll see most: price and texture. Several Redditors and Amazon reviewers say Exo can run spendy, especially for a bar that isn’t packed with 20g of protein.
Texture‑wise, the date‑and‑nut base reads as chewy (some say sticky or a bit dry), more in the RXBAR family than the nougat‑like, chocolate‑coated crowd. Taste feedback varies by flavor, too—some people love certain varieties while others find them just okay.
And while the sweetness here comes from dates and honey, this Cocoa Nut bar still lands on the sweeter side for those hunting ultra‑low‑sugar options. Finally, the obvious: if the idea of insect protein makes you squeamish—or you have shellfish allergies, which can sometimes cross‑react with insects—this won’t be your pick.
The Middle Ground
So who’s right: the “soft, satisfying, real‑food” camp or the “pricey, sticky” camp? Probably both.
If you’re used to chocolate‑coated, high‑protein slabs, Exo’s cocoa‑date chew will feel different—more like a dense trail bite than a confection. That’s by design: fat from almonds and coconut, carbs from dates and a little honey, and 10g of high‑quality cricket protein add up to steady energy, not a protein bomb.
Reddit user unknown compared the texture to RXBARs with a hint of exasperation; fair, but that tacky chew is exactly what you get when you bind nuts and cocoa with fruit instead of syrups and emulsifiers.
Price complaints are also real—novel proteins and short ingredient decks tend to cost more—but if you value minimal processing and a complete, dairy‑free protein source, you may see the trade‑off differently.
The remaining wild card is taste, which ranges from “simple and tasty” to “meh” depending on the reviewer—and likely your expectations.
What's the bottom line?
Exo’s Cocoa Nut (Classic) is a real‑food chocolate‑coconut bar that eats like a small meal: 310 calories, 20g of fat for staying power, and 10g of complete protein from crickets. It’s gluten‑free and paleo‑friendly with sweetness from dates and honey, not sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. If you want something clean, filling, and dairy‑free for the trail or a long morning, this is a thoughtful pick.
It won’t convert everyone. The price can sting, the chew leans date‑bar, and the protein per bar is modest compared with gym‑centric options. But if you’re open to insect protein and you prefer pantry‑grade ingredients to candy‑bar cosplay, Cocoa Nut quietly nails the brief: steady energy, real flavor, and a short label you can actually read.
Condensed listicle pick: A chocolate‑coconut, real‑food bar with 10g of complete cricket protein and no sugar alcohols. Chewy like a date bar, filling like a mini‑meal. Great for hikes and long mornings; skip if you need 20g protein or you’re not into insect protein (or nuts).