Prima
Cacao
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Ancestral, short ingredient list anchored by grass‑fed proteins, raw honey, cacao, and beef tallow—no sugar alcohols, no gums, no seed oils. It delivers a fudge‑like texture with real‑cocoa depth.
When to choose Prima Cacao
Omnivores who want a real‑food, gluten‑free bar that tastes like chocolate and honey, sits easy on the stomach, and eats like a satisfying mini‑meal. Not for dairy or coconut avoiders, vegans, or strict low‑sugar seekers.
What's in the Prima bar?
Prima’s Cacao Protein Bar leans ancestral: protein from grass‑fed bovine collagen peptides plus a grass‑fed dairy protein concentrate, sweetness from organic raw honey, and structure from beef tallow and organic coconut.
The chocolate comes honestly—organic cacao nibs and cacao powder—rounded out with vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. On the macro front, you get around‑average protein, higher fat and calories, and a notably honey‑forward sugar profile compared with bars that lean on sugar alcohols.
If you want real honey and a richer, more satiating fat profile wrapped in true cacao flavor, this is that bar.
- Protein
- 16 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Calories
- 240
Protein
1615MIDMost of the 16 grams come from grass‑fed bovine collagen peptides, backed by a grass‑fed dairy protein concentrate (the label doesn’t specify whey vs. milk protein). Collagen is highly digestible but incomplete—it lacks tryptophan—so the dairy component helps round out the amino acid profile. Expect a softer, chewier bite than whey‑only bars and a protein level that sits near the pack.
Fat
139HIGHThe 13 grams of fat come mainly from grass‑fed beef tallow and organic coconut, both rich in saturated fats that give the bar its firm structure and lingering fullness. Tallow is very stable and coconut brings that creamy note, but together they skew toward saturated fat; if you’re watching LDL, balance this with unsaturated fats elsewhere in your day. There are no seed oils here and virtually no omega‑3s, so plan those from other meals.
Carbs
1620MIDCarbs are driven by organic raw honey—simple sugars that absorb quickly for immediate energy. Cacao and coconut add flavor with little digestible starch, so total carbs stay moderate, but most of them are sugar rather than fiber. Expect a quicker rise in blood sugar than oats‑ or date‑based bars, though the bar’s fat and protein help take the sharpest edge off.
Sugar
144HIGHSugar sits high for the category at 14 grams, almost entirely from organic raw honey rather than syrups, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners. That keeps the ingredient list simple and the flavor unmistakably honey‑chocolate, but it’s still added sugar—treat it like a sweet snack if you’re tracking. Cocoa, coconut, and vanilla contribute negligible sugars by comparison.
Calories
240210HIGHAt 240 calories, this bar pulls most of its energy from fat, with meaningful contributions from honey and a moderate 16 grams of protein. It eats more like a compact mini‑meal than a light snack, which can be great when you need something truly satisfying. The fat‑plus‑protein combo should extend satiety, even as honey provides a quick lift.
Vitamins & Minerals
No single vitamin or mineral clears 10 percent DV. Expect modest iron from cacao, a little calcium from the dairy protein, and trace potassium from cacao and coconut—nice extras, but not headline features.
Additives
This is a short, kitchen‑style label: collagen peptides and a dairy protein concentrate for protein; honey, cacao nibs/powder, coconut, vanilla, and sea salt for flavor and texture. The most processed ingredient is the collagen (a hydrolyzed protein from cow connective tissue); otherwise there are no gums, sugar alcohols, or synthetic sweeteners. Beef tallow is simply rendered fat—used here for structure and stability.
Ingredient List
Cattle hides and bones
Honey bees collect floral nectar
Beef
Seeds of Theobroma cacao
Seeds of Theobroma cacao
Coconut palm fruit flesh
Vanilla orchid beans
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I recently discovered Prima protein bars and those are clean, great texture, and nice flavor. I can eat multiple without having stomach issues.”
Main Praise
Fans keep returning to three themes: ingredient integrity, texture, and how they feel afterward. With nothing artificial or sugar alcohol‑heavy, several folks noted they could eat more than one without stomach drama (Redditor mentalshaman said exactly that).
The cacao reads like actual chocolate—roasty, a little bitter, balanced by honey—not the flat, flavored sweetness of many bars. People who like it describe a soft, brownie‑ish chew that doesn’t glue to your teeth.
The tallow‑and‑coconut base seems to extend fullness in a way many low‑fat bars don’t. And for label readers, the grass‑fed sourcing and seed‑oil‑free formula are genuine draws.
Main Criticism
This bar is polarizing. Some tasters pick up a noticeable tallow note that reads beefy or oily, and a few found the texture dry rather than fudgy.
Others push back on the macros: 14 grams of honey‑based sugar and 13 grams of mostly saturated fat make it feel richer than a typical "lean" bar. There’s also uncertainty about the protein split; because collagen is incomplete, reviewers like Ryno wanted clarity on how much comes from the dairy component.
A number of shoppers also mention the price as a sticking point.
The Middle Ground
Put the raves and gripes together and a pattern appears: expectations drive the experience.
If you want a candy‑bar clone with lean macros, you may side with Captain Tom’s emphatic “no”—tallow can read savory to some palates, especially when sweetness is kept in check by real cacao.
But if you’re seeking real‑food ingredients, no sugar alcohols, and a chocolate‑and‑honey profile, the flavor and the clean finish line up with mentalshaman and a swath of Amazon reviewers.
The numbers support that divide: at 240 calories with 16g of protein and a solid dose of saturated fat, this behaves like a compact mini‑meal, which explains the satiety people report.
Ryno’s point about collagen is fair—collagen isn’t a complete protein; the dairy concentrate helps, but the exact split isn’t disclosed. If you’re using it post‑lift, pairing with milk or yogurt can round out the aminos; for travel, long mornings, or between‑meeting hunger, it stands on its own.
What's the bottom line?
Prima’s Cacao bar is deliberately different. It trades the usual syrups, sugar alcohols, and emulsifiers for grass‑fed collagen and dairy protein, beef tallow, raw honey, and real cacao. The result is a dense, chocolate‑forward bar that many find satisfying and easy on digestion, with a clean ingredient list you can read in a breath.
The tradeoffs are transparent: more saturated fat, meaningful added sugar (from honey), and a flavor/texture that some love and others find unusual. If you’re plant‑based or chasing ultra‑low sugar, look elsewhere. But if you’re an omnivore who’s gluten‑free, fine with dairy and coconut, and prefers honey‑sweetened chocolate over lab‑sweet, this is one of the cleaner bars out there.
Think of it as a tidy, travel‑ready square meal—one you’ll either keep in your bag for the long haul or decide isn’t for you after a single bite. Both outcomes make sense; this bar knows its audience and serves it well.