The new and trendy David Protein Bars are under fire from a trio of consumers who say there’s more to the label than first meets the eye.
Linus Technologies Inc., the corporate entity behind the brand, has been slapped with a lawsuit claiming the viral snacks misrepresent both calorie and fat content.
Lead plaintiff Daniella Lopez filed a class-action complaint on January 23 in New York federal court.
David Protein Bars market themselves as having one of the strongest protein-to-calorie ratios in the category, with the Gold range promising that 75% of its calories come from the muscle-building macronutrient.
Each bar – which comes in flavors such as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Fudge Brownie, Cake Batter, and Red Velvet – is said to return 28g of protein, 150 calories, and just 2g of total fat.
But the lawsuit alleges some varieties exceed the stated calorie count by 83% and fat by a staggering 400%.
The plaintiffs claim David Protein purposefully misled shoppers into paying high prices for what they thought was a “clean” snack.
They argue that this violates U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, which cap nutrient disparity at no more than 20% above the declared value.
The unhappy trio is seeking damages and restitution and demanding a jury trial.
News of the lawsuit has spread like wildfire on social media, fueled by David Protein Bars being splashed across advertisements in bustling New York City subways.
Some netizens have drawn humorous comparisons to the plot of Mean Girls, in which Regina George is tricked into thinking high-calorie bars are a diet snack.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Peter Rahal, who founded David Protein after selling RXBAR, says he intends to defend the claim “vigorously”.
He added that it fails to understand “how the FDA measures the calories for EPG, one of our key ingredients.”
David Protein reinforced this point by releasing a statement on social media, in which it resolutely stood by the 150 calorie pledge.
“No one is getting Regina Georged,” it wrote. “The confusion comes from how calories are being measured.
“When food is burned in a device called a bomb calorimeter, it measures the heat released.
“But nutrition labels aren’t based on how much heat something produces when burned. They’re based on what the human body can actually absorb and use for energy.”
That distinction, it says, matters for ingredients found in David Protein bars, such as fiber, sweeteners, and fat substitutes like EPG.
“Burning them in a bomb calorimeter treats them as fully digestible calories, even though they are not,” it continued.
“That’s why the FDA requires different calculation methods for these ingredients when determining calories. David is 150 calories.”
David Protein Bars: A Rapid Rise and Repeated Controversy
Since launching in September 2024, David Protein has become a viral sensation.
Boasting a minimalist, designer image not typically associated with the protein bar category, it soared to a $725 million valuation, with $140 million in projected revenue in its first year.
However, the brand has earned its reputation as a disruptor in more ways than one. In a previous lawsuit, David Protein was accused of “secretive and collusive conduct” following its acquisition of EPG maker Epogee.
David said its stockpiling of the modified plant fat was only to secure “supply chain integrity”, rather than hamper competitors.
Not long after that, it pulled off a bizarre lane change by announcing boiled cod fillets as an extension to the lineup.
While unexpected, the move appeared to be an inventive ploy to further highlight its protein-to-calorie ratio – about 50% stronger than many industry rivals.
Boiled cod, however, ranks at 92% for that same metric.
This latest controversy is another hurdle the brand will have to overcome in the public eye.
Early last month, David’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Peter Attia, stepped down after reportedly being mentioned 1,700 times in documents released as part of the wider Epstein files.
READ MORE: Dr. Peter Attia ‘Steps Down’ From His Role at David Protein Over Epstein Emails
