Because it's made of food. Ghee and cacao butter behave the way butter and good chocolate behave — they soften in the heat. We left out the stabilisers and palm fat that keep conventional bars rigid. Ten minutes in the fridge brings the bar straight back; taste and nutrition are unaffected.

Why whey concentrate rather than isolate?

Isolate is whey pushed through extra processing to strip out fat and lactose. It flatters the label but moves further from the original food, and it usually needs gums and flavourings to behave in a bar. Concentrate keeps more of the milk intact and blends naturally with a short ingredient list.

What does it taste like?

Deep, dark, properly bitter cacao rather than sweet milk chocolate — closer to a rich brownie than a sweet shop bar. Dense and chewy through the middle, with cacao nibs for crunch.

Can I eat it if I'm sensitive to dairy?

It contains MILK, from both whey protein concentrate and ghee, so it isn't suitable if you avoid dairy or have a milk allergy. Some people who react to lactose find whey concentrate manageable, but please judge that for yourself.

How should I store them?

In a cool, dry place — a cupboard, a drawer or the fridge. Keep them out of hot cars and direct sun. The best-before date is printed on every bar.

How does the subscription work?

Choose Subscribe & save, then pick a box every week, every two weeks or every month. It's £23.40 a box — 10% off the £26 one-off price. Pause, skip or cancel whenever you like.

Do you deliver locally?

Yes. Delivery is free to CT7, CT8, CT9, CT10, CT11 and CT12 — enter your postcode at checkout and the free local rate is applied automatically.

What about the rest of the UK?

Boxes go anywhere in mainland UK by tracked post for £2.85, added at checkout.

A Dark Cacao bar in its pouch beside the unwrapped bar and cacao nibs

1 / 10

All natural · Grass-fed · Made in the UK

Dark Cacao

Finally, a protein bar with standards. Tastes and digests like real food — 20g of protein from whey and collagen, with only ten recognisable ingredients.

20g protein, 195kcal. Grass-fed whey and collagen in each bar.
Tastes like real food. Because it is. All-natural ingredients. Minimally processed.
Easy on your stomach. Nothing artificial.
Naturally sweetened. Premium coconut nectar and honey. That's all.

Box size

7 barsOne box

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Delivery is worked out at checkout: free to CT7–CT12, £2.85 anywhere else in mainland UK.

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£2.85 mainland UK
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7 × approx. 48g bars. Contains MILK. Values may vary slightly due to natural ingredients.

Grass-fed protein
10 ingredients
No seed oils
20g protein per bar
Under 200 kcal
Made in the UK
No gums or fillers

ALL-NATURAL. NUTRIENT DENSE. NOTHING TO HIDE.

PREMIUM PROTEIN SOURCES

20g of easily absorbable grass-fed protein from whey concentrate and bovine collagen.

FOOD-LIKE TASTE AND TEXTURE

Rich chocolatey flavour with a dense, chewy texture, bite, and a little crunch.

GUT-FRIENDLY BY DESIGN

No sugar alcohols, gums, emulsifiers or fibre syrups. No ultra-processed shortcuts.

Verified by Judge.me

What people say

5.0/5 from 4 reviews

“Finally, a protein bar that actually meets expectations! The natural ingredients were a huge selling point for me, and it actually tastes good! The hint of salt throughout was an added bonus. Unlike many protein bars that can be overly sweet or artificial, this one has a delicious, balanced flavour and a satisfying texture.”
Els
Verified buyer
“Best protein bar I’ve had! It’s rare that you come across a product that offers natural ingredients but delivers on what it says. This bar is a game changer - I love the small list of ingredients and how the bar tastes. It even has me reaching for another one just as the finish the first.”
Alex Mead
Verified buyer
“I just had my first box of Standards protein bars. I am so happy, I’ve finally found a protein bar that is nutritionally bang on that also tastes incredible! I certainly won’t be looking anywhere else now, or falling for the trap of convenience through the major brands. Can’t wait to grab my next box and continue my journey with them 🙌”
Owen Lauder
Verified buyer

Read all reviews — collected and verified independently by Judge.me.

Ten ingredients, all of them food

Every ingredient in the bar, in the order it appears on the pack. There is nothing else in it.

Grass-fed whey protein concentrate

Complete protein with every essential amino acid. Concentrate, not isolate — less refined, closer to the milk it came from. Contains MILK.

Grass-fed bovine collagen

Essential for skin, hair, joints and connective tissue.

Organic coconut nectar

Unrefined sweetness tapped from the coconut flower, with its minerals left intact.

Honey

Real-food sweetness that also binds the bar.

Organic cacao powder

Natural and un-dutched, giving a rich chocolate flavour.

Grass Fed Ghee

A nutrient dense stable, ancestral fat that carries flavour and energy. Contains MILK.

Organic cacao nibs

Nutrient dense crushed whole cacao beans for crunch.

Organic cacao butter

The fat pressed from the cacao bean. It sets the texture without using palm oil, or other seed oils.

Organic vanilla extract

Real extract to create a more rounder flavour profile.

Sea salt

Just enough to balance all flavours.

Us vs them

Dark Cacao compared with conventional protein bars
	Dark Cacao	Typical protein bar
Protein source	Grass-fed whey concentrate + bovine collagen	Isolates, plant blends, low-grade dairy
Protein per bar	20g	8–20g
Calories per bar	195	220–300+
Sweeteners	Honey + organic coconut sap	Sugar alcohols, syrups, artificial sweeteners
Binders & fillers	None	Inulin, tapioca fibre, gums, glycerin
Fats	Ghee + organic cacao butter	Palm oil and seed oils
Flavour	Organic cacao, nibs, vanilla	“Natural flavourings”
Ingredient count	10	20–30+

Protein source
Dark CacaoGrass-fed whey concentrate + bovine collagen
Typical barIsolates, plant blends, low-grade dairy
Protein per bar
Dark Cacao20g
Typical bar8–20g
Calories per bar
Dark Cacao195
Typical bar220–300+
Sweeteners
Dark CacaoHoney + organic coconut sap
Typical barSugar alcohols, syrups, artificial sweeteners
Binders & fillers
Dark CacaoNone
Typical barInulin, tapioca fibre, gums, glycerin
Fats
Dark CacaoGhee + organic cacao butter
Typical barPalm oil and seed oils
Flavour
Dark CacaoOrganic cacao, nibs, vanilla
Typical bar“Natural flavourings”
Ingredient count
Dark Cacao10
Typical bar20–30+