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Grass-fed beef tallow protein bars expand into Kroger

Prima, founded in 2023, includes 21 g of animal protein with zero seed oils.

Prima, reportedly the first ancestral protein bar, is launching in nearly 500 Kroger stores nationwide beginning July 13, marking its largest conventional grocery expansion to date and bringing real-food snacks to millions of new consumers across the country, the brand says.

As consumers increasingly scrutinize ingredient labels and move away from ultra-processed foods, Prima has emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in the category, the brand notes. Built around grass-fed protein, raw honey, egg yolks, and beef tallow, and free from seed oils, artificial sweeteners, and emulsifiers, the brand reportedly gained rapid traction among consumers seeking simpler, more recognizable ingredients without sacrificing protein content or convenience.

"Right now, we're seeing a major shift in consumers becoming increasingly skeptical of ultra-processed foods and paying closer attention to ingredient labels than ever before," says Dominick DeLegge, co-founder and CEO of Prima. "We built Prima around the belief that protein should come from real ingredients people recognize and trust. Expanding into Kroger allows us to bring that philosophy to a much broader audience and makes it easier for everyday shoppers to access protein bars made with ingredients they can actually understand."

"Sprouts showed us that when you give consumers a real choice, they choose real food. Kroger gives us the chance to prove that at a completely different scale," adds DeLegge.

Most protein bars are built on synthetic protein isolates, seed oils, sugar alcohols, and emulsifiers. Prima takes the opposite approach, it says. Every bar contains ten ingredients, all recognizable and traceable: grass-fed whey and collagen, beef tallow, organic raw honey, and pasture-raised egg yolks, among others. There are no seed oils, no artificial sweeteners, and no processed fillers. The result is 21 g of complete animal protein with a soft, cakey texture and a flavor profile built entirely from real food, the brand says. The current lineup includes Mint Chip, Cookie Dough, Mocha, Cacao, and Salted Caramel, with additional flavor innovation planned for later this year.

The Kroger rollout is a direct response to proven consumer demand, Prima notes. Since launching in 2025, Prima rapidly expanded into thousands of retail locations and became the top-selling protein bar SKU at Sprouts Farmers Market, it says. That performance demonstrated that consumers will choose real-food protein when given the option. The Kroger expansion brings that same philosophy into conventional grocery for the first time at scale, reaching millions of shoppers who are actively looking for better options in the protein bar aisle.

For millions of Kroger shoppers, this expansion means Prima's bars will be available in their regular grocery store for the first time. The rollout spans Kroger stores including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Smith's, Fry’s, Ralph’s, King Soopers, Mariano's and City Market.

Prima is continuing to expand across both natural and conventional retail channels, with additional growth expected throughout 2026. Additional flavor innovation is planned for later this year. The brand remains committed to its founding ingredient philosophy as distribution scales, it adds.