Reviews: Olyra Fig Bars and PRIMA Ancestral Protein Bars

Olyra Fig Bars

Olyra is embracing figs – a fruit grown, harvested and worshipped in Greece for millennia – in its newest product line. A modern take on a classic snack (think Fig Newtons meets Nutri-Grain Bars), Olyra Fig Bars are organic and lower in sugar than leading brands, with a whole grain flour blend of spelt, barley and oat packing a nutritious punch. The product is available in Blueberry and Raspberry flavors in 5-count packs.

Things that stand out:

• The brand’s crisp, modern packaging design pops on shelf, with bold typography and photography that showcases the bar’s soft, dense, jammy filling and creates strong appetite appeal.
• The ingredient deck combines real fruit components – fig paste, raspberry, apple, pectin, citrus fiber – with prebiotic fiber that delivers a functional edge beyond standard fig bars.
• The product line is an incremental addition to the brand’s breakfast-oriented lineup of high-fiber, lower-sugar, ancient grain snacks.
• The bars somewhat align with an Ozempic-fueled push toward lower-sugar, portion-controlled snacks. One 38-gram bar has 130 calories and 6 grams of sugar. (Nature’s Bakery fig-based bars contain 12 grams of sugar for a 38-gram portion).

Things to consider:

• Its protein content is relatively low – 2 grams per bar – which may deter some consumers who are seeking higher-protein options at snack time.
• The texture, format and overall eating experience are comfortably familiar, making it easy to adopt but hard to stand out in a crowded set.
• In today’s snack aisle, being a better-for-you fig bar is a good start, but is it enough to capture meaningful share?

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PRIMA

Ancestral protein bar PRIMA launched into retail early last year as part of Sprouts’ innovation set, establishing itself as one of the retailer’s top-selling bars since then. The clean-label bar contains all organic ingredients including grass-fed bovine collagen, whey protein, beef tallow, raw honey, and egg yolks. Available in four flavors – Cacao, Cookie Dough, Mocha and Salted Caramel – each 2.5 oz. bar packs 21 grams of protein with no seed oils or refined sugar.

Things that stand out:

• The clean label attributes help it stand out in a crowded category where fillers, preservatives and unrecognizable ingredients can drive off better-for-you consumers.
• The packaging stands out with the brand name boldly plastered on the front, along with callouts highlighting its grass-fed ingredients, total protein and “nothing to hide.”

Things to consider:

• Many varieties, like Salted Caramel and Cacao, have a tart aftertaste that can make the eating experience less satisfying. A touch more sweetness might help mask some of the bitter notes.
• Using “Ancestral” as a descriptor is confusing. While “grass-fed” is listed on the front label, it’s in a much smaller font and is a more recognizable term to mainstream consumers.
• Like many protein bars, PRIMA can feel pretty dense. The bars have a significant chew that requires strong jaw muscles to get through, making it not as quick and convenient to consume.

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