Martha Stewart Joins Stars + Honey as Taste Officer

The lifestyle icon will work with the protein bar brand to develop new flavor profiles for its product lineup.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Healthy Food

Martha Stewart Joins Stars + Honey as Taste Officer

Live Poll

Do you consider celebrity endorsements when deciding which new food products to buy for your home?

Stars + Honey has appointed Martha Stewart as its new chief taste officer to spearhead product development. The brand also launched a social-led campaign titled Taste Has a New Boss to highlight its expansion.

Why it matters

The company aims to revitalize the protein bar aisle by improving flavor quality while maintaining nutritional standards. This move specifically targets consumers who have previously avoided protein bars due to taste concerns.

Stars + Honey protein bars feature 15 g of protein and 4 g of sugar while containing under 200 calories each. The brand currently offers more than 18 distinct flavors across its product lineup.

The players

Martha Stewart

A prominent lifestyle expert and entrepreneur who is now serving as the chief taste officer for Stars + Honey.

Stars + Honey

A food company that produces protein bars and has recently expanded into the Target and Costco retail channels.

VMG Partners

An investment firm that provided a growth equity injection to the company earlier this year.

The details

Stewart will collaborate directly with the brand's in-house culinary team at their Michigan production facility to refine and expand the product offerings. These protein bars are formulated without gluten, dairy, soy, sugar alcohols, or seed oils, using grass-fed bovine collagen peptides as a key ingredient.

Earlier in 2026, the company received a growth equity investment from VMG Partners.
On October 20, 2026, the company announced the appointment of Martha Stewart.

Culture Shift

This partnership reflects a growing trend of health-focused brands leveraging celebrity expertise to bridge the gap between nutritional efficacy and consumer culinary expectations. By integrating a known lifestyle authority, the company attempts to move away from the traditional, utilitarian approach to performance snacks.

Consumers can expect to see new, Stewart-influenced flavor profiles appearing in Target and Costco stores across the country. These updates aim to provide a more palatable option for shoppers who prioritize specific nutritional exclusions like gluten and soy.

The takeaway

When selecting protein bars, check labels for sugar alcohol content and ingredient sources to ensure they align with your dietary needs. The addition of a culinary expert to a brand's team is a strong indicator that taste improvements are being prioritized in future product rollouts.