Honey Stinger, a leader in sports fuel trusted by professional athletes, fitness and active lifestyle enthusiasts alike, is pleased to announce the launch of its newest product: Peanut Butter Energy Waffles. The company invented the energy waffle, so it's no surprise that Honey Stinger is the first and only energy waffle to launch new peanut butter flavors. The new organic peanut butter line boasts a rich and creamy organic peanut butter combined with organic honey-infused filling between two soft-baked organic waffles for the ultimate energy-boosting snack that fits in your pocket.

Read full press release here!

Insurgent Brands are defined by Bain & Company to have grown more than 10 times their category’s average growth rate over the past five years, and maintained at least 10% growth over the past two years.

Read the whole article here.

Steamboat Springs, CO – February 10, 2024 – Honey Stinger, the leader in fueling pro, college and amateur teams, plus millions of physically active individuals, is pleased to announce the appointment of John D'Alessandro as its new Chief Executive Officer.

D'Alessandro joins Honey Stinger with more than two decades of consumer packaged goods experience, having compiled an exceptional track record of driving growth, innovation and profitability. His strategic vision, operational expertise, and passion for sports align perfectly with Honey Stinger's mission to provide high-quality, great tasting sports nutrition for athletes and active individuals.

"John is a seasoned leader with a passion for fostering strong brands and accelerating their growth,” said Nick DiCarlo, Managing Partner at Factory LLC, Honey Stinger’s lead investor. "We are excited to welcome John to the Honey Stinger family and are confident that his leadership will propel the company to new heights."

"With much appreciation for its past, I am thrilled to join Honey Stinger at this time to lead it into the future, building upon the brand’s values-driven legacy in sports nutrition," said D'Alessandro. "I am excited to get to work alongside the high-performing teams at Honey Stinger and Factory LLC to take the brand to new audiences, expand our product offerings, and work daily to further our mission to fuel the active ambitions of our customers."

About Honey Stinger:

Honey Stinger sweetens the burn for more than 1,500 pro and college athletic teams—plus countless individuals, youth athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Honey Stinger’s great tasting, convenient products – which include waffles, bars, chews, gels, and hydration powders – help users prepare, perform, and recover so they are always at their best. Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado since 2001, Honey Stinger products can be found nationwide across all retail channels and online at  www.honeystinger.com.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact Wendy Mayo at wmayo@honeystinger.com.

We love an on-the-go snack, and it doesn’t get much easier than throwing a protein bar in your bag before heading out the door. In addition to convenience, we want one that actually tastes great (nothing chalky or too chewy, please) and has an adequate amount of protein. So, we consulted registered dietitians with sports-nutrition expertise to help us identify protein bars that are truly satisfying and supportive of our overall health or workout goals.

If you eat Skippy straight from the jar, this one’s for you: Honey Stinger’s Nut and Seed Bars have a nut butter core and a caramel coating that’s rolled in seeds and oats. You get a nice crunch, followed by a delicious, gooey middle. They’re one of Jones’s top picks because of the protein content (14 grams in every bar) and the fact they don’t contain melt-prone chocolate: “They hold up well [if] stored in your car in the summer.” 

Read full article here. 

Shop Honey Stinger Nut + Seed Bars here!

Honey Stinger has reformulated their Prepare and Perform drink mixes, improving and increasing the electrolyte contents to enhance hydration and performance.

The updated Prepare pre-exercise product comes in Lemon Lime and Strawberry Lemonade and gets a 3:1 blend of Sodium (270g) to Potassium (92g), with just 9g of carbs from organic honey and tapioca syrup solids, just enough to get you hydrated before a ride or use as a mid-day hydration aid.

The Perform sports drink mix uses the same carbs but bumps them to 18g and increases the electrolytes over the original formula to replace more of what’s lost in sweat. There’s 500mg sodium and 200mg potassium, plus a couple milligrams of calcium. It’s available in Black Cherry and Mango Melon, the latter of which adds 75mg caffeine, too.

 Also, if you haven’t tried their Nut & Seed bars yet, OMG, get some. Delicious, and packs 14g protein with plenty of healthy fats to satiate hunger, too. And they don’t have Quinoa on them like the original Oat & Honey bars, just in case you have a Quinoa allergy (it’s a thing).

Honey Stinger Peak Performance Hydration Mix 

Since the release of its original Stroopwafel product, the Honey Stinger brand has expanded like a bag of chips on an airplane. These days, Honey Stinger makes a broad assortment of bars, energy chews, water bottles, and apparel. The latest addition is a freshly formulated hydration drink powder. Available in two fruity flavors, Honey Stinger’s Pre-Exercise powder ($10 for eight servings) is designed to be consumed prior to exercise.

According to the brand, the Strawberry Lemonade flavor is “tart, tangy, and crisp with just the right amount of sweetness.” True to Honey Stinger’s commitment to natural sweeteners, Pre-Exercise is made with tapioca syrup, honey, and stevia.

Read the full article here.

Shop all Honey Stinger Sport Hydration here!

Outside veteran gear maven, Lisa Jhung, has been testing gear for 25 years. Are Energy Chews Actually Better Endurance Fuel Than Gummy Bears? Lisa sacrifices her teeth to find out. 

"I personally used gummy bears as endurance fuel for a solid ten years. These adorable chewy candies have long been a solution for athletes seeking an inexpensive and sugar-rich fuel for prolonged endeavors. But with more sport-formulated gummy options like Clif Bloks and Honey Stinger Chews on the market than ever, I wondered if there was much of a difference in how they make me feel during hearty efforts. So I decided to put them to a head-to-head test.

Running with Energy Chews

Since energy chews hit the scene some years ago, I’ve relied on them to both satiate my love of gummy candy while exercising and to keep me going. I’ve used them on countless mountain running adventures, ski tours, hikes with kids, and more. But for this gummy-to-gummy comparison, I took them on a mountain run three days after the initial gummy bear test.

The ingredients of both Clif Bloks and Honey Stinger Energy Chews include feel-good sugars like organic tapioca syrup, organic sugar, and organic honey, plus organic color from black carrot juice.

Aside from the better sugars and ingredients in general of energy chews, what both packs of chews have that gummy bears do not are a substantial amount of electrolytes. I feel like I need the extra sodium provided by chews when I exert myself; replacing it helps me feel balanced.

Honey Stinger chews also provide 70 percent the recommended dietary allowance of Vitamin C, and their new Caffeinated Chews  (Cherry Cola, and Stingerita Lime) contain 50 milligrams of caffeine from tea for sustained energy.

Final Thoughts

I find energy chews just as delicious as gummy bears, and both feel like a treat while out on an adventure of any sort. The energy chews don’t coat my teeth in sugar or threaten a sour belly, something I get when I ingest too much sugar on a run. Eating energy chews on a run or any outing that requires endurance just makes more sense than eating gummy bears."

Read full article here. 

Shop Honey Stinger Energy Chews here! 

We went on a hunt for high-quality options that actually deliver on muscle-building protein, heart-healthy fats, filling fiber, and flat-out deliciousness.

This year we scanned shelves and the Internet for the 20 best new-ish packaged snacks that are high in protein, good fats, and fiber while also being reasonable in terms of calories and added sugar. Then we taste-tested more than 50 chips, dips, and bites in order to find the most delicious products. Not every snack satisfied (and some were . . . blech). But these made the cut. Then we reinforced our list online with 30 more classic healthful snacks.

The nuts and seeds power this protein bar’s good fats. The jolt of real honey will help sustain you through long runs or rides.

Check out the full list here.

Shop Honey Stinger Nut + Seed Bars Here!

We've taken the time to list all of our favorite backpacking gear in one place. This dream list has options for any type of trail treader. Whether you love to go fast with the lightest backpacking gear or are just curious as to what items our testers have labeled the best hiking gear, we've got options. We also consider the best value options to help you save money. Links are provided to each review category, as well as more info on any recommended product.

Most Loved Quick Snack

When we think of energy bars, we most often conjure up an image of a rectangular cube of dense, chewy "food" that is not easily identifiable and a taste that is anything but "natural." But it doesn't have to be that way!

Read the full review here.

Check out the full 2023 backpacking list here.

Shop Honey Stinger Waffles here!

Energy stores start to become depleted after mile six (if they are the type of person that can even run that much in one sitting), so any longer distances require refueling. While we love (and are slightly intrigued) by the idea of eating a full steak dinner on the go, eating just whatever isn’t the right way to put nutrients back while on a run. Runners gotta rely on the next best thing: energy gels, chews, and well, snackable waffles crisps. The waffle may not be from IHOP, but when you’re out of gas, being able to eat a waffle in any form will do. 

Read the full article here.

Shop Honey Stinger products here!

The Honey Stinger Waffles are great for athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone who needs a quick pick-me-up post-training.

Honey Stinger over the years has branched out from its original honey flavor to more, including chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and cookies and cream. Gift options include a sampler pack ($10) or, if you know your recipient’s favorite flavor, a whole box ($28).

Read the full article here.

Shop all Honey Stinger Waffles here!

Throughout baseball’s long history, fans at games have typically drunk beer while snacking on peanuts and hot dogs. Behind the scenes, things weren’t much different. The game’s athletes were often fueled by pizza, hot dogs and nachos in the clubhouse, and all-you-can-chew quantities of bubble gum and sunflower seeds in the dugout.

But as the game has become increasingly scientific, so has the baseball diet. Spare a thought for the Philadelphia Phillies’ old nacho cheese pump, as they and several other teams got rid of that crowd pleaser. Of course, some traditions are harder to abandon: The Atlanta Braves got rid of their soft-serve ice cream machine, which was a good-luck charm of sorts during their run to last year’s World Series title. But a new machine was recently installed in the clubhouse by popular demand.

After the 162-game grind of the regular season ended Wednesday, Major League Baseball dived right into its postseason, which started Friday and will extend into November. To help players get through such a long season, many teams have replaced pregame junk food with macronutrient-rich meals; dugout candy with fruit, jerky, Kind bars, Honey Stinger waffles or sugar-free gum; and water and Gatorade coolers with bespoke hydration drinks tailored to each player’s sodium sweat loss.

“Junk food and corn syrup do not provide quality nutrients for adequate recovery,” explained Alexa Scully, the Phillies’ dietitian, who oversees a dugout menu of almonds, dried mango, beef jerky, string cheese and peanut butter pretzels. “When carbs are mixed with a little bit of fat, fiber or protein, this helps keep blood glucose from spiking and provides sustainable energy over a longer period of time.”

Read the full article here.

Shop Honey Stinger products here!

“Tackling up-and-down terrain on rugged, unsuspended sets of wheels, gravel biking combines road cycling’s speed and mountain biking’s thrills, minus the dangers inherent in those pursuits — think distracted drivers and unforgiving trees.”

That’s how I first described gravel biking more than two years ago. I’d just gotten a crush while test-riding Evil’s semi-controversial Chamois Hagar and getting my ass kicked by a bunch of gravel-heads in Arizona.

Since then, I’ve developed a genuine love for going unreasonably fast over rocks and dirt — and for the unpretentious people whose passion sustains the sport. The blend of velocity, technicality, community and, well, pure joy is pretty tough to beat.

The affair crescendoed last month when I rode my first race, SBT GRVL in Steamboat, Colorado. While it went better than I could have hoped, I still learned a bunch of essential lessons that could come in handy if you’re thinking about trying one yourself this fall. Here are five biggies.

Read the whole article here.

Shop Honey Stinger products here!

A relative newbie, the Honey Stinger Nut and Seed Bar is coming in hot. With a combination of seeds, nuts, a layer of caramel, and a nougaty nut butter center, this energy bar seems like a candy bar without artificial ingredients. We’d reach for this bar again and again for all outdoor endeavors, at any time of year. Unlike many bars that are high in protein but have a chalky texture or artificial taste, this bar manages to pack in 14 grams of protein and still be delicious.

Read the full review here.

Shop Nut + Seed Bars here!

T—4 hours 

Wake up, fuel, drink your coffee immediately

Three and a half hours before the gun, Wade eats something filling and easy to digest. Her favourite: a bagel (any kind except whole wheat, because the fibre makes it harder to digest) with a tablespoon of peanut butter on each side, a sliced banana on top and a drizzle of honey. Hydrate according to the 3ml rule. Worry about your bladder later, says Pappas.

 T—2 hours  

Anticipate speed bumps

For larger races, allow 30 extra minutes for traffic and parking, says Lauren Ross, a 2:45 marathoner. She advises having multiple parking options. “If you’re running a new-to-you race, find a recap online,” she says. “They often mention logistical hurdles like walking to the start, gear check and toilet queues.”

 T—90 minutes 

Toilet, fuel again 

Join the toilet queue as you arrive, Ross tips. If the queues are long, have your snack – some fruit gummies or a muesli bar – while waiting. Ross has an easy-to-digest carbohydrate with extra electrolytes, such as Honey Stinger chews.

Not sure if snacks count as hard goods, but as far as I’m concerned, an essential part of women’s mountain biking gear is women’s mountain biking snacks. I’ve been a Honey Stinger fan since I first tried their energy waffles, but the current favorite are their protein bars. They’re super filling and loaded with protein, which aids in energy (and muscle repair). If I drink a lot of water while I’m eating one, I’ll be full for hours. I recommend eating them after your climb (before your downhill) or in the parking lot immediately after you finish a ride.

Maybe more importantly, they’re so tasty — I definitely don’t think they taste like an energy stack. If you try one and like it, I’d recommend just buying a box to keep in your cabinet so you can have them handy for hiking and other outdoor adventures, too.

Read the full article here.

Shop Nut + Seed Bars here!

For a quick hit of energy while exploring in the outdoors, make sure you have some Honey Stinger products on hand. From energy chews to electrolyte hydration mixes to bars, to waffles, Honey Stinger makes easy to digest noshes that are lifesavers while sweating in the outdoors. Pick up a box of 16 vanilla waffles, a fan-favorite, which are individually wrapped and certified organic.

Read the full list here.

Shop Vanilla Waffles here!

When your bro goes all out in his workouts, he needs energy to go that extra mile. Honey Stinger's new caffeinated chews will make him feel like the Energizer bunny and come in tasty fruity flavors

Read the whole article here.

Shop Performance Energy Chews here!

Read the whole article here.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (July 19, 2021) — Prepping for the big 26.2 is a lot of work, but there’s more to it than just logging miles. Proper nutrition is crucial for race training; however, it can be tricky to keep track of a nutrition program substantial enough to support a rigorous 16-week running plan. Honey Stinger’s new Marathon Training Pack was built to give runners the right fuel at the right time during all stages of marathon training.

“Marathon training is no small feat and making sure you fuel your body correctly throughout the process is something that is often overlooked,” said Mike Keown, CEO of Honey Stinger. “So, with input from professional dieticians and our Hive athletes, we created this easy-to-use nutrition system for athletes in one pack.”Leveraging expertise from professional athletes like Olympic Marathoner Jared Ward and endurance coaches like Rick Prince, the Marathon Training Pack is full of ample fuel to help athletes prepare, perform, and recover throughout the training journey. Each pack has enough nutrition for about a month of a standard marathon workout schedule.

Each item included in the kit is part of the Honey Stinger’s Prepare, Perform, and Recover system and was designed to be consumed during key times throughout the training plan. During the first few weeks of training, runners are encouraged to test out both energy chews and gels to see what the body tolerates best and then stick with what works on runs of over 70 minutes. As the program continues, caffeinated chews or gels should be added in for an added boost during more intense workouts. 

The Rapid Hydration Mix should be used to help support performance and maintain hydration throughout the entire running program. Additionally, Honey Stinger Waffles are great for building up energy pre-run and Nut + Seed Bars are filled with protein that will help with muscle repair post-run.

The Honey Stinger Marathon Training Pack contains:

Prepare products

• 12 NEW Original Oat + Honey Bars
• 12 Honey Waffles
• 12 Vanilla Waffles

Perform products

• 12 Pink Lemonade Energy Chews
• 2 NEW Caffeinated Stingerita Lime Chews
• 2 NEW Caffeinated Cherry Cola Chews

Recover products

• 12 Peanut Sunflower Nut + Seed Bars
• 12 Almond Pumpkin Nut + Seed Bars

The complete Marathon Training Pack will retail for $159.99 (Gels) or $152.99 (Chews) and will be available at honeystinger.com. 

Read more about the standard sixteen-week training program and how the Marathon Training Pack was built to give you the right fuel at the right time here: https://honeystinger.com/blogs/blog/your-16-week-marathon-fueling-plan

About Honey Stinger

Fueling top elites and everyday enthusiasts alike, Honey Stinger makes great tasting, convenient, honey-powered sports nutrition to help athletes prepare, perform, and recover at their best. The company’s diverse product offering includes a variety of waffles, gels, chews, bars and more, providing natural, sustained energy for every endeavor. Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado since 2001, Honey Stinger’s products can be found at sporting goods retailers, grocers, convenience stores and online at www.honeystinger.com.

Great Energy Gels for Long-Distance Running

The long run, usually on Saturday or Sunday, is arguably the most important part of any half-marathon training plan.

Fuel up with Honey Stinger Energy Gels. 

Honey Stinger Energy Chews

Honey Stinger makes some of our favorite snack food for long ski tours, so why wouldn’t we nosh on them all summer long? Their caffeinated energy chews are perfect for early starts and enduro days, and with just 32g of white-tea-extracted caffeine bolstered by carbohydrates, you won’t crash hard after just an hour of biking.

Honey Stinger Energy Chews

Coming in various flavors, such as Cherry Blossom and Fruit Smoothie, this hiking snack is full of flavor and refueling power. Honey is a natural carbohydrate, and it absorbs quickly into the body, giving energy that lasts without the typical sugar crash. Any hiker should have a packet or two of these stashed in their backpack.

Gluten-free, organic, and 160 calories per pack, this isn’t your average gummy snack. These are energy-gummy snacks. With eight 1.8 ounce bags, these are definitely some of the best hiking snacks on the market.

Refuel Rating: 9.7

Honey Stinger® launches the new Honey Stinger Oat + Honey Bar in two flavors, Original and Chocolate Chocolate Chip, joining the complete Honey Stinger line of waffles, bars, chews, gels and hydration. 

Honey Stinger’s delicious products are used and loved by over 1,000 collegiate athletic teams, professional athletes, and fitness enthusiasts providing sports nutrition for every ambition.  

Honey Stinger’s® products are based on a simple system designed to fit the three nutritional categories any active person needs: Prepare, Perform, and Recover. The new Honey Stinger Oat + Honey Bar fits into the Prepare category featuring a delicious pre-workout blend of carbs, fat, and protein.  

Join us as CMO Wendy Mayo shares news about the debut of the new Honey Stinger Oat + Honey Bar. Learn where the inspiration for the new bar came from and how every Honey Stinger product is formulated to taste great while providing the perfect balance of carbs, fat, and protein at each exercise stage. 

Read the full interview here.

Shop the New Oat + Honey Bars here!

This may come as a surprise, but this is one time you probably don’t want to reach for “real” foods. “Real foods often do not have readily available sources of energy that you need during a race,” says Cunningham. You usually need to digest and absorb the nutrients in real foods before they can power you up, he explains, and their more complex nature can cause GI distress during a high-intensity race.

If you prefer a chew over a goo, Honey Stinger has some of the best-tasting options. (We’re partial to pink lemonade and cherry blossom.) Chews can come in handy to parcel out your fuel over time—rather than taking in 100 calories all at once, you can have just one chew, wait a few minutes, then have another. Or stick one in your cheek to slowly suck on.

Read the full review here.

Shop all Honey Stinger Energy Chews here!

As a destination racer myself, I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that there are a few things to keep in mind that can make traveling for races a little less stressful. And a lot of it comes down to bringing the right gear with you. But before you start thinking about what to pack, consider how you will be packing and traveling. Will you be traveling by plane and checking a bag, or packing lightly with only a carry-on or backpack? The space in your suitcase or bag is at a premium, and you want to make sure first and foremost that you have room for the essentials you’ll need on race day.

“If you're checking a bag, bring your race-critical items like your running shoes, race kit, and nutrition in your carry-on,” Caitlin Papageorge, a 10-time destination racer, tells SELF. “Don't risk being separated from them,” she says. So even if your checked bag doesn’t make it to your destination with you, you’d still have your race-day necessities at the ready.

Honey Stinger Waffle Sampler (6-Pack)

Stroopwafels in the USA

Most U.S.-based cyclists and mountain bikers will recognize stroopwafels from one proliferative brand, Honey Stinger. Chief Marketing Officer Wendy Mayo says it all started when road cycling’s popularity was at its all-time high. 

Each of the snacks on this list were hand-selected and trail tested (the things we do for you people), with a keen eye on a variety of different flavors and types of treats. Many we tested did not make the cut, making these the true cream of the crop.

If you’re searching for the ultimate blend of delicious, high calorie energy set in the smallest, lightest package (I’m looking at you, mountaineers), you can’t get any better than Honey Stinger Waffles.

That is, unless you really want to do shots of straight olive oil. Each 30 gram waffle is small enough to slip into the thinnest pocket and carries a whopping 150 easy-to-digest calories for your biggest outdoor pursuits.

Read the full review here.

Shop all Honey Stinger waffles here!