Introduction to Foodspring
The Brand
Foodspring is a brand offering sports nutrition and superfoods products, primarily online. Most of the products are made in Germany.
Several products are available in vegan versions (proteins, shape shake). Or organic like the protein or goji berries. There are even “paleo” bars.
The capsules are vegan, without animal gelatin.
Some packaging is recyclable or partially recyclable. This is the case with the glass jar of the protein spread. The brand is working on improving the recyclability of its packaging.
The Products
Protein Powders :
- whey proteins (whey protein isolate) with a wide variety of flavors like mango, hazelnut, or cookies
- plant-based proteins
- organic proteins in vanilla or chocolate
- “shape shakes”, meal replacements intended for weight loss, and vegan versions
Note that Foodspring whey has been featured in the comparison of the best wheys.
“Fitness” protein or energy bars in vegan or paleo versions
Snacks :
- protein cookies or protein balls in vegan versions
- berries, nut and berry mixes, coconut chips
Supplements: BCAA, omega 3, creatine, vitamin complex
Ready-to-drink Products (e.g., isotonic protein drink, energy drinks…)
Fitness cooking products :
- protein pancake mix
- protein brownie mix
- pizza dough mix etc.
Focus on the online body check test
An online questionnaire provides a personalized product recommendation. I select a main goal among muscle development, weight loss, or health.
Then I answer questions about my physical characteristics and lifestyle habits: height, weight, sleep hours, physical training frequency, etc.
I then indicate any dietary restrictions or intolerances, my daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, meat products, etc.
I then receive a recommendation of products suited to my goal and profile, a detailed report with my BMI, daily calorie expenditure, dietary and training frequency recommendations for cardio and strength.
I find this report to be quite detailed and comprehensive. It even highlights any macro and micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., magnesium).
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Our Test
Products: ★★★★☆
I find the product packaging to be understated, elegant, and colorful
I tested several Foodspring products:
- daily vitamins
- organic coconut oil
- organic goji berries
- organic white chia seeds
- organic peanut butter
- vegan peanut protein bar
- cookie dough flavor plant protein
- vegan hazelnut protein spread
- just cashews, coconut & dates
- vegan protein pancakes
- shaker
The daily vitamins capsules are easy to swallow, their smell is slightly herbal, and their taste is neutral.
The coconut oil is certified organic (Euroleaf). Its scent is delightful and pleasant. I can notably use it to cook protein pancakes.
The goji berries and white chia seeds are certified organic (EU Leaf). Their resealable bag is very practical. They can be incorporated into compotes or yogurts, for example.
The vegan spread, peanut butter, and just nuts have a pleasant and indulgent aroma. Their texture is easy to spread. They contain a moderate amount of sugars which allows you to better appreciate their flavor.
The vegan protein bars with peanut contain 28 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, which is much lower than the amount found in other chocolate snack bars. I find their texture to be floury and a bit dry to the taste. They are very filling.
The cookie dough flavored plant-based protein mixes easily with water or plant-based milk. The taste is pleasant. I note the presence of a sweetener in the ingredients list (sucralose).
The vegan protein pancake mix is easy to use. Simply mix it with water in the proportions indicated on the packaging. The resulting pancakes have a very pronounced taste, unlike more classic pancakes. This is probably due to the pea protein content.
Price: ★★★★☆
I compared the price of 3 Foodspring products with the prices offered by 2 competitors:
White chia seeds
Foodspring | KoRo | Biotona | |
Oct. 2021 | 4 cents/g | 1 cent/g | 2 cents/g |
BCAA
Foodspring | Nutripure | Myprotein | |
Oct. 2021 | 35 cents/g | 20 cents/g | 16 cents/g |
Plant-based proteins
Foodspring | Nutripure | Myprotein | |
Oct. 2021 | 6 cents/g | 4 cents/g | 4 cents/g |
It is noticeable that the prices of chia seeds, BCAA capsules, and plant-based proteins are higher at Foodspring than with the other brands analyzed. This must be justified by the product quality, raw materials, etc.
Foodspring ships to many European countries such as Switzerland and Belgium. Delivery times are 5 to 6 business days. Shipping is free in mainland France for orders over €50.
The brand offers value packs. For example, the discovery pack with best-sellers is €49.99 instead of €72.48 (a 31% saving). The large muscle pack is €149.99 instead of €220.90; it includes whey, energy and recovery aminos.
There is a loyalty program that provides benefits: free nutritional advice and a money-back guarantee within 30 days in particular. With each order, points are accumulated that can be used to obtain free products.
You can also refer friends or relatives and both receive 15 euros credit for the next order. Finally, by subscribing to the newsletter, you benefit from a 10% discount voucher.
There is a money-back guarantee that offers the possibility of returning products within 16 days.
Transparency: ★★★☆☆
In the “About” section, there is mention of the origin of certain raw materials used in the products. The coconuts come from the Philippines, the Goji berries from the Ningxia mountains, the soy from Lake Constance.
The product sheets present the detailed composition of the products but Foodspring does not specify the origin of the ingredients in its formulations.
The certificates of analysis of the products are neither available on the site nor available on request.
Foodspring, which has 225 employees , was founded by Philipp Schrempp and Tobias Schüle in 2013. They are former executives of Rocket Internet, a German “startup studio” that has supported and launched numerous e-commerce businesses.
In 2019, Mars’s diet food department, Mars Edge, took a majority stake in Foodspring. The two co-founders retained the autonomous management of the company.
Expertise: ★★★★☆
Each product sheet includes a detailed description of the product and its specificities. It is accompanied by answers to frequently asked questions, but no scientific references are mentioned in these sheets.
The “Magazine” section of the e-commerce site offers a wide range of healthy and delicious fitness recipes. They are categorized according to goals (muscle building, slimming, health, and cut) and filtered by diet. Some are accompanied by videos.
Free workout exercises designed by fitness coaches are also offered. They are suitable for all levels and come with videos and PDFs.
There are numerous articles on nutrition, a training guide, and a product guide. I find that the content is varied, rich, and I have noted that it is supported by scientific studies.
They are written by expert writers in nutrition and fitness, “ecotrophologists” (a field that combines food industry and nutrition), and a graduate specialist in sports, health, and wellness.
A FAQ answers many questions about products, training, and nutrition, such as “Which protein should I choose for my goal?” “How do I create a training plan?” etc.
Foodspring collaborates with a team of research and development scientists, nutritionists, chemists, coaches, and chefs for product development and content production.
Popularity: ★★★★★
I used SimilarWeb to analyze the web traffic of the FoodSpring website. In August 2021, the site had over 780,000 visits. This is significantly higher traffic than other supplement brands.
On social networks, Foodspring has nearly 820,000 followers on Facebook and over 201,000 followers on Instagram for Foodspring France. These figures illustrate the strong brand recognition.
On Trustpilot, the brand has a rating of 4.7 (157 reviews).
Positive comments highlight the quality of the products and the speed of delivery. The taste of the products is generally appreciated.
But not by everyone, as can be seen in several negative reviews. Other unfavorable comments concern the lack of responsiveness from customer service.
Trust: ★★★☆☆
Customer service can be reached via online form or email. There is no phone number or online chat.
I contacted customer service by email to ask them the following questions:
- Are all the packaging materials recyclable?
- Can I have the certificate of analysis for the daily vitamin?
- Where do the cashews and physalis in the nuts & berries come from? White chia seeds?
- Where do the whey protein concentrates (60%) and whey protein isolates (30%) come from? Are the mentioned flavors natural?
- Is there no risk in consuming sweeteners in the long term?
- You recommend accompanying your shape shake with other foods in a low-calorie diet. Which ones? Should you consult your doctor before supplementing? What duration of intake do you recommend?
I received answers after a long delay (2 weeks). I did not get clear and precise feedback on all my queries.
The manufacturing of most supplements is done in Germany in Berlin. The laboratories are certified ISO 22000 (implementation of a food safety management system) and HACCP (food safety methods). Organic products carry the European Euroleaf label.
Our Opinion
RATING
★★★★☆
PRODUCT
★★★★☆
PRICE
★★★★☆
TRANSPARENCY
★★★☆☆
EXPERTISE
★★★★☆
POPULARITY
★★★★★
TRUST
★★★☆☆
Positive Points
- A wide range of original products that are easy to use in the kitchen, like pancake or brownie mix.
- Diverse content with many recipe ideas and fitness sessions.
Negative Points
- Transparency could be improved by communicating the origin of the main ingredients in the products and their certificates of analysis.
- Poorly responsive customer service.
15%
code promo vérifié
15% immediate discount (minimum order 39.99€)