Lab Results
We started Pastel because a protein label did not match what was in the bag. So we show our work: the lab test that started it, and our own third-party lab results.
The lab test that started Pastel
In August 2024 we sent a bag of Holmes Nutrition B-Force Xtreme Isolate-Whey Protein, Double Chocolate Chip Brownie to Dyad Labs, an independent food testing lab in Salt Lake City. Here is what the label promised next to what the lab measured, on the same 29.7 g scoop:
| Per scoop (29.7 g) | Label said | Lab found |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g | 1.43 g |
| Sugars | 3 g | 17.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4 g | 24.9 g |
| Calories | 120 | 122 |
The calories were right. They just came from sugar instead of protein: about 6.5% of the promised protein and roughly six times the sugar.
Read the full lab report (PDF)
Dyad Labs Certificate of Analysis #1248939-9, sample received August 7, 2024, reported August 15, 2024. One sample from one lot (customer lot 8/5/2024), as the lab notes.
What happened next
Seven months later, in March 2025, another customer's lab results for other Holmes flavors were posted on Reddit and went viral, showing the same pattern. Holmes Nutrition pulled its protein powders from its online store, and a class action, Holmes v. The Reshaping and Nutritional Company LLC (U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, No. 2:25-cv-00442), was filed on March 12, 2025. It was dismissed without prejudice by agreement of the parties in February 2026.
By then we were already building Pastel: a mug cake with about 25 g of real protein per serving, and a label that tells you the truth. Read our story.
Third-party tested. Clean results.
We hold ourselves to the standard we wish Holmes had. Every Pastel flavor is sent to an independent, ISO 17025 accredited lab before it reaches your mug.
- Zero harmful bacteria, yeast or mold. No E. coli, no Salmonella, no Staph.
- Screened for heavy metals and within FDA guidance.
- Tested by Analytical Resource Laboratories, an accredited lab with no stake in our sales.
Don't take our word for it. Read the reports:
Brownie Points lab report (PDF) | Cinna-Buns lab report (PDF)