Sunwarrior
Quick verdict: Sunwarrior was selling plant protein when the aisle was three products deep and all of them tasted like sand. It’s held up: USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, independent since 2008, and priced below most of the brands that arrived a decade later. Our rating: 4.0 out of 5.
Who they are
Nick Stern and Denley Fowlke founded Sunwarrior in St. George, Utah in 2008, well before “plant-based” became a shelf label. The flagship Warrior Blend is built on pea, hemp and goji berry rather than a single protein source, which was an unusual choice then and still is.
The company is independent. There’s some outside investment on the record, including an equity crowdfunding round, but nothing that hands control to anyone else and no parent company.
What they get right
Two certifications that both mean something. USDA Organic covers the farming. Non-GMO Project Verified is a separate audited program with its own standard, and holding both is more than most competitors manage. Sunwarrior also puts select products through Informed Choice.
It’s cheaper than the brands it competes with. Roughly $32 to $50 depending on size and line, against $50-plus for most of the certified-organic plant proteins in our roundup. For a brand carrying two certifications, that’s a real value argument rather than a rounding difference.
Longevity counts for something in supplements. Seventeen years of continuous operation, in a category where brands appear, get bought and quietly change formula, is its own signal.
Where they fall short
The blend is longer than a single-source powder. Pea plus hemp plus goji plus the rest means more ingredients on the label than a Naked Pea or a Naked Whey. It’s a considered blend rather than filler, but if the shortest possible list is your test, this isn’t the winner.
The testing is stated rather than published. Sunwarrior says all products go through independent heavy-metal testing at ARL Bio Pharma, which is a credible lab. What’s missing is the per-batch certificate of analysis published in the open, which Ora Organic does and which matters in a category where testing has repeatedly found lead and cadmium.
Nothing certifies the company. No B Corp, no climate certification, nothing covering operations or labor. The certifications are on the product only.
What they sell and what it costs
Warrior Blend and a handful of other protein lines, greens powders, collagen-building supplements and vitamins. Protein runs about $32 to $50.
Who it’s actually for
Anyone who wants certified-organic plant protein without paying the new-brand premium, and anyone who’d rather buy from a company that has been doing this for seventeen years than one that launched last spring.
If you want published per-batch lab results, Ora Organic is the stricter choice. If flavor is the deciding factor, Truvani is the one people finish.
Deals and discounts
No affiliate program on our side, so nothing here earns us anything. Larger tubs bring the per-serving price down noticeably.
Related reading
- The Best Clean Protein Powders, Without the Junk Ingredients
- Heavy Metals in Protein Powder: What the Testing Found
Frequently asked questions
Is Sunwarrior protein organic?
Yes, the protein lines are USDA Organic certified, and separately Non-GMO Project Verified. Those are two different programs with two different audits, so holding both is stronger than either alone.
Is Sunwarrior third-party tested for heavy metals?
The company states that all products go through independent testing at ARL Bio Pharma, an accredited lab. It doesn’t publish per-batch certificates of analysis publicly, which is the difference between Sunwarrior and the most open brands in this category.
Who owns Sunwarrior?
It’s independent. Nick Stern and Denley Fowlke founded it in 2008 and there’s no parent company. Some outside investment appears on the record, including equity crowdfunding, but nothing controlling.
What is Warrior Blend made of?
Pea, hemp and goji berry protein, with no soy or dairy. Blending three sources gives a fuller amino acid profile than a single-source powder, at the cost of a slightly longer ingredient list.