Bulk UK Review 2024

    
    
    
    
    
    

Bulk Powders™ are a relatively new brand to me but they’ve actually been in operation for a quite long time, since 2005 actually. I’ve stumbled upon the brand last year when I was searching for vegan protein powders and since then I am their loyal customer and I regularly buy their products directly from their website. I thought to write an in-depth review about the company so you can learn more about them and then decide for yourself whether you want to try some of their products.

The name of the brand “Bulk Powders” is slightly misleading although they do sell powders, all kind of powders, from protein powders to superfood powders and more. But now, the brand is so much more than what its name represents. While their protein products are still very popular, the choice of the products they offer has grown over time and the rest of the range is equally attractive due to the affordable prices and quality products.

BULK POWDERS HISTORY

Bulk Powders® (a trading name of Sports Supplements Ltd) was founded in 2005 by Adam Rossiter and Elliot Dawes whilst they were undergraduates.

The founders created the brand as they got tired of over-paying for sports supplements and they wanted to make affordable products available to the public without sacrificing the quality.

When the brand first started selling products online, the focus was on selling sports nutrition products, specifically, bodybuilding supplements such as protein shakes and supplements to help improve fitness performance and lose fat. Since then, the brand has come a long way and on their website, you won’t find only high-quality performance sports nutrition supplements but also health foods and health & wellbeing supplements including multivitamins, fish oils, digestive aids and greens powders.

The brand has now fully developed into the ‘active lifestyle’ brand and it now sells to a wide range of customers, from athletes and bodybuilders to gym-goers and health-conscious individuals.

In 2018, the company launched a new range designed & formulated specifically for women to support a healthy & active lifestyle – WMN®. The range is available to buy on Bulk Powders website but also through retailers such as Boots and Argos.

BULK POWDERS TODAY

Today, Bulk Powders position themselves as the second-largest sports nutrition brand in the UK and the fastest-growing in Europe.

They have expanded to sell their products across the UK and have created 13 localised websites to serve customers in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Ireland. In 2017 they have even ventured outside the EU, into the Chinese market.

Bulk Powders have appeared in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for the past three years.

BULK POWDERS PHILOSOPHY AND VALUES

Bulk Powders distinguish themselves from competitors by offering:

• The lowest prices in Europe
• Further discounts when you buy in bulk (the more you buy the more you can save, just look for ‘bulk discounts’ on applicable product pages)
• Good quality products – Bulk Powders never compromise on quality to save costs. They prefer working with fewer suppliers than other companies and like to build long-term relationships with them.
• Independently tested supplier materials – look for a Certificate of Analysis which you can download on most product pages
• Massive choice – A wide range of products offered by Bulk Powders means that there is something for everyone.

THE QUALITY OF BULK POWDERS’ PRODUCTS

Some companies use many different suppliers for the same product and would mix together different qualities but not Bulk Powders. They stick with one supplier and build a long-term relationship with them to ensure not only the best prices but also the best quality.

Bulk Powders Whey Protein Review

For their whey protein products, Bulk Powders use only a premium quality whey protein powder which is made from grass-fed cow’s milk. This type of protein powder is better for you as it’s nutritionally richer and healthier.

When cows eat naturally grown grass, they produce milk which has higher levels of fatty acids such as CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and ALA ( alpha-linolenic acid – omega-3). These fatty acids are beneficial for health, are anti-inflammatory (omega-3) and may protect from various types of cancers, diabetes and heart disease. Using this type of milk for whey protein powder increases its nutritional profile as some of the nutrients from milk transfer into the whey.

Grain-fed whey, on the other hand, is generally higher in omega-6 fatty acids which are not all that beneficial since we already get enough of them through our diet (too much actually).

So it’s a good thing Bulk Powders use grass-fed whey protein and although the difference in nutritional profile may not be massive when comparing to grain-fed whey protein, it’s still worth choosing better quality, especially because this protein powder is really affordable.

Giving you an example of grass-fed whey protein just shows that Bulk Powders are truly dedicated to bringing you the best quality products. I am not going to analyse other ingredients/products in detail, but I hope you get the point – you should expect good quality from Bulk Powders, regardless of the price (it doesn’t matter if it sounds really cheap to you, the quality should be there).

The organic range

Just to mention that if you like to buy organic products, Bulk Powders do offer organic options for certain products, for example, you can buy Organic Pure Whey Protein, Organic Turmeric Powder, Organic Baobab Powder and much more. These products are certified organic by the Soil Association. However, I don’t think that Bulk Powders offer a vast range of organic foods/supplements but hopefully, they add more organic options in the near future.

Certificates of Analysis

If you are still not convinced of the quality of Bulk Powders’ products, Certificates of Analysis (COAs) are available to download from the website or on-demand. Just get in touch with their customer support asking for them.

Strict quality control

To ensure the products are of the highest quality, the company follows strict guidelines and their quality control process includes the taste testing protocol and macronutrient testing.

During the taste testing, one of their product team specialists will test the flavour, texture and mixability of the product. He will then compare it to the approved retained sample to make sure it’s of the same quality.

Furthermore, the sample will be sent off to an independent laboratory where they will test the product, confirming it contains the ingredients as stated on the label. Every batch goes through this procedure and if for some reason, the product doesn’t pass some of these tests, it will never be sold to the customers.

Bulk Powders Almond Butter

If you like almond butter, this is the cheapest almond butter you can buy online. It comes in a 1kg tub and it will certainly last you for a while. I love almond butter and like to eat it with dates as a dessert so I thought to try the one from Bulk Powders and see what I think.

Before I ordered this almond butter, I thought that all the brands should be quite similar in taste, but I didn’t realise that you get almond butter made with whole almonds, including the skin and then there is almond butter made with skin-off almonds. The Bulk Powders’ almond butter is made with roasted skin-off almonds. To be honest, I prefer the one that includes the skin. It has more flavour and tastes better. For this reason, I won’t buy this type of almond butter again but there was nothing wrong with the product really. It’s just a personal preference. Some people prefer skin-off almond butter. So do try it and see which one you prefer.

Bulk Powders Vegan Protein Blend

This is my favourite product from Bulk Powders and I keep buying it as it’s really good (the vanilla flavour). I’ve tried so many vegan protein powders so far but this is certainly the best, or at least one of the best, I should say. It’s not too sweet, has a good amount of protein and it tastes really good. I like eating it in my porridge or muesli. It’s naturally sweetened with stevia extract and does not contain any nasty ingredients.

Bulk Powders Organic Cacao Powder

I always love to have cacao or cocoa powder at home. It’s a good source of iron and magnesium and other minerals. I use it in smoothies, in my porridge and sometimes for baking. Organic cacao powder from Bulk Powders is of great quality, certified organic by The Soil Association. I have no complaints about it.

Bulk Powders Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein

It’s only recently when I discovered pumpkin seed protein and I really like it as it’s naturally rich in certain minerals and vitamins. I’ve tried another brand first and after that, I tried the Bulk Powders brand as it was cheaper. The one from Bulk Powders is paler in colour and smoother in texture. It’s easier to mix into food or drinks. I found it great as its flavour is not very strong. I would buy it again as it’s organic and the taste is not overpowering.

Bulk Powders Brown Rice Protein Powder

When I first started adding protein powders to my foods, I started using brown rice protein as it had a quite neutral flavour (not like green powders). I’ve tried a few different brands first before trying Bulk Powders’ and in terms of quality, it’s great. It contains an impressive 80% protein and keeps me fuller for longer.

Later on, I decided to go for vegan protein blend as it seems to have a better balance of essential amino acids (although it’s not as high in protein). Brown rice protein powder is, however, still a great product that can be used in your smoothies. I wouldn’t recommend having it on its own as it wouldn’t taste that good. The best is to make a smoothie with it (some fruits, almond milk, cacao powder, brown protein powder).

Bulk Powders Protein Cookie Mix (Chocolate Hazelnut)

I always wanted to make protein cookies at home but never knew how to make them. To make my life easier I decided to buy a protein cookie mix from Bulk Powders. It seemed really easy to make these cookies. You just add melted coconut butter and eggs to the mix, bind everything together and put the shaped cookies in the oven.