We're Iliyan, Todor and Vasil. We got sick of sweet protein.
We wanted to eat more protein, but everything we found was sweet. So we made our own. Savory.
MEALUP is a protein powder for the food you already eat. You add it toward the end of cooking or straight onto your plate.
Making it took us way longer than we thought. The search for a manufacturer and ingredients alone lasted more than a year. That's us in the photo, at the factory where it's finally made. The hairnets are mandatory.
We hope you'll try it. And that you'll like it as much as we do.
Why is protein always sweet?
Protein at the store is almost always dessert: a vanilla shake or a chocolate bar.
But the protein we eat every day has always been savory. When was the last time you had a sweet egg?
We wanted protein right where it has always been: on the plate. That's how MEALUP started.
| Regular protein powder | 
MEALUP
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | vanilla or chocolate | cheese, truffle or unflavored |
| Added sugar and sweeteners | often | none |
| Where it goes | in a shaker, with water or milk | in the pot near the end, or right on the plate |
| When | after a workout | when you sit down to eat |
We thought it would be quick
spoiler: it wasn't
We had two rules. No sweeteners or artificial flavorings. And it had to taste good. The first rule made the second one a lot harder.
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May 2026
15 emails
Barcelona
We went to the Vitafoods Europe trade show. Then we sent a detailed brief for MEALUP to 15 suppliers and manufacturers. Back then, we thought the hardest part was behind us.
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May 2026
Someone said yes
Until then, our manufacturer had only ever made sweet protein. They still agreed to give savory a try and figure it out with us.
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June 2026
The enzymes
Our first recipe had digestive enzymes in it. We thought that was smart, until we learned they break down during cooking. And cooked food is exactly what MEALUP is for. Out they went.
-
Meanwhile
Truffle and cheese
The truffle flavoring we were most sure about turned out to be synthetic. With MSG, no less. We dropped it and started the search over. As for the cheese, you could barely taste it until we found an ingredient made from real cheese, meant for cooking.
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July 2026
3 formula versions
Version 3
The collagen went too. At the end of July, version 3 of the formula was locked in. It's built on egg white and milk protein, and the flavor comes from natural flavorings.
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November 2026
12 firms for one scoop
The first batch
We wrote to 12 companies just for the measuring scoop. Four flavors, 25 servings in every pack. Here they are.
A little better than yesterday
perfect can wait
None of us eats perfectly, and we won't tell you how to eat. We eat what we love and try to make today a little better than yesterday.
We even put MEALUP on Grandma's moussaka, which was perfect long before we came along: 1 serving (30 g) on top, and there's at least 20 g more protein on the plate. It works when you eat out too, if you bring a serving along in a little container.
Same food, a little more protein. What you change next is up to you.
We split the work. And the blame.
Iliyan
Brand and ads. The site you're reading right now is his work too.
Vasil
Paperwork and the BFSA, Bulgaria's food safety agency. The money goes through him too, down to the last cent.
Todor
Production and suppliers. He makes sure everything gets from the factory to you.
Want to tell us something? Write to us at info@mealup.eu.
What we care about
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Built on egg and milk
Egg white and milk protein, with no added sugar and no sweeteners. If we can't explain an ingredient to Grandma, it doesn't go in.
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If we change it, you'll know
We've already taken out the enzymes and the collagen. If we ever change the recipe again, we'll say so right here.
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Taste is non-negotiable
If we don't like how it tastes, it won't reach you. That's partly why it took us so long.
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Made in the EU
MEALUP is made in the EU, to our own recipe.
Things people ask us
Why didn't you just make another protein shake?
There are plenty of shakes already. We wanted protein you add to your food, without changing what you eat.
How do I use MEALUP?
1 serving (30 g) on the finished dish or toward the end of cooking. It works in sauces too. For ideas, see the recipes.
Where is MEALUP made?
In Bulgaria, to our own recipe, which we've been working on since May 2026.
What happened to the enzymes and the collagen?
We took them out. The enzymes break down when you cook. The collagen was dropped on the way to version 3 of the formula. The whole story is above, in “We thought it would be quick”.
Got another question?
Ask usMore than a year of work in one serving
Add 1 serving (30 g) to your next dinner and let us know how it went. If you don't like it, you have a 30-day taste guarantee. Read the guarantee terms.
Cash on delivery
Iliyan, Todor and Vasil