Full Breakdown
Dave Letele’s NZ Muscle Takeover Sparks Online Threats Amid Ongoing Food-Safety Probe
7/15/2026, 3:47:54 AM
Takeover and Immediate Backlash
Former boxer and founder of the community fitness group Buttabean Motivation, 46-year-old Dave Letele announced he had assumed control of NZ Muscle, a supplement retailer facing regulatory scrutiny. Within hours, Letele reported a surge of abusive social-media messages, the public posting of his home address, and death threats directed at him, his wife and his son. He told followers the “hate and the threats … have just gone too far,” and said the online noise was making it difficult to address the company’s problems.
Product Issues and Ongoing Investigation
NZ Muscle disclosed that several items – including No Brand Isolate, No Brand Whey Plus, No Brand Creatine, NZ Muscle Creatine and Shotgun Creatine – were removed from its online and retail outlets because of “non-compliant packing.” An internal review also identified inappropriate relabelling of No Brand Whey Plus and No Brand Isolate, prompting their withdrawal. New Zealand Food Safety has opened a formal investigation into the company’s compliance with packaging and labelling standards.
Official Statements & Responses
Former NZ Muscle chief executive Dion Roosenbrand accepted responsibility for the product issues, apologising to customers and confirming the removal of the affected goods. NZ Muscle declined further comment. Letele said he is “trying to get up to speed” with the company’s challenges, intends to “make the necessary changes,” and affirmed he will not quit despite the threats. Police have been contacted regarding the harassment.
Criticism & Opposition
The backlash has extended beyond consumer disappointment to personal attacks on Letele and his family. Threatening messages have included graphic language such as “dismembered body parts” sent to the company’s support email. Critics argue that the public’s anger, while understandable given past product failures, is being expressed through intimidation rather than constructive dialogue.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My home address has now been posted,” — Dave Letele, Buttabean Motivation founder
- “The hate and the threats to me and my family have just gone too far.” — Dave Letele
- “I’ve taken on a company that has f***ed up and it’s my job to come fix it and make it better than before.” — Dave Letele
- “I’m at a loss, but I won’t quit. Day two of the rebuild begins today.” — Dave Letele
- “It’s got nothing to do with the worker,” — Dion Roosenbrand
- “It’s so bad.” — Dion Roosenbrand
