What brings you to that conclusion? In the past, when changes have proved to be unpopular with customers, they have acted fairly swftly to rectify it - why do you imagine this would be any different?
I’d be perfectly happy to be wrong, saying production cost wasn’t a factor and the general responses make me feel that a return is very unlikely.
What products have been changed and then reverted back?
there have been a couple of changes made that spring to mind based on feedback - the infamous kelp incident where concerns were raised by its introduction regarding its vegan status and potential allergen risks, smoothing out the ‘gritty’ formula in v3 etc. ultimately I guess the main driver will be repeat sales, if these drop off sharply because of the change then it would need addressing, if they stay the same or grow, then it’s less likely to be changed again.
Also the addition of fluoride was quite hated.
yeah that was quite a biggy and changed pretty quick.
We shall see I suppose.
If it goes back then I’ll buy it, if it doesn’t I’ll eat something else.
It might just go to different.
I can see issues with the original. The pasta could be more crunchy and the sauce was claggy. The revised version is much better texture for the pasta, but taste and mouth feel definitely not as desirable. Needs something in between in my opinion.
Looks like I still received V1.0 today!
The new bags still say v1 on the outside. You’ll know for sure when you open it, or have you already done that?
As someone who preferred Mac and Cheeze Classic to New Mac and Cheeze, I definitely wouldn’t want to go back to the crunchy pasta experience of the original. That’s one huge unambiguous improvement (the lack of complaining in this area speaks to it having been pretty definitively solved, I should think). So yes a new recipe would hopefully take the best of both (if indeed the sales speak the way some of us are).
And there was saltgate. There are numerous examples of a recipe change being reversed due to customer feedback.
Not yet have another bag to finish first. Good to know. Sure I will come back with feedback.
My son tried the new Mac and Cheeze today (v1.0 was his H&S favourite). He says it gets a 5* review from him and it’s even cheezier than it was before.
I tried it for the first time and i honestly quite liked it! Although I do wish it was a bit more cheesy (and made with real cheese, i’m all for vegan options but you just can’t beat the real stuff ). Throwing in some smokey chilli powder and some buffalo chicken chunks or bacon bits really takes it to a new level though!
I have no idea why people find it too watery. If anything I had to add waaay more than the suggested fill-line for 2 scoops! I fill to line with 97c water, stir, loosely cover give it 10 seconds in the microwave and allow to sit for 10 minutes. It initially thickened up so much i coulda used it as a wallpaper paste!
The original formulation was delicious: thick, rich, creamy, cheesy and indulgent. It could perhaps have done with just a little less sauce, but was otherwise perfect.
In respect of “crunchy pasta” complaints with the original formulation, there were three key issues (imo):
Firstly, Huel did - and still does - itself and its Hueligans a disservice by claiming that the dish will be ready in “under five minutes” after adding boiling water, covering and leaving to stand. This is nonsense with most of the H&S dishes. And especially pasta. Just be honest and instruct people on how to actually make it properly, so that the sauce is absorbed and the pasta consistency is just right.
Secondly, some people are just far too impatient. This is largely caused by the first point. They follow the instructions to the letter and are then disappointed. I would always add extra water in the first place, leave for five minutes, then stir, then microwave for around 40 seconds, then leave again for a few minutes, then re-stir and re-microwave (after adding more water if needed). Leave for a little longer and it should then be perfect. Or repeat again if not yet to your preferred consistency.
Thirdly, Huel’s instructions to shake the bags in order to mix the ingredients evenly are just plain unhelpful, as they seek to defy the laws of physics. Granular convection means that larger ingredients (eg pasta) will move towards the top and smaller ones (eg powder) will move towards the bottom. I always mix the ingredients thoroughly using a long spoon, in order to ensure an even distribution. If people are just shaking the bags, then complaints are inevitable. As are false representations, in reviews, of the end product’s blend and consistency. Some portions will be too full of pasta, others too full of sauce. Again, this applies across all H&S dishes.
SO, with a properly mixed bag of the new formulation and after several servings, this is what I concluded: it’s hugely different to the original and it’s terrible. It’s bland, has weedy / insubstantial pasta, with the thinnest of sauces and not enough sauce, devoid of cheese flavour, smaller in terms of rehydrated volume and boring. It fills a hole. And that’s about it. Does it take less time to prepare? Yes. Is it a worthwhile trade-off? Absolutely not.
Please bring back the original dish, with better preparation instructions. Or re-work this one to deliver more of the original dish’s strengths. There are some suggestions in here that might also be helpful in a broader way. All offered with constructive intent, as I love the concept and am a loyal customer.
I recently tried the new version of Huel’s Mac & Cheese flavor, and while it’s still a decent option, it’s not quite the same as the old version that I loved so much. The pasta texture is definitely an improvement, with a nice texture when ready and no crunchy bits. I also appreciate the fact that less water is needed to cook it, which makes it easier to have on the go in the Huel pot.
However, the new version has fewer tomato pieces, which was a disappointment for me as I enjoyed them in the old version. Additionally, the less cheese sauce and overall flavor compared to the old version is hard to overlook. The new version lacks the strong cheesy flavor that the old version had, making it harder to replace.
Despite these changes, I still plan on ordering the new version of the Huel Mac & Cheese flavor, but in smaller quantities. It’s still a solid option but there are better alternatives to go for in Huel lineup
So I too am a lover of the old Mac & Cheese. It’s my favourite product, and go to of all of them. I’ve been working all my huel down, as I tend to always go to the Mac, and have loads of bags open. Finally ran out and replenished with 5 bags of Mac, forgetting the recipe has changed. I’m devastated!! It’s watery, flavourless and disappointing. The old Mac & cheese was perfect! Please bring it back!
I agree, it’s downright misleading. Please Huel marketing, fix this!
You try to do everything else right, using good ingredients and listening to your community, this is just a bad look.
Very disappointed with the new Mac and Cheese
The sauce to pasta ratio is abysmal
Stop trying to cheap out and bring back the old recipe, it was fantastic and didn’t need changing…
This actually makes me angry how you’re cutting costs like this, I’d rather you up the price