I’ve started Huel in the beginning of 2018 and have since tried every flavour that came out (switched to Huel Black only though as soon as it came out, much preferred it). It became clear very quickly that the name on the pack didn’t mean it actually tasted like that, sometimes this didn’t matter as the flavour was good in itself and sometimes I was a bit disappointed (one of the chocolate flavour changes put me off).
However.
These days seem to be over!
I recall trying out caramel (and I don’t like caramel, don’t ask me why I ordered it anyway) and it tasted just like all the other caramel I don’t like! The taste was spot on. And now the same for Cinnamon Swirl and Cookies & Cream, they’re just what I’d expect!
So I just wanted to say good job, the flavour engineering really has come a long way and it’s awesome!
The Huel caramel flavour tastes pretty much like all caramel, so I’m saying that in a good way, as in the flavour engineers really nailed it! I just don’t like caramel xD
Interested if this thread has the flavour engineers attention.
We can all agree that flavour is subjective, just wonder over to the contradictory options on Redit. That’s fine. What I do find annoying is a lack of objective information, like a basic data visualisation of the flavour spectrums, a radar chart or a bar chart. As some people want sweet, others do not, strong flavour or not, everyone is different. This is my first time ordering, and need to order a few bags but the information on flavours are empty cliche marketing spin or subjective redit reviews. It’s a bit like intern day when it comes to information on flavours.
I do emphasise with developing new flavours, we have the technology to create anything but our caveman and cavewomen brains are attracted to flavours limited but available in nature. Add different cultures and class into the mix means an even more complex problem. I get it. To develop flavours for what is powdery goop that will be consumed daily adds to this complication.
All that I can request (for now) is objective information on the flavours that is not some hyperbolic marketing spin. Information that is objective and guides the consumer.
TBH – no food company would do that – flavours that have been developed specifically for a product - fall deeply into intellectual property rights, and no brand would freely give any information either direct or indirect – where a competitor could replicate this with the published information, however oblique it maybe.
You may get descriptions of flavour or aroma notes, but that’s all you should ever realistically expect.
I just bought some Huel after last trying it several years ago. Got the Huel black, a vanilla and a banana. Just had one where I did a scoop from each and it was very pleasant. Looking forward to trying the Cookies and Cream I am hearing so much about.
I think it was the V2 of Huel that gave me indigestion/heart burn, and I don’t think I was alone with that. Pleased to say no such problems with this current batch. Goes down smooth!
You would be correct Phil_C if it was a famous fried chicken herbs and spices recipe, but do keep in mind this is a flavour range that is described as “chemically” and “sickly sweet”, I noted one formative comment was “ feeling of having to vomit ” Chemical Like After Taste? Difficult to drink it...feling to vomit. Any advices?
The elixir of life, it an’t.
Other factors like value proposition, distribution, and brand have secured this organisation’s position. Since they are up to version three of their core product, it is a work in progress — and that’s ok.
Everything can be reversed engineered, Phil. Everything. Although it is nice that you care for the profits of a company that has a “F” BBB rating.
🫳🏼🎤 mic drop here!
In a way, I’d like to see a chart like that, just on a level of 1 to 5 of the following: strength, sweetness, smoothness (with water), creaminess, and similar which can help people chose whether or not to try a flavour.
But I’d like way more a taster pack: priced as a single bag, with 1/2 portion of each flavour in it
I’m not sure how this would be possible since taste is so subjective. For example some people find vanilla to be a good neutral flavour whereas I find it sickly sweet. Some people say chocolate is too bitter whereas I find it mellow and delicious (it’s actually becoming a favourite of mine lately!). It’s very difficult to say anything objective about flavour. I really don’t know how I’d even describe the most of them.
I think this is a cool idea, but perhaps @lnicolett’s suggestion of a 1-5 would be simpler to understand. The limitation with this though really is perception, we could argue for years about it, like whether Salted Caramel is a 4 or a 5 in sweetness. And if we called it a 5 it would mean we couldn’t ever release anything sweeter. But I don’t think it’s totally out of scope, so long as we weren’t giving anything away that we weren’t comfortable with.
Haha, you are on the Huel forum here, so it’s not unreasonable to be speaking to people who are passionately in favour of us and want us to succeed! Worth noting that BBB give everyone an F by default until they pay to become a member. We’re not an American local business so naturally we aren’t a member. Also, there are 3 reviews and 7 complaints, so sample size is 10. But on Trustpilot there’s over 12,000 and we have a 4.5 Much more data to look at.
That would be an easy solution: 5 would be given to the powder where you include the highest amount of sweetener/natural sugar etc, 1 to the lowest one. No? And same would apply to other things like creaminess etc, the highest thickener agent used, etc…
I had this with an old Vanilla (whitepack) flavour. It was basically sickening to the point I couldnt finish the pack and I have tried nearly every single Huel flavour (not peanut and latte yet, as they are new) and finished packs even if I don’t like the flavour. I think it was the sweetener used, but not everyone had that reaction to it. Never had such an issue with Huel Black, afaik all flavouring is natural or something.
I only do Huel Black now, here’s my estimates:
Vanilla is somewhat sweet to me, but neutral enough (as in i prefer choc over vanilla icecream since forever but huel is ok)
Cookies and cream tastes like a not too sweet chocolate flavour to me, I like it, less sweet than vanilla
Chocolate tastes like Toffee to me
caramel and cinnamon taste as the name suggests but they are on the sweet side
banana was ok, but a bit too artificial for me
strawberry flavour was decent but too sweet for me
– idk if banana/strawberry have been updated since i tried them
I always mix 500ml of water and 100g of powder now and pretty much down it.
At the end of the day you gotta try stuff yourself tho. I mean go into a shop and you’ll see 20 different flavour versions of chocolate, different brands of normal milk chocolate will taste different, and also different for different people, tastebuds aren’t all the same, it’s just how it is.
Thanks mate, but this thread directed to the flavour engineers not your opinion on flavours. After all, opinions are like…
What your “ Whataboutism” post does indicate is apologetic position to an organisation that is not communicating the contents of their products to consumers. Of concern is that this post is paid for by the organisation or worse that this decisive rhetorical response is free, as in unpaid work to promote the organisation.
The intent of my first post and I am assuming the original post is some accountability of an organisation to communicate with their customers is to be expected. As a meal replacement industry is duopoly market, thanks to clever influencer driven marketing and the simpletons who fall for it, we are left with products that requires consumers to take a risk with their money on what is fundamentals oats, peas, and other grains flavoured in labs. They know every well the flavour breakdowns, they just choose not to share this information. Organisations will continue to do this because some customers fall for the marketing strategies and identify themselves based on the brands they align with, instead of going “hey, more information please”.
Ensuring customers buy every Huel product as the taste information is lacking is market manipulation.
Why is this a problem? What is wrong with customers requesting more information to improve purchasing decisions. Do you see yourself as a stakeholder in Huel, Darren?
Why is this a problem? What is wrong with customers requesting more information to improve purchasing decisions.
If every consumer asked every manufacturer to explain the flavouring in a chart of every food product they made, would that be sensible? Flavour is one of the most subjective things out there, I enjoy most of the Huel range, my wife cannot eat any of the shakes, my son cannot eat the mac and cheeze (both of which I find weird), how would a chart have made any difference to this?
Do you see yourself as a stakeholder in Huel, Darren?
If by consistently purchasing and enjoying their products over the last 3-4 years makes me a stakeholder, then yes.
What Is a Stakeholder?
A stakeholder is a party that has an interest in a company and can either affect or be affected by the business. The primary stakeholders in a typical corporation are its investors, employees, customers, and suppliers.
Much more data to look at.