What happened to Huel?

[Mark_Huel]

Hey Cuba!

Thank you for taking the time to share how you feel. It’s never easy to hear, but it reminds us just how far we’ve come since those very first days. Looking back, it’s incredible to think that what started as a simple idea has now reached its 10th year. Along the way, we’ve celebrated big wins, stumbled at times, and, most importantly, learned from every step of the journey.

Through all the change, one thing has never wavered: our commitment to being the leaders in providing nutritionally complete products, always rooted in science. That passion is what carried us through the early days, and it’s the same passion that drives us today.

@cuba

I even see the listing for the powder now recommends using Greens alongside it, but I remember very well Dan commenting on the forum that if you consume the powder the Greens won’t add anything and would be redundant.

Huel Daily Greens are meant to boost your nutrition intake to ensure you get complete nutrition every day. If you have 2 or more servings of other Huel products daily in addition to other foods, you’re likely already hitting your nutrient needs, though it depends on the rest of your diet.

For those who have 1 Huel serving a day or only occasionally, Daily Greens can be a great added boost to cover all your nutrient essentials, with potential added benefits from ingredients like adaptogens and superfruits, too.

@cuba

(although am only 30 if that’s still young?)

I hope so, as I turned 30 in April

@cuba

I just feel like James C and Julian had the formula perfected from a scientific and nutritional perspective but the company has moved into a generation of influencers and advertising rather than what is best for us. I recognise the company as a whole is much bigger now but it irritates me when I see someone promoting Huel on Tiktok who has no idea about the product and their account is full of promoting shit products (not that I would class Huel as that in any way, but some people will promote anything, and it places it in that category if you let them promote it for a fee).

I hear you, and I really appreciate you sharing this. You’re right, James and Julian set an incredible standard from the start, and everything we’ve done since has been built on that same scientific and nutritional foundation. That hasn’t changed, and it never will. Science is always at the heart of what we do.

I also get where you’re coming from with how things look now. When I first joined, Huel was on just Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We weren’t in retail; we were still finding our feet globally, and very few people had even heard of us. To grow, we’ve had to adapt and show up where people spend their time, whether that’s TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, or working with influencers.

I completely understand that sometimes it doesn’t feel right seeing Huel promoted by people who don’t always represent what makes this community so special. That’s why feedback like yours matters; it keeps us grounded and reminds us that the voices and partnerships we choose should reflect the same passion and care that built Huel in the first place. But one thing remains, no matter who promotes our product, whether you’re a brand new mum or you’ve just run the length of Australia, Huel is for everyone.

@cuba

Even my order today came with some referral cards with a picture of “hardest geezer”, whoever that is, and does anyone care? Cheapens the brand immensely in my opinion.

I get what you’re saying, and it’s a fair point. Russ Cook, the “Hardest Geezer” is the guy who ran the entire length of Africa, and we were proud to help fuel that journey. But he’s just one of many people we’ve supported over the years, from Matt Pritchard smashing a half-Ironman record to Rupert Jones-Warner summiting Everest. These aren’t just marketing stunts, they’re real people pushing their limits and choosing Huel to help them get there.

The referral cards and stories aren’t meant to cheapen what Huel stands for, but to show what’s possible when people use our products. That’s why we even created the Limit Seeker Fund something we’d never have dreamed of 10 years ago, to help people turn the “impossible” into reality.

@cuba

I remember clearly talking with James C via email about a small issue I had and he replied right away and gave a lot of very helpful advice, everything felt a lot more personal. We felt a part of the Huel journey but not so much now, everything feels profit driven and this feeling wasn’t there a few years ago. It’s good to see people like hunzas still here (though far less offensive now, what happened bro) and coup but the forum feels much more dead now.

James C was brilliant at giving that personal touch, and those early exchanges felt like being part of something small and special. That spirit is still what we’re aiming for, even if it doesn’t always come across as clearly now that we’ve grown.

This year, we’ve gone through some changes internally, bringing the CX social team into Marketing to form the new Brand and Community team. The whole point of that was to get closer to the community again, to make things feel more like they used to. It’s probably why you’re seeing me here more, and why you’ll see me stepping in to chat (or even give the odd telling-off, looking at you @hunzas).

But I want to be clear, this isn’t just “part of the job” for me. I genuinely love being here, I love this community, and I love what Huel stands for. Alongside Tim (who should have his forum access back soon), we’re working hard to make the forum, Reddit, and all our community spaces feel more alive again, with more openness, more conversations, and more value for everyone who’s been part of the journey.

We even ran a survey recently when we reintroduced the new team, because for us, it’s not about ticking a box, it’s about rebuilding those connections that made Huel so special in the first place. You can find that post here.

@cuba

Maybe it’s just a yearning for nostalgia, who knows, but I do miss the old days, and it doesn’t seem any other meal replacement company is in the direction of legacy Huel. Such a shame. I miss how the forum used to be much more active, where the top dogs would reply to posts made by lowly consumers, addressing our concerns and sometimes making changes based on them. Nowadays it feels like a faceless corporation, just trying to maximise profits, but I do also understand this is the purpose of a company. I even preferred the old website despite it’s flaws.

I think some of us feel that same sense of nostalgia for the “old days.” Back when the forum was buzzing, the team was smaller, and James and Julian were replying directly to threads; it felt like a tight-knit club we were all part of. It’s natural to miss that.

That said, I want to reassure you that James and Julian are still right at the heart of things. James recently stepped back from the day-to-day office role to be our Nutrition Advisor, and Julian, well, I literally sit back-to-back with him in the office! As Huel has grown, their responsibilities have shifted, but they’re still in the thick of every detail, even down to something as small as a flavour tweak. It may feel more “corporate” from the outside, but behind the scenes, they’re still driving Huel with the same passion and attention as day one.

The forum and community spaces may look different now, but the goal hasn’t changed: to keep listening, learning, and improving together. Nostalgia for how it used to be is valid, but I hope you know the same spirit is still alive and well, even if it sometimes takes a different shape.

@cuba

The aim of my post isn’t to bash Huel at all, I still consume it every day (currently makes up all of my intake!), but I still don’t like the direction it’s taken. I hope nobody takes offence to my post.

You’ve not caused any offence at all. I appreciate you taking the time to post this and tell us how you are feeling. I feel you were owed a response back, but I want you to leave feeling that every point has been read and we will continue to do better…just don’t leave 11 months until you next post?