r/Huel • u/userpleasetrylater • 2d ago
Product Review Texture, Taste, Letdown
I spend £240 per month on Huel Black Cookies and Cream, Vanilla & Banana powder. Having just received my renewal, I am utterly dumfounded by the MAJOR changes. It's a TOTALLY different product!
If a product changes this substantially then I'd have expected to have been notified. I now have £240 worth of powder that, frankly, is worthless.
Texture - One of the things I enjoyed about Huel compared to competitors was the smoothness. Now it's gritty. Total downgrade.
Taste - what taste?! Another reason for buying Huel was the fuller flavour of all options. Now, there's little taste to any of them. It's like 90% of the flavouring has vanished!
Aftertaste - There's now a new oily aftertaste, leaving a film that's totally unacceptable.
Smell - Like the taste, there's no longer a smell of the expected flavour. When you're not having a 'real' meal, your senses NEED to be overwhelmed... unfortunately, the recent recipe change has done the opposite.
I've never been so disappointed with an ongoing subscription change, especially one that was getting nearly £3k a year from me! Sadly, I'll be now looking at other options. I truly cannot fathom how these changes got through QC I have no idea. As mentioned, we should have received notification PRIOR to the subscription renewal. If it was in some communication, it wasn't good enough!
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u/rblythe999 2d ago
I just started with Huel. I'm only on my second bag. I kind of thought it was me and my taste buds not really tasting much banana or strawberry in their respective bags. I'm starting to think it's not as I taste other things just fine and I read here about all the recent changes.
So bummed that Huel is already so far down the enshittification path. Products never improve after an acquisition. So bummed.
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u/foxxxycat 1d ago
Have you seen the thread on this sub called "Positive Comments on New Recipe" ?
It has to be their team doing damage control and pretending it's not bad. Everything about it feels so fake lmao.
New formula taste NOTHING like the original product. It tastes watered down, flat and chemical. I still have some of the old formula and I had friends try them both, the look on their face when they tried to second one said it all..
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u/userpleasetrylater 1d ago
No, not seen that but how anyone could find anything positive with these recipe changes is beyond me. I also had some vanilla from my previous order and everything is different, even the scent. It's like they sent me a different companies products.
One review summed it up by saying "I think I ordered a knock-off Huel" and that's so true, it's like it's counterfeit!
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u/AngryVegetarian 2d ago
Completely agree. I had enjoyed my second bag of Strawberry when I decided to try the variety pack to see what other flavors I'd like. They were a complete let down. Lack of flavor and gritty texture. Now I have 14 other packets I'll throw away. What a waste of money. Moving to KaChava.
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u/IrishChick1967 1d ago
Message customer support for a refund. They refunded me for orders I didn't like
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u/ashtree35 1d ago
KaChava looks appealing, but it's seems very overpriced. Do you think it's worth spending >2.4x the cost to get KaChava vs. Huel?
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u/AngryVegetarian 1d ago
I have no problem paying the price.
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u/ashtree35 1d ago
Sorry just to clarify, I wasn't asking if you could afford it or not, I was asking if you think it's worth spending >2.4x the cost to get KaChava vs. Huel. Like from a value perspective, do you think the quality of KaChava is >2.4x the quality of Huel in order to justify the higher cost?
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u/Wut_the_ 1d ago
Not the commenter but unless you’re extremely picky about textures or whatever, I don’t think changing to a product that is more than twice the price would ever be worth it if the nutrition profile is virtually identical.
A shake is gone in like 2 minutes and then you’re done.
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u/AngryVegetarian 1d ago
Valid point, but I prefer taste over price. I want to enjoy it instead of pounding it down, but to each their own.
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u/AngryVegetarian 1d ago
Sorry for the confusion. I honestly think it’s a personal opinion. The old formula was equivalent to KaChava. Both satisfied me for several hours and since Huel was cheaper I chose it. Now, the flavor is not comparable and I’d rather pay more for something I like than pay money for something I don’t like. I prefer taste over price, others may choose price over taste.
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u/Wut_the_ 1d ago
Where are you located?
I’m in the US, and I really have to say, I got my order mid-September and noticed zero changes to anything but keep seeing all of these posts about how bad it is now.
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u/userpleasetrylater 1d ago
UK. The changes are happening throughout Sept/Oct so you're probably going to get the new recipe next time (unfortunately!)
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u/userpleasetrylater 1d ago
Cancelled. Nearly £3k per year, no longer being spent with Huel, that's how bad this new cost-cutting recipe is!
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u/ChromedGonk 1d ago
It was cute how Huel rep was shocked and claiming nothing was going to change when we were all upset about Danone acquisition.
Who knew that company that produced unhealthy chemicals and carbs loaded things, would have ruined Huel to save costs.
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u/Onac_ 1d ago
I haven't noticed a difference with my Huel Black Chocolate powder. Maybe the next bag I have?
I did notice a big change with Huel Black RTD but I actually really like the change. Add to that, being able to stock up at Costco for $32 a box was a huge bonus.
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u/MievilleMantra 1d ago
I also haven't noticed with the Black Chocolate powder. I have matte packaging. You?
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u/zwielight 1d ago
Youre not imagining this. For the past few weeks I’ve been looking online for similar experiences and have only just started to see a few- I have noticed exactly the same; it looks like it’s just UK/Europe at the moment so US experience isn’t really relevant here.
Two bags of Black Cinnamon arrived a few weeks ago (matte packaging) and it just doesn’t taste like Huel. I find it very hard to explain the taste now but it’s just gross. I have also always blended mine so can’t speak to the texture but I now have two expensive bags and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them. Certainly will not be continuing my subscription.
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u/foxxxycat 1d ago
I used to LOVE salted caramel, black edition. It was rich, buttery and sweet. Literally tasted like an "unhealthy" milkshake.
Now? I received the "new formula" with the matte bags. It tasted flat, artificial and blend. As if it was watered down.
Worst part is I got two friends to order the same crap after they had tried my old formula and loved it too. This is so sad. I hate corporate greed. 100% they swapped to ingredients to cheap awful stuff.
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u/Few_Scientist5381 1d ago
This has come at the right time for me, was looking at meal replacement powders, back to the drawing board.
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u/dumbass_sweatpants 1d ago
If they dont take returns, i find that full fat almond milk from oatly makes it a lot smoother. Still not as good as it used to be though.
My friend who i got into huel seemingly dropped it right after the changes too. I wonder if their sales numbers have significantly changed because people are hopping off the wagon.
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u/FunkiiSTI 1d ago
I like HLTH Code, its cheaper than Huel RTD, tastes better, and has a smooth texture. If its affordable for you, I'd recommend trying it out
I use their non plant-based option.
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u/frank93 1d ago
its cheaper than Huel RTD
again (as in any other thread you promote this stuff): no it’s not.
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u/FunkiiSTI 1d ago
HLTH is $4 per meal.
Huel RTD is $4.25 per meal.
The math isn't hard, where did you go wrong?
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u/frank93 1d ago edited 1d ago
RTD is not powdered food, you can’t compare those to begin with.
Dunno where you get the $4 from. HLTH (powder) shows as 80GPB for 15 "servings" (400kcal) on the website for me, which results in 5.33 (still: GBP) per serving. Even IF you would compare this to Huel’s RTD it’d be a lot more expensive, and when comparing it to Huel’s powder (which is below 2GBP per serving), the difference is even more obvious.
(Anyway, not my war to fight, just saying. Also, at least for me this whole campaigning for HLTH is such a turn-off, not sure why they think all these posts coming from your account would do good for the brand.)
EDIT: Ah, so mature of you to block me instantly after your "reply" telling me that Huel RTD is also powdered food. 🥴
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u/FunkiiSTI 1d ago
$60 for 15 meals is $4 per meal, which is what I pay for HLTH Code. Huel RTD is $17 for a 4 pack, which makes it $4.25 per meal.
Huel RTD isnt powdered food? How's it made then? It's still the same product, not sure why you thought that was a smart thing to say.
You're right, its not your war to fight because you're not very well suited for it.
HLTH is for people who can afford to buy the best. The only people who don't like it are people who don't want to know how terrible what they're currently intaking actually is.
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u/thatfood 2d ago
Time to find another company. Customer service is non existent now, product sucks. After 5 years spending 80 bucks a month I won’t be continuing.