I have been drinking Huel twice daily since 2018 (and Coffee Caramel in particular since it was released) - it is one of few the constants in my life and something I have greatly enjoyed in my daily routine for a very long time.
Huel hasn’t been just my morning coffee, it has also my primary nutritional source and a key solution I depended upon as someone with extremely tight timetables who is without regular access to a kitchen. Dinners are whatever solid edible I can get my claws on at the time, could be cardboard for all I care and I know Huel had my back on the main front covering my macros, fiber, aminos+vitamins, probiotics, etc…
However, the 5 most recent bags of Black Edition Coffee Caramel (All delivered onward of late November 2024) have all tasted COMPLETELY different. Not even a hint of Coffee Caramel flavor is detectable anymore; Now all I can taste is [insert any GNC whey supplement shake ever here]. If it didn’t come in the same bag I wouldn’t have believed it to be the same product.
Support sent a replacement bag saying “…there might be a slight difference [in flavor]” and it was identically sweetly-sour to the existing Black Edition Coffee Caramel and also nearly identical to whey isolate shakes I’ve had in the past, whether or not I make it with plain water or almond milk.
Before the change, It would actually taste like a coffee, more or less sweetened depending on whether I added almond milk.
I recall a special email went out from Huel around Q3 ‘24 about a change in protein suppliers, and I didn’t worry at the time, thinking “slight change” wouldn’t be a big deal. “slight difference in taste” is a huge understatement here.
Now I am wondering if Huel is worth it anymore.
Honestly - as a loyal customer - it tastes like a completely different product now with a faint sweetly-soured note and no detectable hint of coffee. I would pay more to get the old flavor back if it was even available.
By taking on such a flavor as it has now, I’ve lost enjoyment of the product.
Thus, as consuming it may no longer be enjoyable (I will try other flavors), it will become a thing I make myself do for the nutritional profile.
It used to be a no-brainer; Huel for life… then Huel changed on me.
To me it feels like what losing Starbucks and [your go-to meals] might feel like to other people who depend on those daily because my entire nutritional strategy may change.
I’m going to consider other flavors and downshifting from Black Edition to the white bags, but after that I’ll have to reconsider my options, especially given that ~72% of my food budget is for Huel and, if I’m not going to enjoy it…
