I brought H&S on a camping trip, and it performed superbly! It was just as good as the dried camping food that we also used. Just heat up some water in the Jetboil, and there is your supper.
Hey!
So just wanted to come in and address your points.
I’m sorry you feel this way. We understand that there is a lot of frustration on this. When we looked at how many people came back to Huel after having Mac & Cheeze, as well as looking how many complained about it, we had to change.
Lots go into the thinking when we decide to decide this. As I mentioned in the original post, we look at repeat rates, Net promoter scores and complaints. All of these combined results lead us to business decisions. But with these metrics, we get things like how we can improve, should we change something, or are we missing something. Through this we also gain insight to what our Hueligans want to see. Of course we’re always working behind the scenes so we could see new options come to the table in the future!
Appreciate this! We think this change will be great, and we think it’ll be beneficial in the long run for our Hueligans, making sure you get a better experience.
I hope this answers your points; always happy to discuss more if you have any further q’s
I noticed no mention of Szechuan Spiced Noodles or Thai Noodles here. Are those the new flavors you talked about in December? Or will those continue or be phased out? I’ve tried all flavors (except meal packs, scooping sounds inconsistent) and Szechuan is in my Top 6.
Just my vote, but all others I wouldn’t order again. Chick’n & Mushroom is by far the blandest and the pasta is too small. Korean BBQ is the most satiating and the best texture of all, but I have no idea where the BBQ is. If it was made more BBQ, I would have a Top 7. And if Thai had a peanut flavor, it would be more recognizable, instead of bland and generic. Then a monthly Top 8.
Also, Hoisin ‘Duck’ Noodles from the UK really needs to be included in the USA offerings. The entire range here is dedicated only to umami and spicy. Not a single flavor is sweet or acidic. Hoisin would give us some variety.
So far I love Huel’s passion to improving these products and your process is fair, thoughtful, and transparent. I switched from Soylent because innovation there stopped and was replaced with incredibly tasteless, unsatiating options. Excited to see what’s new!
They are indeed! This is our newest addition to the line up so these were the ones we alluded to
Noted, this is the feedback I’ll pass on to the team for sure. We’re always working on new and exciting things we can bring to the range so maybe this will be something we see in the future
Thanks for this, we try to do right by our Hueligans best we can
Extremely disappointed in the discontinuation of Mac & Cheeze and Pasta Bolognese. Judging by the reaction across the internet, I am clearly not the only one in this situation. Add me to the list, I guess.
These were my favorite hot and savory flavors by a mile. Hot and savory meals have been a staple in my weight loss journey over the last year. Losing my two favorite flavors now means that I will be looking elsewhere to fulfill my meal needs.
I’ll be blunt: The Mac and Cheeze being discontinued is a huge blunder.
I get that limited research is done on these things to maintain and maximize profitability and so on, but many times this top-down sort of research misses the important details for customer experience. Don’t get me wrong, the singled-out portion packages are fine (if we ignore the extra waste created), this reframing of the packaging change as the crux of the issue is not the true problem for myself at least. It’s the loss of the Mac And Cheeze.
The reason I personally prefer the Mac and Cheeze is that it is somehow the least monotonous one to eat almost daily. It seems to cook the most thoroughly to al dente unlike the penne pasta type ones which always seemed to be a little crunchy or end up turning watery and mushy and almost inedible.
The grain-based ones are OK but they all seem to have the same texture, underwhelming flavor, and it quickly becomes a chore to eat regularly since it just feels like chewy sludge with a monotonous flavor and texture profile.
The elbow macaroni gives the perfect al dente chew and doesn’t feel sludgy or watery when cooked with 7 oz water rather than the 8.5 recommended.
Huel Mac and Cheeze was genuinely the only one I looked forward to eating on a night when I didn’t want to cook. I had a small set of things i added like white miso paste, nutritional yeast and MSG as well as imitation bacon bits that really elevated it to something enjoyable for a convenience meal that actually provides nutrition.
It’s hard to work some of those flavor additions into some of the others to where it makes a favorable difference and because the texture holds it back for me for some of those, I’m hesitant to order the other flavors again. They’re either exceedingly bland to where additional flavors alter the food significantly (thai green comes to mind) or have one really dominant note that is hard to complement or increase the complexity with additional ingredients (Spicy indian or mexican chili).
I might try the chicken mushroom pasta one that is recommended because I need a convenient meal like this in my life still and hopefully I can make it work with the same tricks I used before, but this decision to omit a staple type dish like Mac and Cheeze just feels like a total mistake to me, just the usual creep of large organizations missing the mark because they look at the numbers but not the story which explains the numbers. I’ve seen it time and time again where an organization inevitably has to walk back this sort of “brilliant” change someone thought was a good idea that nobody necessarily asked for.
I’ll still be experimenting to make the leftovers of the other flavors work in lieu of the disappearance of Mac and Cheeze but I highly doubt any of them will ever be as satisfying without some extra work. It makes it harder to recommend Huel Hot and Savory to others because the Mac and Cheeze was actually the main highlight of the savory line that piqued the interest of everyone I’ve talked to about it. Almost everyone likes a simple Kraft style macaroni and cheese.
We understand that it’s not been a popular choice. That being said who knows what we could see in the future.
Hi, I have been getting the Hot & Savory Bags for a while now. I have to say that I am also disappointed in the discontinuation of the Mac & Cheeze and Pasta Bolognese. I thought those were the two best-tasting in the lineup. Can you please bring them into the pouches? Are there other flavors that you are exploring that can offer more variety? I personally am not a big fan of the different Curries and Chilies.
I understand the dissapointment but unfortunately this is not something we can do, but watch this space who knows what we could see in the future!
Not right now, we’re parting ways with the big pouches, hence the move into sachets.
I hear you, we’re always working behind the scenes to bring new and exciting options to the table so I will pass on your feedback for sure
I’m late to this news. It was shocking to see Mac and Cheeze replaced in the subscription with a product that is not wanted and will never be considered. In the justification for delisting Mac and Cheeze it was noted that people preferred spicier products and complained about creamy bases. The problem with that research is that it doesn’t appear to take into consideration that what made Mac so great is that it serves as an excellent neutral base. It was by far my favorite and I never ate it alone. Ever. I have probably eight or nine different preparations, with numerous sauces, meats, and other add ons. It could be eaten every day and never be repetitive. You now have no substitute, leading to searching elsewhere on the market for a similar product. This is just one customer, who also subscribes to two of those spicy products, but it’s now less subscription money from me.
It’s interesting to see how strong the negative response to canceling Mac & Cheez is. I’m sure Huel had solid metrics to base that decision on, but it certainly came as a shock to me and apparently to many other Mac & Cheezy Hueligans. Personally, I thought v2 of the M&C was a big improvement and that put it back in my steady H&S roster. Others apparently prefer v1. Regardless, we’re very sad it’s gone. I’m glad you gave enough warning for me to stockpile a half dozen bags of it.
Regarding the switch to individual sachets, I can’t help but feel this “ease of use” adjustment is a step in the wrong direction. I get that you were getting complaints from people who apparently couldn’t correctly shake up a bag before scooping. Unfortunately that seems to have ruined it for the rest of us. Aside from the additional packaging waste, I usually serve Huel as a 600kcal meal, which was easy to do with the bags. My go to was 2 scoops yellow curry, 1 scoop red curry. that will soon be impossible.
The most important thing to me is that Huel survives, flourishes. Huel is an important part of my lifestyle. Sadly it seems that some of the measures Huel feels it needs to take to bolster its business are not what I and many others would like to see. Maybe these are the best possible concessions, though. Price and quality are still key factors.
Well I just logged in to do an order and was taken aback lol. I don’t love the new packaging, but what I love the least is the discontinued flavors. Seriously- how did those get bumped and the Gochujang and K BBQ stay? I got the variety pack of cups to try some flavors before committing to some of the big bags and they were horrible. The Gochujang was like mush noodles in Dollar Tree hot sauce. And IDK what the KBBQ was supposed to be other than inedible. Like I gave them away to coworkers and think I made enemies. The alfredo was the best one in the cups. As for the new pouches. I guess I’m glad there’s a variety pack to try the multiple flavors without committing to a whole bag and winding up with something that tastes like those korean style cups. I will be reducing my purchasing, as this will no longer be a lunch I keep at work to eat 5 days a week, but I’ll keep on-hand for when I travel. Glad the shake powder still taste good!
I’m so glad to have found someone else who loves the Alfredo! I ate at least one cup a day for the last few years, and bought like nine boxes when they were getting discontinued. Gonna be real sad when they’re gone
We love the Asian noodles, fortunately, but definitely miss the old mac and cheese, alfredo, and penne style chikn and mushroom.
The curries are just gross, sickly sweet slurries…
Just found out about these forums and registered solely for the purpose of begging Huel to bring back the Mac and cheese (pasta b. would be nice, too). So I’m delighted to see so many other Hueligans with the same complaint.
Just by spending 20 minutes going through conversations on these forums, I can quickly tell you that your data used in these decisions was off, at best. In regards to the Mac and cheese, the only people I saw refer to the most recently discontinued version are not vegan and do not consume non-dairy based cheeses. Nearly every one of those posts I read discussed their “Huel hacks” of adding meat and animal-based dairy to their meals. These are NOT your target customers.
As a company explicitly offering only vegan goods, your ideal customer base for both marketing and research must be either vegan or those who consume vegan alternatives. These are whose taste buds and buying trends you need the most data on as that is the most relevant data for your business decisions. If you are switching up your ideal customer base, then that’s what you need to be communicating in breaking down the research you conducted.
Going back to the Mac and cheese, I am additionally curious about the relevance of the data used regarding which version. Again, searching complaints about the Mac and cheese flavors on these forums, the only other complaints I could find were from those who were referring to the older version, which–as I understand it–was quite detested by most people of all diets. When looking into the complaints and purchase trends for the Mac and cheese, did this data separate out the old version from the new? (Of note, I did see some older complaints from customers who actually enjoyed the old version of the Mac and cheese and disliked the new. As with every business decision, we can’t make everyone happy every time.)
For my 10 year old son and I, the Mac and cheese was the only reason I purchase Huel meals at all. Yes, there are tons of different types and styles of vegan Mac and cheese today. But none of them are particularly nutritional in any way. Discovering Huel was vegan and that Huel had a Mac and cheese that was designed specifically with nutrition in mind made me unbelievably happy. That that same Mac and cheese turned out to be tasty was just a bonus! Now I could be comfortable in my son’s choice when he says he only wants Mac and cheese for dinner, knowing it will be nutritious as well as filling.
When I heard about this change months ago, I was devastated and voiced my complaints by responding to the email. I did what I could to stock up. Tonight, my son reached what will be the last bag ever. When I told him, he was shocked. “Why is it going away?” “But I love the Mac and cheese!” Words alone don’t describe his hurt and disappointment in that moment. So I came here tonight to complain again, on his behalf this time.
Please reconsider your discontinuation of the Mac and cheese. You may also want to have a lengthier sit down with your marketing and research staff to figure out what went awry in the data you based these decisions off of.
I would also complain/offer suggestions about the packaging changes, but as I won’t be buying any more meals until the Mac and cheese comes back, that seems a moot point.
Welcome to the forum. Pasta bolognese will be returning, you can find all the deets here
Right, and can I ask why you believe our data to be off? We use so many different touchpoints when making a decision like this. I’m rehashing some of the data used previously but when we make a decision like this we look at lots of points but these being the main 3.
For the last year we’ve been looking hard at these metrics for H&S:
- Repeat Rate (RR) - This measures how often you, our Hueligans, come back for more Huel products, whether it’s the same flavour, another flavour, or something totally different. It’s important because it helps us rank clearly which products are preferred and which are good gateways to other products.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) - This metric asks how likely you are to recommend Huel to your friends and family. A high score from you means we’re doing things right and that you’re spreading the Huel love! It’s not directly product related, but we can draw correlations with the above metrics and products to help form a picture.
- Complaints - While they might seem like bad news, your complaints are actually golden opportunities for us to improve. We appreciate your feedback and aim to turn negatives into positives where possible.
Huel is a vegan product, but we don’t market it specifically to vegans. Huel is for everyone.
We look at all the data, not just one specific point. We take into consideration the changes made. It’s worth noting that these decisions don’t just happen overnight. These are looked into, investigated, can we change this, can we do that - All sorts of conversations before we get to the point of a delist.
I am sorry that this is the case. Of course this is gone now but that being said, it doesn’t mean that this could be something we revisit in the future. One day we may hit the nail on the head and bring you the best Mac & cheeze possible but for now that’s not the case. We’re always working super hard behind the scenes to bring new flavors to the table so who knows what we could see next.
Hi there! I appreciate this company a lot, and yall are contributing to my ability to stay nourished as a busy graduate student while also being vegan!
That said, I made this discourse account here specifically because I think removing mac’n cheese was not only disappointing, but also a terrible mistake!!* Pretty dramatic right? -But let me explain though:
Mac n cheese is a flavor that is timeless -it’s both non-threatening and widely loved (at least here in the USA). It is because of this status as nearly unanimously beloved comfort food that I’ve been able to win over a lot of people who otherwise wouldn’t have tried Huel or would have otherwise scoffed at the idea of Vegan mac with. All who I’ve shared with liked it - some even loved it! The Huel take on mac was genuinely good as a ‘mac n cheese’ replacement that is vegan and flavorful. While it might have had fewer repeat buys compared to others, it certainly has both a loyal following of devotees (I see all of my fellow mac lovers in this forum!) and the general appeal of being a meal that’s easily recognizable and instantly nostalgic.
I think the combination of having a loyal following and being such an iconic comfort food really sets up this flavor as an excellent ambassador; an option that gets people comfortable, talking and sharing it with others.
I would be curious if the data supported the idea of mac n’ cheeze as a kind’ve ‘gateway Huel’ - a flavor that some love, but others move on from in pursuit of their flavor dreams (which is totally fine). Would this not add some value for the company as a whole in keeping it around?
On a personal note, I do hope you consider adding it back, or at least trying to tweak it in some form - it’s my absolute favorite. I write this somewhat tearfully as I eat my final bowl of Huel-Mac.
Actually, no! A little more than tearfully. In fact - I beg thee! - don’t you know how hard it is to find a decent vegan mac in this world?? You did it! Kudos to the chef! Hurray for the team! Please add it back or mac girlies like me will scream!
- respectfully, and with much love
Thank you for the love!
Welcome, but sorry it’s not under better circumstances.
Although you may have loved it some other people just didn’t love it. Like I said before, we don’t just pluck these out of nowhere; lots of planning and data analysis go into deciding this.
That being said, I will never say never as you just don’t know right?
Hey @Angel, sorry for the delayed response here (I only saw this via the monthly Discourse update email), but they now have a limited number of last-chance mac & cheese bags you can buy, while supplies last: Huel Hot & Savory Outlet | Huel US
I feel your pain. My favorite was chicken alfredo, and those seem to be gone forever, even in the outlet There’s a cup-shaped hole in my heart now.
Good shout! We do still have some Mac & Cheeze bags up for grabs!
I’m sorry to hear that the Chick’n Alfredo was one of your favorites. I’ll pass along the feedback that this flavor will be missed!
This flavor was tricky for us as creamy/cheesy flavors were not performing very well, and widely recognised meals like Alfredo and Carbonara can come with extremely high (and specific) expectations.
That’s fair! Too bad…
For what it’s worth, I’d still buy them even if they were called something with less baggage, like “Limited experimental flavor #72” or “Reconstituted protein chunks in beige sauce” It’s actually pretty hard to find good vegan chicken alfredo, and Huel made one of the best ones out there IMO. It will be missed!