Being professionaly focusing on food trends and all kind of food related innovations, sometimes you discover a new kind of food product that asks further investigation. Let me introduce Huel, a brand new food replacement in the market.
I was in London when the team behind Huel give me some samples of their product: a white attractive, ûber neutral pouch, very low but strong branding in a black Helvetica typo and the product itself has a velvety powder-ish feeling.
What is this Huel hype all about?
Well, Huel is a nutritionally complete powdered food that contains all the proteins, carbs, and fats you need, plus at least 100% of the European Union’s “Daily Recommended Amounts” of all 26 essential vitamins and minerals . It’s been formulated by a renowned nutrition expert James Collier who has 25 years of experience working in nutrition and dietetics, so not a rookie would I think. Huel is 100% vegan (better for the environment and animals), super convenient, high in protein (148g per 2000 calories) and fibre (35g), contains just 4.6 grams of sugar per 2000 calories (no added sugar), requires minimal packaging and has a shelf-life of 12 months (so zero food waste). One level scoop of Huel (38g) equates to 156 calories.
Today food replacements are not new and usually not very loved. They remind us of a life of diet where all things good, tasty and fulfilling are banned. When you read the instruction: “Add water, shake it up, and there’s your lunch, dinner or breakfast”, it doesn’t make you happy I’m sure.
The idea is there: put political correct vegan powdered food in a pouch, offer a healthy, sustainable alternative to junk food and ready meals, sell it in a graphical hip packaging and there you are.
So, why do I care to talk about this in the first place? Do I want to promote this particularly product to you, my readers? No, I’m not. The Squid Stories reports on contemporary culture and tries to grab new consumer behavior and products that reflect this changing attitude. That’s why I find it interesting to spot this upcoming trend of looking at what food does for you.
Food is for many of us a way of living, a way of showing our wealth, our cultivated lifestyle choices. It is also a source of pleasure, taste, experience and satisfaction. For others it’s something they don’t have enough of, the bare essentials to stay alive and healthy are not available. Now we see a new kind of looking at food: the one that sees food only as fuel for a human body. The idea is that the human body is the engine, a secret temple that needs to be fed by the best nutrients on the market. And what is better than excluding all risk of food poisoning, industry fraude and manufactural lies and fuel that same body 3 times a day with a bag of only essential nutrients. No fuzz about taste, bite, crunch or sour meets sweet rules. The pouch is all you need and this gives you plenty of time to fill your day with other things than buying and preparing food.
This is convenience to the max. It also adds up to a growing intrest in body fueling food that is good for you and even helps to keep your body healthy and strong. It can be a start of creating this kind of food for countries who suffer food poverty. Or, it could be a help for people who can only afford poor quality food. I like this kind of try-outs, people who at least try to think about relevant products, and see where they lead to.By the way, selling 500,000 Huel meals since June 2016 in more than 30 countries, is at least remarkable.
Is powdered food the future? We shall see. At least it is worth checking the effect out and monitor how this will influence the way people look at food the years to come.
Later!
Kate
Extra: Huel is not only to be consumed with water, as a (very) neutral, vanilla tasting nutrient. It also can be used in several recipe’s and dishes. Here is already one to try.
Raspberry shake.
Take 125g frozen raspberries, 2 yellow plums, cored and halved, 40g Vanilla Huel, 1 tsp maple syrup and 250ml almond milk. Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Easy, convenient and healthy. Enjoy!
Huel is for sale online at their webshop. Huel comes in two flavors: Vanilla and Unflavoured & Unsweetened and a gluten free version on demand. they also developed a range of seven flavors: Strawberry, Chocolate, Banana, Pineapple and Coconut, Mocha, Toffee, Rhubarb and Custard. These are designed to work with both Vanilla Huel and the Unflavoured & Unsweetened version.