Hellmann’s Tomato Ketchup Sweetened only with Honey testers feedback thread NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the MNers who are trying this new ketchup with their families - read on to find out what they think!

Hellmann’s say “Hellmann’s Ketchup sweetened only with Honey. An all-natural recipe offering Mum’s more of the ingredients they want, and less of the ingredients they don’t – 36% more tomatoes, and 30% less sugar (vs. market leader standard tomato ketchup)”

Testers, please share your thoughts on the questions below and feel free to also tweet your comments and photos to @HellmannsUK (include @mumsnetinsight!)

What did you think overall about the product?
What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

Everyone who takes part and who shares feedback on the thread and by completing the survey will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £300 supermarket voucher for the store of their choice.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

What did you think overall about the product?

I thought it was a nice product. Ketchup with a twist, made standard ketchup a bit more exciting than normal.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)

The honey aspect appealed to me as i love trying new tastes and i wanted to see how it would taste with it in.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

It tasted very sweet, completely different to what i expected. It was nice and tangy. We liked it as family but i think it could be too much sweetness sometimes and you could overdo it if you had too much in one go!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

I would by it to have in the cupboard for a different condiment now and again and to add to things like burgers for a sweeter and unique taste.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

I would recommend it if people like a sweeter taste. People i know get excited about new tastes so i would tell people they have to try it. But i think the novelty would wear off and people and myself would revert back to normal ketchup.

1. Overall myself and my family loved this product. To be honest I was a bit sceptical about how it would taste but I was pleasantly surprised!.

2. It appealed to me as it is 100% natural ingredients and we get through alot of ketchup in our house so reducing sugar intake for my kids wherever possible is important to me.

3. I was expecting it to have a slightly unusual taste if I'm honest but I was surprised because it just tasted like a very good quality tomato ketchup. Delicious!. My husband and three sons all agreed too and have been enjoying it most days!.

4. Yes I am likely to buy it in the future unless Hellmann's market it at some ridiculous price. I like the 100% natural ingredients.

5. Yes I would recommend this product to anybody as I think they would be nicely surprised and I think these days most people try to cut out the nasties in our diet wherever possible.

Thank you for letting us try this product

We didn't like it I'm afraid. I didn't tell my son that it was a different brand but he could tell and he wouldn't eat it. My husband tried it and he didn't like it either. I really liked the idea of it being natural ingredients though as we do get through a huge amount of ketchup. We wouldn't recommend it based on the fact that we didn't like it.

Thank you for letting us test it though!

What did you think overall about the product?

I thought the product as excellent - good flavour and a natural recipe, which is really important for younger members of the family.

What appealed to you about trying it?

The natural recipe and the higher volume of tomatoes made me keen to try it - I'm all for making healthier food choices wherever possible.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

It tasted fantastic, not only to the grown ups in our family but also to my incredibly fussy toddler, which was a real victory!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes - I'm likely to buy it again as it provides a healthier alternative to my current brand of ketchup, and my son eats a LOT of ketchup.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

Yes - I have already recommended it to my husband for next time we run out of ketchup! It was the natural recipe and the great taste that made me recommend it.

We really liked this product. Gave it a good testing at a family bbq!
I compared the recipe to our usual tomato sauce, I like that it has more tomatoes to our usual. And for me, I found it not as sweet with a more acidic taste which I enjoyed.
The children said it tasted good with chips dipped in it!
I had it out on the table for the bbq, and a lot of the adults showed an interest in it being made from honey, and everyone said they enjoyed it. The only one who wasn't keen was my Husband.
I think I will likely buy it again. I prefer the taste and the extra tomato and honey is a winner.
Thank you for letting me test it

Me and my husband could tell that this ketchup contained more tomatoes than other brands, and felt it enhanced the flavour. Our boys weren't too keen though. My husband was disappointed he couldn't taste the honey, though I'm guessing the honey is not meant to be overpowering. We might buy again depending on price, though we didn't love it enough to recommend to others by word of mounts.

What did you think overall about the product?
I thought it was a good product.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)
The use of honey rather than sugar.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

I found it sweet. The rest of the family liked it.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes, I like the idea of less sugar.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would mention it due to the concept, honey rather than sugar.

Hello, when is the deadline for giving feedback? I received an email that I have been chosen as one of testers, but the product hasn't been delivered yet. Hopefully it will arrive later this week.

1. Overall we loved this product. We've always been firm Heinz ketchup buyers but since testing this product we'll be switching!

1. I have a toddler who is obsessed with sauce with her dinner and the fact this was natural sweetness appealed - hopefully meaning we'd cut down some sugar intake. Also, my husband isn't keen on really sweet products so to find something that is more natural sounded ideal.

1. We feel it's slightly more acidic, but that's why we like it. We like the stronger taste of the tomato. I worried my daughter wouldn't swap but she loves it! My husband prefers the more natural taste too. We had a BBQ this bank holiday weekend and we asked everyone to taste it. Only 2 out of 12 didn't like it because it wasn't sweet enough.

1. I'd definitely buy this product again but as long as it's competitively priced. I wouldn't be able to justify paying an extra £1-2 on it over rivals.

1. Whenever sauces come up in conversation we talk about this new sauce (we have a lot of young children amongst my family)

Thanks for the opportunity to test it xx

Overall, I liked this product. It actually looked more appealing because it's a darker colour (that might just be me) and it tasted more tomatoey than other ketchups. It appeals to me because I'm always looking for low sugar alternatives. My dcs are quite fussy about ketchup and they preferred it to the one we currently use. Dh noticed that it tastes much more natural than the low sugar Heinz ketchup we currently buy. I think it tastes more tomatoey. I'd definitely buy it again and recommend it.

What did you think overall about the product?

It was good. Tasted interesting & really tomatoey.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)

The less sugar and more tomatoes aspect. I'm not overly keen on honey but that didn't matter.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

We had it at a BBQ. Everyone really liked it & the tangy tomato taste.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes, it was good. I wouldn't buy it to replace ketchup though - just as well as.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

Yes, as an interesting condiment that's also healthy I would.

What did you think overall about the product?

We thought it was tasty, tangy and anything that helps us stay away from refined white sugar is a hit in this household!

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)

In our house we are making are linked effort to cut down our sugar intake so we were all keen to try it! Hellmanns is a trusted brand too so we knew it would be a quality product.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

We thought it was great. Not as sweet as we expected it to be, the honey taste wasnt as distincitive as we expected. We thought it had a slightly tangy flavour, much more savoury than expected.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes I'd buy it again! As a previous posted said, I would probably buy it to use alongside other condiments as I imagine it would be really lovely on a bbq burger for instance.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

I would recommend as it wasnt at all as I expected but it was a really lovely flavour, different to the norm and a nice change. And less sugar is always good!!!

Thanks for sending me always sample

What appealed to you about trying it?

I liked the natural recipe, especially the extra tomatoes. The honey added a nice twist.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

Squidge found it a bit spicy, but would have it again, Bob didn't know there was a difference but when she found out she needed the honey one. I prefered the honey version.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

I would definitely buy again (when my income improves, and not buying value ranges)

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

Definitely recommend - reduced sugar and more tomatoes are the main reasons

We really enjoyed it - was given a good run out at a BBQ with 3 generations trying it. All the adults present said they'd buy it over the brand we usually get Heinz

Loved the flavour - richer and more earthy than normal. The naturalness of it a definite bonus.

I'll definitely buy it. I'm a convert!

What did you think overall about the product? It was great, we were all pleasantly surprised.
What appealed to you about trying it? More tomatoes, sweetened with honey instead of sugar.
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? It tasted lovely, all my children liked it as much or more than our usual ketchup.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes, definitely - i try to make healthier choices whenever shopping.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes, I have already recommended it to my neighbour, she was surprised as she hasn't heard of it, so we'll be both looking out for it on our next shop.

What did you think overall about the product?
I liked the bottle the ease of squeezing the product out is far better than other brands. The taste is better than i expected if i am honest, im not a ketchup fan i rarely have it unless i have chips but this is grand for dipping chips! My children loved it all 4 of them. The bigger ones were bemused by the bottle saying it had honey but they tried it and were sold.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)
I am always looking for ways to reduce sugar in my families diet and since the leading brands ketchup is about halve of their daily intake of food sometimes the sweetened with honey idea appealed to me as well as the more tomatoes.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It was really nice very tomatoey, you couldnt tell that it had reduced sugar at all. The kids all enjoyed it.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would definitely purchase it as the less sugar sells it for me and its easy to get out of the bottle with no messy fuss too.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would definitely recommend it to other parents who are looking to reduce sugar intake without loosing flavour.

What did you think overall about the product?
I liked it and all the family did too.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)
I liked the idea of less sugar and more tomatoes.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
I liked the taste, it was a little different from other ketchups we've had, more tangy and richer. DD1 didn't like it, maybe because she prefers milder flavours. But all the other dc were happy with the taste.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes I think I'd buy it if i saw it in the supermarket, although often I just buy whatever brand is on offer.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why

Yes I'd recommend it to someone who is trying to cut down on sugar.

What did you think overall about the product?

It's a nice ketchup

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)

I think honey is a very low processed sweetener with lots of benefits that we don't yet fully understand. I was interested in trying a product, using honey as the sweetening element.

How did it taste?

It tastes very much like tomato ketchup! It has quite a rich tomato flavour, reasonably sweet but with a vinegar tang to it.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?

It's going down well, and fast with it being half term and a slightly more lax menu than usual. DS1 was disappointed it didn't taste of honey. DS2 asked what is this different and DD says it tastes like ketchup.

Are you likely to buy it again? Yes, I'd buy it, but not at a premium price. I'd buy if it's comparable to the average ketchup bottle.

And why?

It has a good flavour but isn't so special that I'd pay significantly extra.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? We have discussed it with family because it did come up talking about ketchup at a barbeque. We did recommend as an alternative and something different to try but not something to go out of your way to find.

The ketchup appealed to me as we consume a lot of ketchup as a family, and I worry about the amount of sugar in it. I liked the fact that the bottle was similar to others, so the DC weren't put off. The ketchup doesn't stick to the sides so presumably there will be less waste.
The majority of us really liked it. We liked the taste, and thought it was the same as our normal ketchup, however DH prefers our normal ketchup as he found this one too vinegary.
I would buy it again as I feel it is healthier, and it is a reasonable price.
I would definitely recommend it to people who eat a lot of ketchup. I think it adds a lovely tomato flavour without adding to much sugar.

What did you think overall about the product?

It was very nice. It tasted like a rich ketchup, almost homemade taste to it.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar

We are big fans of honey and use it instead of sugar in our coffee and tea. I also bake with honey instead of sugar so it was attractive option for us. We also sponsor hives to keep the honey bees going.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?

Everyone liked it. Its fairly rich tasting so you don't need as much as our usual brand. 1 child didn't like it much because it was too tomatoey. From an adult point of view that's a good thing.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

I would buy it again for the taste however I am very aware of the declining number of bees and therefore the declining production of honey. I'm not sure how long it would be sustainable to make this ketchup and would the price increase massively as a result of declining honey supplies? Are Hellmans helping with bees and honey production? If they are then great but if they're just taking honey out of the normal supply chain that's not really ideal.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?

If it came up in conversation I would recommend it. I have also told a chef friend about it who is going to keep an eye out for it on the shelf to try. I would probably purchase it specifically for a BBQ just as I do with other relishes and mustards.

Its a nice product, I'd happily use it again but I will be doing some research about Hellmans to see what they're doing to support bees and honey production.

What did you think overall about the product?
We all really liked it, great taste (was expecting to really taste the honey but couldn't so was very happy.) Bottle design is good, same as the mayo squeeze bottle.
What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader)
All of the above really, liked the idea of more tomatoes and less artificial sweetener. So much so I wasn't adverse to my 1 year old having some.
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
We all (husband and 2 children) really liked it. Normally I find tomato ketchup to have a really strong vinegar taste or some brands can taste overly sweetened. Really did taste more tomatoey and had a deeper flavour.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes we are definitely switching.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Already have had will be taking along to next weeks family BBQ.

Thanks for letting us test this , I've now tried it out on my adult ds who eats a fair amount of Ketchup and can tell the difference if it's not Heinz .
what did you think overall
It's ok and is certainly edible

what appealed to you about trying it
I'm keen to try anything that on the face of it seems a healthier option to a product that is definitely going to be used regularly

how did it taste
Well I'm not a ketchup eater generally but I found it too sweet , ds said it has a peculiar after taste and although he will finish the bottle it would have to be considerably cheaper than our usual brand for him to want it again .
are you likely to buy it again
I doubt it as I have to appeal to the biggest ketchup eater and he prefers Heinz

are you likely to recommend it
I would to people who were trying to eat a more natural diet .

What did you think overall about the product? I thought it was really good, attractive packaging & a nice tasting product.

What appealed to you about trying it? - was it the all natural recipe, only being sweetened by honey, 36% more tomatoes + 30% less sugar (vs. market leader) We're a 'honey' household, my mum keeps bees so I use it a lot in my own recipes etc.

How did it taste? Lovely, really nice deep flavour while not being overly sweet or acidic.

What did other members of your family think about the taste? They all really enjoyed it too.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes, but like Odins I want to find out more about where Hellmans source their honey & support bees first.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes, because I honestly preferred it to our usual tomato ketchup.

The ketchup is really nice, not too sweet with a pleasant sharpness. My son likes it, he said it was a bit more "tomato ish " than others. I wanted to try it as less sugar lappeals to us as a family (I'm currently having dental issues attributed to too much sugar as a child.) I would buy again if the price is competitive and would recommend it to others.

what did you think overall about the product?
Personally i prefered it to usual ketchup, my son didn't express a preference (3yrs)

what appealed to you to try it?
Idea of a healthier option of something I already purchase.

how did it taste? What did other members of your family think?
I thought it was slightly tangier and had a slight smokey taste. Perfect for a bbq. I often find ketchup sweet, and will mix it with another spicier condiment to suit my taste more, so i prefered the honeyed sauce.
My son ate the sauce as he would
any other.
My partner doesn't like any sauces at all so wouldn't try it.

are you likely to buy it again and why?
yes i will buy it again for myself, alongside usual ketchup for guests that may want it. Probably smaller sized bottles than the sample given.

are you likely to recommend it?
yes, if it is relevant to the conversation.