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

Thank you for sending me this product to try.

1 - Overall I'm not convinced that this would be my 'go to' sauce. I prefer ketchup. My children enjoyed it more than my husband and I did.

2 - I was keen to try it as being sweetened with honey feels like a much healthier alternative to sugar.

3 - The taste is quite rich. My 8 year old said that it tastes 'more tomato-ey' than our normal ketchup. It reminds me a little of pasta sauce!

4 - My children enjoyed it and I think I will buy it in the future for them.

5 - As previously mentioned, I would buy it again for my children, but probably only if it was on a special offer.

6 - I would recommend it to friends with children as most people are keen to reduce the amount of sugar eaten by children.

I was attracted to trying this product because dh gets through vast quantities of ketchup, and anything to make it healthier is a plus, especially with dd around - I don't want her to pi k up his sauce habits!!

Sadly neither myself nor dh liked it. To my palate it tasted like very cheap sauce that used to be served in greasy spoons. It tasted very acidic and spicy, but not at all of tomatoes.

I would recommend that people tryi it as everyone has a different palate, but we won't be trying it again.

Thanks for the chance to try it though

What did you think overall about the product?
I personally really liked it and thought it was a great idea.

What appealed to you about trying it? That it is sweetened only with honey.

How did it taste? I really liked it, slightly spicey and very tasty.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?
My 7yo DD didn't like it but is not a huge fan of ketchup in the first place, my father also didn't like it, he thought perhaps it had less salt in it as he thought it was less flavoursome than normal ketchup, DH and 5yo DH didn't think it tasted different from normal ketchup which is probably what the manufacturers were going for. They would be who would use it most and I would buy it for so I'm pleased they liked it.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes as my DH loves finding healthy products which taste good.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes, I might buy one for my work to share to add to our lunches in the office- yum!

What did you think overall about the product?
We really liked this product, it's great.

What appealed to you about trying it?
This ketchup really appealed because of the 30% less sugar and sweetened only by honey. My 4 year old loves ketchup but I do worry about the sugar content especially because if she has it my 2 year old wants some too. She's usually only allowed ketchup when she's finished her vegetables and this did alleviate some of the guilt of letting her have some (though not all of it because of the salt).

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
This ketchup definitely isn't as sweet as normal. My 4 and 2 year old didn't notice a difference, which is perfect. My partner though it tasted quite tart, less sickly sweet and that it had a slightly more interesting more vegetable flavour. I thought this tasted a lot more like relish than ketchup, which is definitely a good thing for me, I don't like ketchup much and don't usually eat it, and I did like this.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would definitely buy this again at the right price, I actually liked it so would eat it, my partner liked it and my children aren't discerning enough to notice the difference. The salt is higher in this than the ketchup we normally buy (Sainsburys' own brand reduced salt) and the sugar difference is actually negligible, but if I wanted ketchup I would buy this honey one because I like it.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else?
Yes I would recommend this Hellman's Ketchup with Honey to someone, because it's yummy and because of its healthier credentials. I would add the caveat that it's not actually that like ketchup though, and if I was having people round for a BBQ I would probably feel the need to provide a traditional ketchup as well.

Still waiting for mine...

What did you think overall about the product? - We really liked it, richer flavour than usual ketchup, less sweet, more natural, more 'grown up'.

What appealed to you about trying it? mostly the flavour, I was curious as to how the honey would affect the flavour.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? As above, everyone liked it.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? - Yes, will probably switch to this over other brands.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?. Yes, would recommend it because of the flavour.

What did you think overall about the product
tasty ketchup, nice colour of red, liked the squeezy bottle - very clean and easy to use.

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 as sweetener, lots of tomatoes, sounded different.

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

hmm - to me it was tasty and tangy, tasted quite "natural" for a ketchup. Hubby said not for him, a bit acidic almost metallic. Kids said "woop - it's ketchup - just like any other ketchup"

Are you likely to buy it again And why
maybe - if it is on offer and significantly cheaper than "the market leader"

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why
probably. maybe a bit - "did you know Hellmans make ketchup as well as mayo - it is nice"

What did you think overall about the product? I thought it tasted great. Very different to our usual Heinz brand but still tasty. I'm not sure it would replace our usual ketchup, but it made a really good burger relish.

What appealed to you about trying it? My DH is a huge ketchup fan. He will eat a ketchup sandwich . I liked the idea of trying something a bit more natural and DH would be horrified if I bought a different brand to Heinz. He was more accepting of a free trial

What did other family members think? The kids ate it happily but didn't ask for more, which they usually do. DH eyed it with suspicion, but did like it.

Are you likely to buy it again? Yes, for a BBQ or to have in the cupboard alongside the Heinz.

Would you recommend it? Yes, it's tasty and lower in sugar!

Thank you for sending it to us; we enjoyed the trial

I was really pleasantly surprised by this product.
I was interested in trying it because it seemed a healthier alternative to our usual ketchup.
We all loved it except my oldest and I will be sneaking it to her and pretending it is her usual favourite!
It has a very rich, flavoursome taste and you can really tell that it is full of tomatoes.
I will be switching brands and will definitely buy this again and recommend it to others.
I really wasn't expecting to like it but it is honestly delicious!

I have my two 3 years olds this ketchup without saying it was different, and they ate it with no comments.
My older children (teenagers) were a bit reluctant to try it as it says honey on the front. They did try it and said it was really nice and maybe even better than our current ketchup.

I think it is a good item to try as it is sweetened with honey which is a natural sugar.

I would probably buy it again and would recommend to friends/family, especially ones who I know are trying to cut down on sugar.

What did you think overall about the product?
It's great, better than our normal leading brand 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)
My husband eats a lot of ketchup and our 1 year old is getting interested in it. I still definitely wouldn't consider this healthy but it is healthier than our normal and I believe in making little changes that add up when it comes to health.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It was lovely. I don't normally like ketchup much myself as I find it too salty but this one was delicious. It was tangy and sweet. My husband, who's very picky about always having the same market leader brand, thought it tasted the same. Our 1 year old now wants this ketchup with everything

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?
Definitely, as far as I'm concerned, it's tastes better than competitors and it's slightly healthier.

Sorry I missed a question there. Yes I will definitely be buying it again unless it's ridiculously more expensive than the leading brand.

Liked it a lot. Tasted like proper tomatoes, not 'tomato flavour' if you know what I mean. Rich & natural flavour. Liked that it had less sugar. Would definitely recommend it. However whether I would buy it would depend entirely on price - that's why I currently buy supermarket budget version. Hope this helps.

Firstly thanks to Mumsnet & Hellmanns for including us in the product test.
What did you think overall about the product?
Really liked it, it tasted much more tomatoey and spicier than our usual ketchup. The consistency was nicer as well, it was less glooopy than what we normally use.

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)
Yes, less sugar and importantly no sweetener to replace it appealed.

How did it taste? Loved the taste, we did a direct comparison with the market leader and we all preferred the Hellmanns.
What did other members of your family think about the taste?
We were unanimous, even the fusspot children!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes, it tastes better. There's no artificial sweeteners, less sugar and more tomatoes. It's s no brainier.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, for all the reasons I mentioned above.
Well done Hellmanns, it's yum!

What did you think overall about the product? i like the bottle and packaging . It looks a good quality 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)i like the idea of honey as a sweetener as its something different and like the less sugar idea
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? i like it although it is quite sweet, i like the consistency quite thick and i like the tomato flavor. My boys were a bit divided the youngest did not like it and the middle one loved it
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? i would probably buy it again for some of us. youngest prefers the usual ketchup we buy
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in
conversation - and why? i would recommend as i liked the flavor and it is a different product to others on the market that i have seen
thanks for letting us try it

What did you think overall about the product? i like the natural ingredients, including extra toms.
What appealed to you about trying it? - curiosity, to be honest. I didn't think it would taste as good as our usual ketchup, but wanted to give it a try just in case.
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? Lovely! Tasted very tomato-y, not too sweet and a nice flavour.
DD (9) loved it too.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes. It tasted just as good as our usual ketchup, but the natural ingredients swings it for me.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in
conversation - and why? yes, because of the great taste and natural ingredients.

Thank you Mumsnet and Hellmans!

What did you think overall about the product?
We all liked it. I wanted to try it because my husband refuses to eat anything other than Heinz. It sniffs out "fake" ketchup when we go out for meals and is a total ketchup snob (if that's possible!). I wanted to prove him wrong and he said "I hate to say it, but I actually really like it. It was just the right flavour and balance of sweet and sharp.

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)
Largely it was the prospect of proving my husband wrong (as much as I love him!). I also liked the idea of trying it with honey as opposed to sugar, I wanted to know whether the taste of honey would come through, which I don't think it did.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It had a great balance of sweet and sharp, although the honey didn't really come through, which I was a little disappointed about. We had it with some chips, alongside some mayo. My only reservation was that after a chip with some mayo, the ketchup tasted quite bitter, whereas Heinz, or normal Hellmans doesn't do this. It's a non issue really but it would mean that I would stick to one or the other with my food, rather than having a bit of both.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Possibly. I'm undecided. Although we liked it I think that I still prefer Heinz/Hellmans standard. I would probably buy it if on offer and was cheaper than the alternatives.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I'm not sure, I'd probably say that I'd tried it and thought it was nice, but not better.

What did you think overall about the product?
We like the overall taste but it was a little sweet. Our LO seemed to like it as well.
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 all natural recipe
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? We all liked the taste but it was a little sweet and we didn't like it any more than our usual choice.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Probably not as I don't think it's worth the extra compared to own brand.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would if they are interested in more natural alternatives such as honey.

How did it taste?
Surprisingly like normal ketchup.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?
My daughter (4) described it as 'mmmm, yummy' and my husband couldn't tell the difference from our normal ketchup.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes, I probably would buy it again. The all natural ingredients appeal, especially for my daughter.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, it's the perfect alternative for normal ketchup.

Whoops, missed off some of the questions!

What did you think overall about the product?
I liked the overall product. Presented as regular ketchup meant my family didn't realise it was any different.

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 all natural recipe definitely appealed as well as the reduced level of sugar.

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?

*I think it was an adult alternative to ketchup

I wanted to try it because I liked that it was honey and not artificial sweeteners or sugar

I liked it. It was different (minimally) to our usual Heinz. My 18 year old couldn't tell the difference but in a blind taste test for the younger ones (age 9 to 13) they all hated it.

I will buy it again for me and dh and dd

Yes I would suggest this as a more sophisticated alternative version*

What did you think overall about the product?
I was quite surprised by the taste - I found it quite tangy rather than sweet. I like quite vinegary ketchup usually, but this seemed to have more depth and I actually really liked 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 (vs. market leader)
To be honest I'm just a neophyte - I have an urge to try new things that come out if I think they're something I might like. I'm not too bothered about the honey thing - sugar is sugar. I do eat quite a bit of ketchup though.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
As I said, tangy, complex and not too sweet. It was my DC's first taste of ketchup, and they liked it.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would consider buying it again for a change.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I probably would if they preferred to sweeten things with honey rather than sugar.

What did you think overall about the product? It was yummy, almost indulgent although a strangely red colour of red!
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) Reduced sugar sells it to me, always on the look out and we eat alot of ketchup!
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? It tasted premium and we all liked it. My Son was a bit dubious as the colour is different but he lied the taste.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? DEfinitely it's the nicest ketchup we've tried and it's lower in sugar than others.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes as we loved it!

What did you think overall about the product? I really enjoyed it and would continue to use 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 (vs. market leader) Personally I don't usually enjoy ketchup and rarely use it, so I wanted to try it to see if it was any different.
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? It was nice, we both found it less over powering than normal ketchup, my partner said he would use it if it was there but he preferred his usual brand. My son who is two and is just discovering ketchup enjoyed trying it Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes I would buy it again because I prefer it, I also think the bottle is a better design than my current one and it looks likely to stay clean.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes, I told my colleagues of the product test and they were all keen to try it. I might take it in to work...I might not share. I haven't decided yet!!

Thanks for letting us test it!

What did you think overall about the product?

I thought it was ok, my interest was primarily in how my 2 ketchup fiends got on with it, they didn't seem to notice 😊

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)

Definitely that it sounded a bit healthier than ordinary ketchup. Prior to having children, we didn't buy ketchup very often, one bottle would last ages. But my toddlers like a lot of ketchup with most warm meals so it's good to be able to offer a healthier alternative.

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

My 3 and 2 year old wolfed it down and didn't seem to notice the difference. I didn't at first, but found that if you eat quite a bit it tastes a bit sweeter than ordinary ketchup.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes, providing the price is competitive with regular ketchup, I can definitely see myself switching over to this variant. I think it would be nice with summer Bbq's.

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

Yes I am, purely as a healthier alternative to regular ketchup. I think it tastes fine.