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?

We really liked it, it was lovely and thick, tasty and not overly sweet.

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 the sweetened with just honey. Very appealing as I have a son with autism who wars tomato sauce every day so reducing his sugar intake this way without him knowing is great.

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

The taste was lovely, nice and thick and not overly sweet.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes definitely, I will be buying it when this bottle runs out

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

Yes, I've already recommended it to my slimming world group due to its low calorie content.

What did you think overall about the product?
It went down well overall in our house. One thing I noticed was there was less waste on plates - our usual ketchup (market leader) squirts a lot more out so it has to be replaced fairly often...

What appealed to you about trying it?
I was intrigued by the more tomatoes, less sugar line. I was a bit worried about it tasting like honey as I really dislike it; that was a worry I needn't have had.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It tasted richer and not at all of honey. I would be quite happy to use it regularly. DH agreed. DS2 felt he preferred our usual brand, but he is a creature of habit and didn't actively dislike it. DS1 felt it tasted like 'a ketchup you would get in a pub - not in bottles but when you get a little dish' Make of that what you will but what I think he was trying to say was it felt like a premium brand to him!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes - ketchup is one of the few things that we tend to be brand loyal to but we would definitely buy again, depending on which brand was cheapest at the time.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else?
Absolutely. Already have at work.

What did you think overall about the product?
I thought it was tasty- a good balance of tomato, spiciness and sweetness. Perhaps slightly tangier than other ketchups we eat. I liked the bottle and the squirter was easy to use and stayed clean.

What appealed to you about trying it?
I liked the idea of the sugar content in the ketchup being less processed than in other ketchups.

How did it taste? See above.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?
My DCs eat ketchup a lot. They ate this with fish goujons and with bacon sandwiches. They both declared it "good" but didn't particularly rave about it... I hoped you wouldn't be able to distinguish a honey taste- and I couldn't. It just provided sweetness without being distinctively honey.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would buy it again- I liked it, my DCs quite liked it and I like the use of honey instead of processed sugar.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes because I don't know of another ketchup like it on the market.

Looking forward to finishing the bottle!

What did you think overall about the product?
It was very popular in the impossible 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)
All of the above. :)
Most low sugar products add sweeteners, which I suspect are sometimes worse than sugar. I just want things to have less sugar in, we are so used to things being sweetened I feel that our tastebuds expect it. Using honey is a great idea.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It was fine. In DD's words "It's like normal, nice ketchup."

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes, definitely. We're usually a Heinz family for ketchup and Hellmann's for mayo but this is going to be a permanent change.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, it's great to reduce sugar where we can.

Thanks for the sample, it really did taste just as good as our usual brand.

Overall thoughts
Bit tangy, slightly different to usual (leading) brand but not unpleasant. Didn't tell the children it was a new product initially and they ate it and never passed comment which is amazing as they are sooooo fussy. Eldest dd is autistic and can usually spot a change in recipe, only after I told her it was new did she comment, "I thought it was different but it's nice".
What appealed about trying it.
Definitely the lower sugar content, even though honey is still a sugar, the overall sugar content was lower than usual brand and this is important to me.
How did it taste?
I don't really like ketchup but I tried it, was quite tangy. Children thought it was acceptable, no preference over this one or the usual brand.
Would I buy it again?
Yes, as it is lower in sugar.
Would I recommend it?
Yes.

What did you think overall about the product?
I like that it's all natural as we get through a LOT of ketchup in the PigsEar household. The taste reminded me very much of the one time we ran out of ketchup and I made my own - using a Nigella recipe I think - rich, sweet, tomatoey. It seems far healthier than other ketchups but no less tasty
What appealed to you about trying it?
We have recently switched to reduced sugar ketchup because the dc seem to be eating more of it as they head towards teenage years, rather than less. I also liked the idea of it being made from all natural ingredients
How did it taste?
Like a posher version of ketchup. You can tell it's packed with tomatoes, it's richer in both colour and taste than our normal sauce. I thought it was slightly sweeter than our normal, she said he thought it was more vinegary. But he has rubbish taste buds
In a blind taste test dd chose the Hellmans, ds chose our regular sauce. I preferred Hellmans too. Dh didn't express a preference.
Are you likely to buy it again? Why?
Yes unless it's drastically more expensive than Heinz. I prefer less sugar whilst having no artificial sweeteners.
Are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation- and why?
Yes if we were having a specific conversation about sugar intake or ketchup fiend kids! It's a great way of reducing kids sugar intake without filling them with sweeteners

Thanks for the bottle, I think we'll have bacon butties in the morning to have another taste

What did you think overall about the product?

I didn't mind it, some non Heinz ketchup really taste terrible, but this was okay.

What appealed to you about trying it?

The fact it was a natural product with more tomatoes in it.

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

When I poured it out you could tell it had more tomatoes in it by the colour and the way it poured. But we normally buy Heinz 50% reduced salt/sugar, so DD and DH found it far to sweet and a little salty. But not bad.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

I liked it, but that was probably the honey and our normal brand has less sugar per 100g, so we'll probably stick with that.

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

Yes - I would recommended it, I can see other people loving this as a healthier option.

what did you think overall.

Nice bottle easy to use. maybe a little healthier than usual ketchup. Nice 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 trying new products generally and love honey so what's not to like.

How did it taste?

A little too sweet compared to usual ketchup.

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

Husband really liked it. The children wernt so keen and noticed it wasn't the usual ketchup but then they are pretty fussy!!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes, very likely to buy it again if it was on offer, as it was tasty and I'm sure the children did get used to it.

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

Yes as it's perfectly nice ketchup and has more tomatoes in than other ketchup.

What did you think overall about the product?

We were really looking forward to trying the ketchup as we have been concerned about the amount of ketchup the DC have been trying to consume recently. We have been trying to reduce the amount of sugar that we as a family eat week to week so this was something that I was eager to try.

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 the fact that it is sweetened with honey was the biggest appeal. Also the major reduction in sugar.

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

I personally loved the taste. It was tangy and just sweet enough. It did taste different from regular ketchup. The DC didn't mind it either. However DH didn't like it at all. He thought it was too tangy and salty.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

I would definitely buy it again for myself and the DC. I enjoyed the taste and love the fact that it's a healthier option.

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

I would and will recommend this ketchup to friends and family. Nice packaging, nice taste and much healthier than most other ketchup on the market.

Thank you Mumsnet for giving us the opportunity to test this product.

We really liked this ketchup, actually a lot more than we thought we would!

My husband in particular goes through a LOT of ketchup etc, and likes his usual (which isn't Hellmans) however he really liked this.

It takes more like an upmarket tomato sauce, rather than a cheap one.

I was so pleased to find something that had so much less sugar in, but that still tasted great.

The defining taste test was to have this with chips.... and it was delicious.

Our toddler loved it, and proceeded to dip his finger in to eat it 🙈

We would definitely buy this again if it was available in our local supermarket.

I'd certainly recommend this, anything that tastes good and is better for you is always worth a recckmmendation.

What did you think overall about the product?

I really liked it, especially mixed with my Hellman's mayonnaise! But my children were less keen.

What appealed to you about trying it?

Definitely that only honey is used to sweeten it. I would much rather use honey than white sugar. Also that the overall about if sugars is reduced.

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

A bit sharper than regular ketchup but good. My boys could tell something was different and used less but I used more.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes, it's great and my boys will get used to it.

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

I already have! My friends are also concerned about refined sugar as well as overall amount of sugar so a product like this helps!

What did you think overall about the product?
DH and I both really like it, DS1 and DS2 are a little less keen but I think they'll love it in a burger or on other foods that go well with a slightly tangy relish.

What appealed to you about trying it?
The 36% extra tomatoes was a real selling point - though I actually misread the caption as saying 361 more tomatoes - which made me wonder just how many are in a regular bottle and how on earth they could fit the extra 361 in! The honey as opposed to sugar was another big selling point for me.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It has a slightly more intense flavour and a distinct tanginess that regular ketchup doesn't have. There are certain foods that I wouldn't necessarily pair it with (I like ketchup with my macaroni cheese but I don't think this ketchup would go with it as well) - however it'll be a terrific accompaniment to a barbecue. DH thinks pretty much the same. DS1 and DS2 were suspicious when they saw the 'differences' listed on the bottle and insist that they prefer our usual brand because the tanginess tastes 'wrong'!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes definitely, as long as it's competitively priced. But I think I'll have regular ketchup in the cupboard as well, to keep the boys happy and for when the food we're eating goes better with a less tangy type of ketchup.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else?
Yes, in particular my friends who are very keen to reduce sugar in their family's diet.

Thankyou so much for letting me test this product :)

What did you think overall about the product? Its a good sauce. Had a nice shape bottle and like that you can see the sauce and it looks darker to normal sauce. Plus more tomatoes

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 do like to find less sugar products for my kids so this was appealing and I like honey so had high hopes for this

How did it taste? It was good though to me seemed a little bit more sweet and maybe tangy. Didn't really taste the honey

What did other members of your family think about the taste? My kids only 1 out of 3 liked it better than our usual, my younger too where not too keen. My husband enjoyed it a lot so he's happy to have it and he normal doesn't have ketchup often.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Maybe depending on the price and have it in for bbqs as don't think we will use it as a daily sauce

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes I'd recommend as it is nice just not something that all my family like.

What did you think overall about the product?

We liked it, the taste was completely different to what I was expecting - richer and less sweet, a grown up version of 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

The natural recipe appealed, definitely an added bonus having no added sugar (apart from honey). I like the fact there are more tomatoes, and that is very evident from the taste.

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

We all liked the taste. It wasn't what we were expecting - a much deeper flavour and more savoury than the ketchup we usually buy. I guess that's from the extra tomatoes. It wasn't as smooth as our usual brand, but that wasn't a huge problem. Slightly higher acidity which we all agreed went well with chips, but we missed the sweetness on burgers and hotdogs. I also used it as a base for a BBQ sauce for pulled pork and that was where it really shone, it was absolutely delicious! So will be using it to cook with, we found a squirt of it in homemade meatballs gave them a bit of zing and added moisture. Really good on that front.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

As long as it is priced competitively we will be purchasing again. I like the ingredients list, and it is much more versatile than regular ketchup because it's not cloyingly sweet and artificial.

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

Yes I would recommend it, especially to parents wary of added sugars and trying to keep kid's diets healthy without completely banning tasty things! A good product all round really.

What did you think overall about the product?
I really liked the product design, it's a lovely looking bottle and is eye catching. Even if I hadn't been chosen for this product test I think I would have noticed it in the supermarket and given it a go. I like the labels and the font goes well with 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)
I liked the idea that the product had more tomatoes in it, that can only be a good thing. The fuller it is of natural ingredients the less room there is for artificial ingredients and sugar. I'm not sure how much healthier it is but it seems to be 'wholesome' because of the addition of natural products and less reliance on artificial ingredients and sugar.

How did it taste?
A really lovely taste and texture. I really enjoyed the sweet tomato taste, it tastes frsh and rich. We had a bbq at the weekend and it went really well with all the meats, cheeses, breads, salads and vegetables that we had. It has a slight bbq taste to it but not too strong so it hasn't lost the tomato ketchup qualities.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?
Everyone at the bbq enjoyed the taste, I didn't hear any negative comments at all. My youngest daughter is 20 and she has always been a big fan of tomato ketchup; she thought it was delicious and much better than Heinz tomato ketchup which I never though I would hear her say.
My parents are in their 60's and they both enjoyed the taste and texture, my mum thought that the bottle looked expensive and good quality. My husband and oldest daughter both thought that it was really tasty, they both prefer brown sauce but were happy to eat this on the day and said they would use it again.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would buy it again, the whole family enjoyed it. The taste is rich and full, the texture is thick and creamy. The product look like it is good quality and it goes with a multitude of things. It seems to me to be a healthier option, it has more tomatoes in it and honey (rightly or wrongly) does seem like a healthier option than other forms of sugar. The price is spot on and the packaging would encourage me to pick it up again when I see it in the supermarket.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would and have been recommending it to friends and family, my mum has already said that she will buy some. My youngest daughter wants some, she wants me to buy it for her as she is a poor student but I don't mind as it will enhance her limited repertoire of meals that she can cook! I think it is a product that is well priced, it is good quality, it tastes different enough to make you want to eat it but it doesn't lose the fact that it is tomato ketchup so it will appeal to both markets; those who want to try something different and those who are traditionalists.
Thank you for including me in this product test.

Both DH and I really liked this - it has a much stronger tomato flavour than our regular brand (Heinz) and much less sugar. DD didn't like it but is going through a phase of not liking anything new or different. I'm sure if I just stuck with this brand she'd eventually come round!

The main reason I would buy it is that it has less sugar and my DD consumes enough sugar from puddings - I want to try and cut out "hidden" sugar. I quite like that a natural form of sugar is used to sweeten it (honey) but DH said the honey element wasn't an attraction - just that it tasted more tomatoey and less sweet (and he liked this element on taste and health grounds). He specifically said if the honey was going to make it more expensive he'd prefer a lower sugar, higher tomato ketchup without honey (using normal sugar)!

I would probably buy this If it came in a glass bottle as we try and minimise plastics. Otherwise I will be looking for a lower sugar, more tomatoey ketchup in a glass bottle.

One thing this test did make me do was reevaluate my ketchup choice - I've always just gone for the brand I used as a child. I usually am quite careful about what I buy so not sure why I've been doing this - will definitely be changing our ketchup in the future!

Honey is mainly sugar.
Sugar is a natural product.

Omg I have been completely coverted, I have, for some not really known reason, never really liked ketchup. In my culture, Sikh, ketchup is the perfect condiment for samosas and onion bhaji. I would very rarely have them because I don't like ketchup. But this is amazing. I literally had to dare myself to try it, and I was so surprised that I loved it. I have actually managed to persuade everyone who has stepped foot in my house, since I received it, to taste it and I have had 100% positive feedback. Everyone likes it. You expect it to be sweet, but it's got an unusual twang in the taste. I'm totally in love with this. I have already tried it with so many different types of foods. I have highly recommend this. I have to say that #hellmans have absolutely smashed it. You have got to try this. My son loves ketchup, but he has always voted this one, better than the original.

What did you think overall about the product?
Overall I thought that it was a very good product. It was tasty, attractive packaging and the design of the squeezy bottle was easy for my DC's 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)
I was interested in trying it as it sounded like it would be a healthier option than our normal brand due to the additional tomatoes, especially as my DD would quite happily drink a bottle if I let her!

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
I thought that it tasted very nice. DD (2) didn't seem to notice it wasn't the normal brand. I think that it tasted tangier and I couldn't tell that there was less sugar.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Probably, as it seems a healthier version of our normal brand.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes as it was tasty and appears to be a healthier option.

What did you think overall about the product? We all liked the bottle but we were split over who liked it. Adults did, kids didn't.

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) Being a natural product appealed as were are trying to eat better as a family.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? I liked it as it wasn't as bland as our normal ketchup but the kids found it too spicy and overpowering.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? No, because I wasn't convinced that is was worth the price. I might if on special offer though.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? I would as I liked the taste but the kids wouldn't as they found it too spicy.

What did you think overall about the product? Nice tasting product a bit sharper in taste to regular ketchups.
What appealed to you about trying it? Less sugars than regular ketchup
How did it taste? Sharper than normal ketchup but still nice.
What did other members of your family think about the taste? We all enjoyed it
Are you likely to buy it again? Yes And why? because of natural ingredients and reduced sugar content
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? yes because of the natural ingredients and reduced sugar content

What did you think overall about the product?

We all thought it was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed trying it. Loved the easy to use squeeze bottle and of course the taste & consistency 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)

Less sugar is always good especially when it still tastes good - so yes that aspect appealed to me as a mum. Also liked that it was packed full of Tomatoes and natural flavours. Nice big suitable for vegetarians sign too, hate having to search for them!

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

Really nice tomato flavour, wasn't overly sweet either and the combo just worked well together. The whole family agreed it was delicious.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Sure, depending on price. Would prob continue with regular ketchup and get this one as a bit of a change every now and then. Would be good for BBQS too.

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 certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of a change for the norm original tom ketchup.

What did you think overall about the product? We really enjoyed it - I loved that it tasted so much more tomato-ey than our normal brand, and so much less vinegary. I couldn't taste the honey which was something that I was wondering about as I felt it'd be overpowering and an odd addition if you could.

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) For me the appeal was actually in the tomatoes, I work on the basis that sugar is sugar is sugar and I'm not entirely convinced that our bodies treat natural sugars any differently to refined sugars. That said, I really enjoyed it.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? As I mentioned, more tomatoey which DH and I loved. The toddler happily dipped his fish fingers (what?!) in it and demolished both the ketchup and the fish so no problems from his perspective.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes actually, because of the flavour. I'd like it to be on special though.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes, I've recommended it to a couple of mums at church as we were having a 'why do they want tomato sauce on EVERYTHING' conversation about our toddlers.

Overall we liked the taste, and we didn't think the honey made it too sweet. DS said he preferred it to Heinz as he said he likes honey.

We wanted to try it as it has less sugar in it and we like ketchup A LOT in our house!

We would buy it again if it is well priced.

We would recommend it to others due to lower sugar and the taste.