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 liked the taste. It was noticeably sweeter than our usual brand, but pleasant. The packaging is attractive.

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 and more tomatoes was the most appealing aspect, as ketchup is mostly consumed by my children I want to make sure the balance is right. Use of natural sugars also appeals, irrationally because it's still sugar!

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It tasted nice. Sweeter than we're used to but not overwhelmingly so. Myself and my husband liked it, the children were less keen. They definitely noticed it was different.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
No. I liked it well enough but comparing it to the brand we usually buy I noticed that it actually contains more sugar and salt so wouldn't buy it for this reason.

Hellmans has 15g of sugar, Heinz (reduced sugar & salt version) has 11g. Hellmans 1.5g of salt, Heinz 0.90g. Significant enough difference for me to choose the Heinz over the Hellmans.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would mention it if somebody was looking for something with honey.

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)

• Yes the less calories / More healthy

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

• Sorry we did not like it, you can taste more tomato, but I really did not enjoy it

Are you likely to buy it again? And why

• No I would not buy

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

• No would not recomend

What did you think overall about the product?

I didn't think it tasted any different to the one we usually buy!

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 are trying to eat less refined sugar, so being sweetened with home appealed!

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

Just tasted like ketchup. I was expecting it to be sweeter though.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

Yes, because of trying to cut down on sugar.

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

Yes, I love recommending new things to people.

What did you think overall about the product? I enjoyed the taste and the fact it is healthier than usual
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 these points, particularly more tomatoes and less sugar
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? I enjoyed the taste and so did my husband and children
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes as we liked the taste and the fact it is healthier
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? Yes I would recommend as it tastes good and has less sugar and more tomatoes.

What did you think overall about the product?
I usually buy Heinz ketchup. And because we don't go through buckets of the stuff I can justify buying that in a glass bottle. I have to say the pack size we were given to try is on the large size so it would be good if there is a smaller bottle. The squeeze nozzle on it was satisfying. Nowt worse than ending up with too much sauce on your plate cos it's shoots out with a tiny little squeeze. At first we found the overall taste extremely sweet and I wasn't sure about it at first but did get used to it and it does have a nice tang to it 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)
That it had a natural sweetener in honey rather than just an added sugar. I did get my Heinz bottle out to compare the nutritional info so I did like that in hellmans there is more tomatoes and less sugar per 100g

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
DH said he wasn't keen as he apparently doesn't really like ketchup (in our 13 year relationship this is news too me) dd liked it. I thought it was too sweet tasting but hot used to it quickly and do quite like it

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
If there was a smaller packsize then yes. As their is more tomatoes and less sugar than my normal brand

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
If budget is no issue then yes as it tastes nice and nutritionally e better choice than the brand leader

What did you think overall about the product?

The kids changed seamlessly from our regular brand and I loved the flavour 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)

All of the above! I liked the sound of it being full of more natural flavours and having less sugar. I usually use honey as a sweetener instead of sugar so was intrigued to see if I'd notice the difference here.

How did it taste?

Fab! Tasted sharp and tangy, fresh and less synthetic than other brands I've tried.

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

The kids changed without so much as a whimper. They continued to mainline the stuff, as they do normally. My husband hasn't tried it, rarely eats the stuff.

Are you likely to buy it again?

For the right price, I would definitely switch.

And why?

The taste, and the smug glow of being able to reduce my children's sugar intake.

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

I have already been telling people how great it tastes! And the ingredient list too.

Really loving this Hellmann's!

What did you think overall about the product?
I liked the packaging and the easy 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)
We get through a lot of ketchup in my house, my DS 2 is going through a phase where he won't really eat anything without it. I am slightly concerned that it is not the healthiest thing for him (although it does help him eat his veg!) and therefore was keen to try a slightly better version for him. I like the fact there are more tomatoes and less sugar overall, although the honey thing is a bit lost on me as as far as I'm concerned it is still sugar. It could just as well be unrefined sugar.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
I'm sorry but I'm personally not that keen, I found it too tangy and far from the comfort that I find ketchup to be. But my DH was impressed, he said it tasted more tomatoey and he loved it. MY DS seemed to wolf it down like usual and demanded more so it was a hit with him too.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
If it was the same price as other brands then I would definitely buy it for my DS but alongside my normal ketchup as well. I wouldn't replace it with this one as I personally wasn't that keen. I'm not sure I would pay a premium for it though.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I might do if they too were worried about their toddler's ketchup consumption. As it is nutritionally better than standard ketchup

What did you think overall about the product? excellent, great taste, nice design
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)
it was the less sugar and i was intrigued about the fact it contained honey and how this would affect the taste, i would not of purchased this in the shop had i not tried it first, the honey would of put me off
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? like regular sauce, i thought it tasted alot better than the brand we usually have , all the family loved it
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? if its priced right i will purchase from now on as everybody liked it and it contains less sugar
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? yes to my dad as he is cutting back on harmfull sugar as he is pre diabetic

What did you think ooverall?
We liked it - nice packaging and liked the taste

What appealed to you?
No sugar was the main appeal as my toddler isnt great at brushing his teeth so im looking for easy ways to reduce sugar intake.

How did it taste?
We liked it. Id actually run out of our usual ketchup just as the sample arrived, so couldn't do a direct comparison, but didnt actually notice s big difference. I vouldnt taste honey specifically (luckily as I'm not s big fan!). Ds and dh happily ate it without noticing!

Are you likely to buy it again?
As long as its priced competitively yes i would. I like that its reduced sugar and more tomatoes.

Thanks for the sample

What did you think overall about the product?
The children and i thought it tasted nice

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 it being sweetened by honey

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
My husband wasn't very keen on it but the children loved it

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes because the children really liked it

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes i would, you could taste the extra tomatoes in it compared to other brands

What did you think overall about the product?
All the family liked it! Great flavour, very tomatoey & not too sweet. I liked the bottle, it looked great!

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 all natural recipe & less sugar. I'm trying to cut down on the amount sugar we eat as a family and this is perfect!

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
We all liked it, my fussy 7 year old could taste the difference between the normal ketchup we used but she liked the sweet honey taste. It was had a lovely deep tomato flavour & a pleasant sweet honey taste.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes I would. It tastes great & its lower in sugar than my normal ketchup.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, it tastes great & is a good healthy choice!

What did you think overall about the product?
We all 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)

The reduced sugar without using sweeteners as well as the higher tomato content.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
I don't usually have tomato ketchup, but I had this instead of my usual bbq sauce and really enjoyed it. Both dc thought it was 'yummy' and 'delicious' and DH thought it tasted much nicer than our normal ketchup and much more like the tomato relish he likes.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes, I will buy it as long as the price isn't a huge amount more than our usual.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Will be making sure we have some for barbecues over the summer for other family and friends to try.

What did you think overall about the product?
We all really enjoyed this product, nice bottle, really good taste.

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 natural recipe and more tomatoes were the main plus points for us.

How did it taste?
Delicious, very tomatoe-y, and was pleasantly sweet without having a strong taste of honey.

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, we liked the taste better than our usual brand.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, because it tastes good, and the natural recipe is great.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Hellmann’s Ketchup sweetened only with Honey. Before tasting it I had reservations thinking kids and I might find the taste too different to our usual ketchup and I wondered if you could taste too much of the honey.
However the kids didn't even realise I has substituted our usual ketchup to the Hellmann's one until I asked them if they thought it tasted different and what the difference might be. I got weird and funny suggestions, like onion, as they just couldn't find any! They were gobsmacked when I told them it contained honey.
As a mum I found most appealing the fact that it's an all natural recipe, sweetened only by honey. And as a family we all loved the taste as well. They are also the reasons why I'd recommend the Hellmann's ketchup to friends and family.
I'll definitely be buying this Hellmann's ketchup sweetened only with Honey again as soon as we have finished the bottle. I think it's becoming a new family favourite!

What did you think overall about the product?

I thought it was a gray idea. The sugar content of ketchup is a worry.

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)

Sweetened with honey appealed to me as its a great alternative to sugars. Find it hard to sway dh and kids from their usual brand of ketchup so was fun to secretly switch and see the reactions.

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

It was nice and you couldn't taste the honey, was just nicely sweetened . Kids couldn't tell the difference, dh could but had no complaints

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?

yes I would

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

I would recommend it and I think it's a Step in the right direction for reducing sugars.

Update! (We had a BBQ at the weekend & did taste tests...)

Granny found it too sharp but also too sweet.

Both Grandpas really took to it. Dipping fingers in it!

Children still won't eat it.

I've decided I really like it! (Having not done before.) 😁 I'm keeping the bottle for myself, no one else is allowed it.

Everyone like the squeeze top.

Thank you!

What did you think overall about the product? - This is the first time we have tried a tomato ketchup with honey, and we enjoyed it. It comes in an attractive packaging, it's easy to use (squeezes easily). My younger son who regularly eats pasta with ketchup (this fact shocks the Italian side of our family), loved 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)
I am a big believer in honey properties and health benefits, so anything with honey gets my vote. I liked the fact that it is an all natural product, made with sustainably grown tomatoes. It is also low calorie and contains no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It tasted very tomatoey, tart and sweet. My younger son is the biggest fan of ketchup.

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Yes, I would buy it, see my answer to question 2 as for the reasons why.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I often talk about food with my friends, they know I love trying new products, so they wouldn't be surprised if I mentioned a new ketchup to them.

What did you think overall about the product? Great, taste really 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) Honey concept as well as the natural recipe.
How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste? Great,everyone likes it.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why? Yes. Love the concept of natural sweetness.
And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why? yes. would recommend as it is a great product and taste well.

What did you think overall about the product?
I'd never heard of it before but DC1 is a tomato ketchup lover so I wanted to try something different and hopefully a little less sugar laden.

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 it only being sweetened by honey, although we don't allow ketchup with every meal I am still keen to reduce our reliance on it. Saying that i did allow it to be mixed with cottage pie in an attempt to get her to eat it.

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
It tasted differently to our usual brand (Heinz), my DC1 tried it and was very much in favour of it. The second time though it wasn't as popular, however DH tried it and agreed with me that it was perfectly pleasant and DC1 was having a tricky meal time. She has subsequently eaten it without any complaint!

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
Depending on the price, yes we would be likely to buy it again. It was popular and we all liked it.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, we would recommend it to a friend in conversation, my DC enjoyed it and I thought it was a good alternative to their usual brand.

I did a taste test with the children with the leading brand in our fridge. They could taste the difference in as much as it was sweet and a lot smoother. They liked it and have been happy choosing it over the other one we have.

They couldn't taste the honey which was a bonus for one of mine as they don't like it.

I was pleased with the amount of tomatoes per 100 g and the fact the ingredients were all ones I could buy.

Yes I would buy this again and recommend it to others. Thank you for letting us try it.

What did you think overall about the product

Liked the top side down packaging. Attractive packaging 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)

Definitely attracted by the less sugar and more tomato feature.

How did it taste?

Sweet, maybe a bit too sweet for me. The children didn't notice a difference and it went down well with everyone. All the family enjoyed it.

Are you likely to buy it and why?
If the price is right I would.

Are you likely to recommend it?
Yes, I would recommend it, especially to people who are sugar conscious.

The main thing that appealed to me was the overall reduction in sugar, ds eats his weight in ketchup which I don't mind too much as I know that the cooked tomato in it is good for you, but was worried a little by the sugar content. Didn't know if he or fussy dh would accept this version, but they both happily ate it. Ds said it takes good and sweet. Result! Would definitely buy if it was on offer, and will recommend to others trying to cut down on sugar.

What did you think overall about the product?
Very good. I particularly liked the design of the bottle. It fits very well in the fridge. It tastes good too. My daughter 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)
That it was 30% less sugar was the most appealing part

How did it taste? What did other members of your family think about the taste?
Tangy, my daughter liked it a lot

Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
yes, because it's healthier and tastes good too!

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
Yes, I will because I think it is great to be avoiding all that sugar

What did you think overall about the product?
I liked it. It was discernibly more tomato-ey and had a good texture.

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 curious to know how honey would inflect it mainly. I also liked the sound of increased tomato, as I assumed that meant less crud.

How did it taste?
It was sweet but with a nice edge to it. It tatsed like a high grade tomato ketchup.

What did other members of your family think about the taste?
DD liked it very much and enjoyed the tomato taste. DS does not eat tomatos, but e does eat tomato ketchup and tomato based sauces. he was rather too aware of the more tomato-ey taste and thought it tasted like tomato soup. He would eat it again, but was less keen than DD and me and DH.
.
Are you likely to buy it again? And why?
I would buy it - but not point out to DS that we have it! It was tasty and seemed to have good ingredients. A little went a long way.

And are you likely to recommend it to someone else - if it came up in conversation - and why?
I would recommend it - I know all sugar is sugar, but there is something rather benign seeming about honey, and the taste is robust and good, if you love tomatoes!