A UK food company that makes nutritionally complete, plant-based powders, drinks and meals, founded in 2014 and based in Tring.
Huel makes plant-based food designed to be nutritionally complete and quick to prepare. Its first product, Huel Powder, launched in 2015 and was made from oats, rice, pea protein and added vitamins and minerals. Since then it has added a Black Edition with more protein, Daily Greens (2023), and a wider range of meals, snacks, drinks and supplements. Common ingredients include oats, rice protein, pea protein, sunflower, flaxseed, coconut oil and added vitamins and minerals. The company says the powder is built to provide the recommended daily amounts of nutrients set by the European Food Safety Authority.
The company was founded in 2014 in Aylesbury by Julian Hearn and James Collier. Julian came to food after building and selling a coupon website, and the idea grew from his own struggle to balance nutrients while dieting. James is a registered nutritionist with about 27 years in nutrition and dietetics, including time in the NHS, who formulated the original recipe and is now Head of Sustainable Nutrition. Huel began delivering to the rest of Europe in 2016, reached the United States in June 2017, and in November 2017 appointed James McMaster as chief executive to lead its international growth.
Huel's own stated mission is to make food that is nutritionally complete, convenient, sustainable and affordable. Its products are 100% vegan, low in sugar, free of genetically modified ingredients and made to take a few minutes or less to prepare. These are the company's own claims.
The UK headquarters is at Icknield Way Industrial Estate in Tring, Hertfordshire. It also has a US headquarters in Brooklyn and a German one in Berlin, and its own site lists more than 100 employees. It became a certified B Corp in 2023, and it is a partner of Tony's Open Chain, which promotes ethical cocoa sourcing.
Huel has been challenged in public too. The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned two of its adverts in February 2023 and another in August 2024, and a 2025 US consumer report raised questions about trace metals in some products. Reading about both the mission and the criticism gives a fuller picture of working in food and nutrition marketing. The company's own pages were not detailed on culture or team structure, so we have not described them.
Website: huel.com
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