Quick facts
| Founded | 2014 (2015 product launch) |
|---|---|
| Country | UK (Tring, Hertfordshire HQ) |
| Made by | Huel Ltd (Danone acquisition announced 2026) |
| Dietary status | Plant-based, vegan, lactose-free, no animal products |
About Huel
Huel is the UK-founded complete-nutrition brand launched in 2014 by Julian Hearn and nutritionist James Collier, with the original Huel powder hitting the market in 2015. The brand has grown into the largest complete-food manufacturer in Europe, with annual revenues over £200 million and over 50 million meals sold across 80 countries. Every Huel product is plant-based, soy-free, contains 27 essential vitamins and minerals, and is engineered to provide nutritionally-complete meals. Danone (Activia, Evian, Alpro) announced the acquisition of Huel in March 2026.
The Huel range we stock
Eight Huel products covering the Ready to Drink shake bestsellers and selected bars.
| Product | Profile |
|---|---|
| Ready to Drink Vanilla 500ml | The brand's most-bought flavour. 400 kcal, 20g protein, full meal replacement |
| Ready to Drink Strawberry 500ml | Sweet pink-fruit flavour profile, full meal replacement with 27 vitamins and minerals |
| Ready to Drink Chocolate 500ml | Cocoa-based chocolate flavour, full meal replacement |
| Ready to Drink Banana 500ml | Banana milkshake-style flavour, full meal replacement |
| Ready to Drink Salted Caramel 500ml | Caramel-and-salt flavour, full meal replacement |
| Ready to Drink Berry 500ml | Mixed-berry flavour profile, full meal replacement |
| Bar Chocolate Caramel | Plant-based nutrition bar, 210 kcal, 15g protein, 27 vitamins and minerals |
| Bar Cookies and Cream | Plant-based nutrition bar with cookies-and-cream flavour profile |
Ingredients and allergens
Huel Ready to Drink ingredients are based around water, oats, pea protein, faba bean protein, brown rice protein, sunflower oil, flaxseed, coconut, MCT oil, tapioca starch, natural flavourings, plus a comprehensive vitamin and mineral blend (vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B-complex, plus calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and more). Contains gluten (from oats) and may contain traces of nuts. The entire range is plant-based, vegan, lactose-free, soy-free, and contains no animal products. Not formally halal certified but contains no obvious haram ingredients. Always check the back of each individual pack for the most accurate allergen and dietary information.
Who Huel is for
Plant-based and vegan shoppers: Huel is fully vegan with no animal products or by-products, and engineered to provide nutritionally-complete meals. Most protein bar competitors like Warrior Crunch and Grenade Carb Killa contain milk, whey or collagen, so they don't fit a vegan diet. Huel does.
Time-poor professionals: the Ready to Drink format means a full nutritionally-complete meal in a 500ml bottle, ready to drink without preparation. Works for lunch at the desk, commute meals or breakfast on the move.
Calorie-tracked dieters: the consistent 400-calorie meal with full macro and micronutrient profile makes calorie counting accurate without ambiguity. Pair with our wider halal sweets range for treat-day flexibility.
Gym shoppers prioritising recovery: 20g of complete plant protein with full vitamin and mineral coverage works well as a post-workout recovery meal, especially compared to whey-based shakes which can be harder to digest for some shoppers.
Buy Huel online in the UK
Build your basket from across the Huel range and our wider vegan sweets selection to qualify for free UK delivery over £20. Huel pairs well with our Grenade Carb Killa and Warrior Crunch ranges for varied protein-snack stockpiling, although note that Grenade and Warrior contain dairy where Huel does not. Order before our daily cut-off for same-day dispatch.
Huel: frequently asked questions
Is Huel a complete meal replacement?
Yes. Each Huel Ready to Drink 500ml bottle delivers around 400 calories with 20g of plant protein, plus all 27 essential vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, C, D, E, K, the B-complex group, plus calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and more) at levels designed to meet UK and EU recommended daily amounts. The product is engineered as a nutritionally-complete meal replacement, not a protein supplement to be taken alongside a separate meal.
Is Huel vegan?
Yes. The entire Huel range is fully plant-based and vegan, with no animal products or by-products. The protein blend uses pea, faba bean and brown rice protein rather than whey or milk protein. This is the main differentiator from competitors like Grenade Carb Killa and Warrior Crunch, which contain milk protein.
Who owns Huel?
Huel was founded in 2014 by Julian Hearn and nutritionist James Collier, headquartered in Tring, Hertfordshire. In March 2026, Danone (the French multinational behind Activia, Evian and Alpro) announced an acquisition of Huel as part of its Renew strategy to expand into the complete-nutrition category. Huel had over £200 million in annual revenue at the point of acquisition.
Does Huel contain gluten?
Standard Huel Ready to Drink does contain gluten because oats are a key ingredient in the recipe. Huel does also offer a separate gluten-free powder version on its main website, but the standard RTD range is not gluten-free. Coeliac shoppers should check the back of each individual pack and may want to consider the gluten-free powder variant from huel.com directly.