Stefanie Lechthaler
Product test

Vegan Hanny review: how tasty is the bee-free alternative?

Vegan Hanny is the first plant-based alternative that actually tastes like honey. At least that’s if the manufacturer’s to be believed. I tried it and thought it was the real deal. Will my workmates also mistake it for real honey in a blind test?

According to producer Better Foodie, their Vegan Hanny is «the real deal». In other words, vegans no longer have to put up with a subpar flavour. That’s roughly what the marketing blurb says. This honey alternative is intended to give bees and other pollinators a breather. To achieve this, the American production company Meli-Bio processes the same plants as the insects would and imitates the molecular structure of honey. The aim is to achieve a taste similar to the original. More details about the production process were revealed in an interview with the founder of Meli-Bio:

  • Background information

    How is vegan honey made? MeliBio founder told us

    by Stefanie Lechthaler

So far, so good. I can get behind the idea. If the sweetener can match the taste of genuine honey, the environmentally and animal-friendly alternative could even make it into my omnivore diet. But first, it has to pass my test.

Self-test: I’m sold

I open the lid and take a sniff. The sweet, floral scent of honey immediately hits my nose. My mouth starts to water as I dip my knife in. I know, I know, you shouldn’t use metal for honey... Nevertheless, I spread it on a slice of bread. Its consistency is a little more liquid than I’m used to. I’m not bothered. I take a bite and am surprised. Without a direct comparison, Vegan Hanny comes impressively close to the original. I’m liking it!

As I’m happily munching away, I decide that this product deserves a place on my kitchen shelf. I’m also pretty convinced my fellow human beings wouldn’t be able to distinguish this honey from bee honey in a blind test. So that’s up next: a blind test.

Tastes like regular honey to me on a slice bread.
Tastes like regular honey to me on a slice bread.
Vegan Hanny crystallises when stored below 14 degrees.
Vegan Hanny crystallises when stored below 14 degrees.
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler

The first blind test: which honey is the vegan one?

In our break room at Galaxus, I fill two bowls halfway with honey. The first bowl (1) contains Vegan Hanny and the second one (2) ordinary blossom honey. The carrier is baguette. And next to the samples, I put the question: «Which honey is from bees?» Now it’s up to my coworkers to take part in the tasting and put a cross on the list next to the one they think is genuine honey.

For my experiment, I emptied both sweeteners into a bowl. Number 1 is Vegan Hanny. Number 2 contains blossom honey.
For my experiment, I emptied both sweeteners into a bowl. Number 1 is Vegan Hanny. Number 2 contains blossom honey.
Both my workmates notice a difference in colour and consistency.
Both my workmates notice a difference in colour and consistency.
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler

At the end of my working day, I check the lists. 23 employees took part in the survey. 16 of them were right in thinking that the regular honey was in bowl number 2. Seven of them thought the honey in bowl number 1 was made by bees.

The second blind test: which honey tastes better?

In the second survey, I want to know which of the two sweeteners tastes better. As in the first attempt, I fill a bowl with Vegan Hanny and mark it with a 1. I pour the blossom honey into a second bowl and mark it with a 2. This time, the new group doesn’t know that one of the two products is vegan.

Of the 13 respondents, nine said they preferred the contents in bowl number 2. Four of them said they preferred the honey in bowl 1, i.e. the vegan product. So it turns out that about three quarters of my friends prefer conventional honey.

The tendency: Vegan Hanny is milder in taste

Obviously, the sample of both blind tests is far too small to get a significant result. Plus, the methodological implementation was inadequate. However, the personal discussions did reveal a tendency. Most people found the vegan alternative to be milder and less rich in flavour in direct comparison to the honey produced by bees. Nevertheless, many were of the opinion that Vegan Hanny is a very good alternative to conventional honey if you follow a plant-based diet.

The honey in bowl number 2 is trying too hard to trick me into thinking it’s real honey.
A coworker who’s convinced that the Vegan Hanny is the blossom honey.
For some, it’s not intense enough, while others appreciate it for that very reason.
For some, it’s not intense enough, while others appreciate it for that very reason.
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler
The lighter-coloured honey in bowl number 1 can’t be the real thing, it’s too bland for that.
One employee correctly identified the blossom honey and wasn’t a fan of the vegan honey in bowl 1 at all.

Great addition to a vegan diet, but not yet for honey gourmets

According to Darko from Meli-Bio, Vegan Hanny’s part of the first generation of substitute products and primarily intended as an additive for food or drinks. For the second generation, enzymes will be used to make the alternative honey taste even more like the original. As a spread, Vegan Hanny didn’t convince everyone around me. True connoisseurs will probably continue to opt for traditional honey produced by bees. But if you follow a vegan diet or want to consume less animal products, I think it’s one of the most authentic-tasting food substitutes I’ve tried so far.

In a nutshell

Tasty, satisfying, vegan honey

As a spread, Vegan Hanny tastes slightly less intense in direct comparison, but sweeter than blossom honey. It’s tasty nonetheless. If you’re trying to avoid animal products and are looking for a good substitute, this vegan honey is a great and very authentic-tasting alternative.

Pro

  • Consistency
  • Flavour
Better Foodie Vegan Hanny (300 g)
Quantity discount
CHF8.– per piece for 3 units CHF29.67/1kg

Better Foodie Vegan Hanny

Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler

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