Mayo in a tube? That’s what HLTHPUNK is promising you. Except it’s vegan, organic and “infinitely recyclable”.
After years of working as a designer in the entertainment industry, Richard Lassalle became a chef and product developer after his brother suggested he put the harissa he was using for dinner one night in a tube.
He combined his passions for design, food and health to launch HLTHPUNK, a brand making vegan condiments in tubes. The name, of course, is an amalgamation of “health” and “punk”, confirms Laurence Lassalle, the brand’s creative director.
Breaking down the health aspect, Lassalle says: “Food is nature’s medicine. Essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and vegetable proteins are inherent in all that we create. Superfood sparkles of acerola, ashwagandha, turmeric, maca and cayenne are dosed throughout.”
He adds that the tubes are nutrient-packed and oats, which use less water and does not produce high emissions the way cows do, make for a sustainable base for some of its products. And that eco-friendly focus also means HLTHPUNK gives 2% of its proceeds back to biodynamic farming.
As for the “punk”, Lassalle says the brand is “punking up food with delicious, deep flavours”, as it does things differently. He describes the team as “a bunch of creatively minded flavour freaks”. “We firmly believe: ‘Question everything, choose freely.’”
Currently, HLTHPUNK’s product line includes a double concentrate tomato paste, an oat-based mayonnaise, an original Dijon mustard, a sofi award-winning smoked harissa, and a vegan UFO burger sauce.
It is also working on various iterations for its Bionnaise, including the curry- or turmeric-based Sunshine Yellow, the Ocean-green Alien with spirulina and seaweed, the Electric Cobalt Blue algae mayonnaise, and the Bright Pink Sriracha mayonnaise with beetroot.
Additionally, HLTHPUNK is developing a low-sugar and low-salt ketchup and several BBQ sauces, which include sweet and smoky as well as sweet and spicy.
After launching in the US last year and the UK in the spring, the company is now raising funds on Kickstarter to aid its European launch. This includes setting up operations in Europe, getting together with distributors, and marketing the product to consumers.
“The spend will include sending samples, creating inventory, marketing materials and some operating costs,” says Lassalle. “And if we get above and beyond, it will go towards some of the new product development.”
The crowdfunding campaign began on June 9 for a month with a target of €12,000. It reached its goal within 24 hours. As a reaction, HLTHPUNK stretched its funding goal to the second phase, with a goal of €30,000. So far, it has received pledges worth more than €16,000.
The tubes are made from “infinitely recyclable” aluminium, and the outer packaging is made from recycled cardboard. The brand won several honours at the Indigo Design Awards 2021, with gold awards in packaging and typography, and silver awards in brand design, illustration and logo design.
HLTHPUNK says these are “less mess” tubes that can be squeezed straight on your plate or sandwich. But why tubes? “[They] keep [the] product fresh and airtight. [They’re] good on the go and look great on the dining room table,” explains Lassalle.
Asked about other types of packaging, he says the condiment jars “may come later”. “We are working with cutting-edge eco-friendly packaging companies around the world to develop biodegradable single-serve sachets, biodegradable squeeze bottles, tubs for catering and other environmentally conscious planet-friendly solutions.”
