Honest Umami launches MSG range, lifting the lid on nature’s (not so) dirty little secret

Leading a comeback for one of the most underrated substances on earth, Honest Umami has launched its new range of MSG Flavour Boosts. Made naturally from fermented plants, this mighty MSG is here to call time on one of the world’s biggest food myths, ending decades of misinformation and ignorant misconceptions around this humble ingredient, including ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’.

Packing a punch into just a pinch, Honest Umami has introduced four Flavour Boosts to showcase how powerful this natural ingredient can be. The MSG range includes a Pure, a Chilli, a Salt & Pepper and a 3-2-1 All-Purpose, which combines salt, sugar and MSG.

Challenging the great MSG myth head-on, Honest Umami is calling for the UK to shake off the lie that this flavour saviour is artificial or bad for you in any way. Pointing to the total lack of scientific evidence for any MSG-related side-effects, and the fact that glutamates are found naturally in all sorts of foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, aged cheeses and soy sauce, Honest Umami is now offering an MSG range made from fermented sugar beets and other natural ingredients.

Having surveyed supermarket shoppers in May 2024, Honest Umami’s founders are confident that the UK is ready to embrace this pure form of umami, the 5th flavour profile. Among survey respondents, 65% said they were willing to buy MSG, rising to 75% among 18-34 year olds.

Rob Miller, co-founder of Honest Umami, commented:

“MSG has had a bad rap for many years, but the tide is turning as more people get to understand where their food comes from a little better. Put off by an enduring myth and blatant misinformation, fuelled by the xenophobic claims of a noisy few, the UK has been missing out on one of nature’s great flavour bombs, while hundreds of millions of people across the world enjoy it every day without any negative impact at all. We’re here to change all that, by updating the narrative around MSG, making it accessible and showing people how to use it. ‘Umami’ literally means delicious savoury flavour. You can thank us later.”

Honest Umami’s full range of MSG Flavour Boosts can be purchased from honestumami.com for £3.95 per pot or £14.95 for a Mixed 4-Pack.