Facebook PixelHatchery Subscription Box Review + Coupon - April 2016 | MSA
My Subscription Addiction
My Subscription Addiction
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.

Hatchery Subscription Box Review + Coupon – April 2016

Lindsey Morse
ByLindsey MorseMay 4, 2016 | 13 comments

Hatchery-April-2016-Box

Hatchery is a small-batch ingredient and condiment subscription that sends sample-sized products from independent makers across the United States.

Hatchery-April-2016-Open

Deliveries include “a variety of spreads, condiments, jams, honeys, syrups, cooking sauces, oils, vinegars, salts, spices, seasonings, baking ingredients, and cocktail mixers.”

Hatchery-April-2016-Inside

The packaging is beautiful, and each item comes individually wrapped in brown paper.

Hatchery-April-2016-Wrapped

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

Hatchery-April-2016-Contents

The Subscription Box: Hatchery

The Cost: $25 per month

COUPON: Get your first box for $10 with code MSA10!

The Products: “Small-batch ingredients and condiments, sourced from independent makers across the country.”

Ships to: US, its territories, and APO Boxes.

Check out all of our Hatchery reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory for similar boxes!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

Hatchery-April-2016-Brochure

Hatchery includes a fold-out card with each box that provides information about each product and its maker.

Hatchery-April-2016-FoldOut1

The card also includes pricing information, serving suggestions, and product qualities.

Hatchery-April-2016-FoldOut2

For every product, Hatchery also provides a “chef-inspired recipe using this sample.”

Hatchery-April-2016-Vinaigrette

Dress it Up Dressing Champagne Vinaigrette (1 oz.?)- $1.03?

This dressing is made from EVOO, Champagne vinegar, mustard, and garlic. I love the way this is packaged, and I think it’ll be perfect to toss into a packed lunch the next time I make a salad. Hatchery recommends drizzling it over a caprese salad, which sounds delicious!

Hatchery-April-2016-Sryup

Pink House Alchemy Lavender Syrup (2 oz.)- $2

Pink House Alchemy crafts their lavender syrup using only pure cane sugar and whole lavender flowers. I love floral flavors, and I think I’m going to add this syrup to my next batch of homemade lemonade!

Hatchery-April-2016-Lucifer

Saint Lucifer Spice #11 (.5 oz.?)- $1.67?

Saint Lucifer’s Spice #11 is kind of like a powdered hot sauce- how cool is that? It’s made from habanero peppers, using an extraction process that removes all of the liquid from the peppers.

Hatchery-April-2016-LuciferClose

It can be added into crab cakes, stirred into a Bloody Mary, or sprinkled over deviled eggs.

Hatchery-April-2016-Formosa

Formosa Habanero Hot Sauce (1.7 oz.)- $2.38

Last month’s Hatchery box also included a sample of Formosa hot sauce. I enjoyed the Jalapeño flavor I was sent in March, so I was excited to try this one. It has a lovely complex flavor that comes from the mix of habanero peppers, sweet tomatillos, and vinegar.

Hatchery-April-2016-SweetRevenge

Sweet Revenge Coconut Flower Nectar (4 oz.)- $2.25

This low-glycemic, all-natural sweetener is made from harvested coconut flower nectar that’s dried to create fine, sweet crystals that can be used just like real sugar.

Hatchery-April-2016-SweetRevengeClose

Just like real sugar, the nectar crystals melt, so they can be used in baking, syrups, and cocktails!

Verdict: I think Hatchery is a great way to discover and sample new condiments and ingredients from small American producers, and I absolutely love that they come up with recipe suggestions for every item they send. The packaging is beautiful, and I really like the products that were included in this box. Unfortunately, though, this is not a high value box. The total estimated value of the items I received comes in around $9 (give or take, since I’ve estimated some of the product sizes), which is very low considering the $25 cost of the box. It would be great to see a higher value in future boxes.

Do you like sampling new condiments and ingredients? Have you tried Hatchery?

Lindsey Morse
Lindsey Morse

Lindsey is a professional baker, cold brew coffee addict, and rosé aficionado who loves writing about food and wine. When she’s not sharing her love of subscription boxes with the world, you’ll find her in the podcasting studio, perfecting her cake decorating techniques, or cursing her way through the New York Times daily crossword puzzle. 


Join the Conversation

Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.

13 comments

Over It

I subscribed at the end of October, have been charged for two months worth of boxes and still haven’t received a thing and it is mid-January. There has been no communication as to what is happening. I sent them an email and received an automated reply that someone would respond the next day. That was two weeks ago and still no word from them. I’m out $50. Not ok.

Reply ButtonReply

Melissa Small

I need help, this company will not let me unsubcribe! They say that they have to call to finalize cancellation, but they never do! They have blocked me on Instagram and Facebook (I did not curse and was not even rude in my posts) and deleted posts in which people were complaining about them not sending boxes. At this point they owe me for two boxes, and I’m terribly worried about them not cancelling my subscription. I’m not sure what to do as I’ve never been in this position, I suppose call my credit card company? I also fear for others who will sign up without any warning! If posts are all deleted, and there are no negative reviews, how can someone make an informed decision? I know if I had any warning I would have thought twice about subscribing!!

Reply ButtonReply

Bianca

Well, I was able to pause my subscription on their site so they can’t charge me for it. Also, I would suggest disputing the charges with the credit card company.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a super recent issue that has happened with them. I had a subscription since 2014 and everything was fine. I had paused my subscription months ago because I was tired of my box contains repeats.

I ordered something from the marketplace in October and never got what I ordered. That’s when I noticed all of the complaints… And then the disappearance of the complaints and posts that had the complaints.

Reply ButtonReply

Michelle

I agree with all posts. I received a 6 month asubscription as a gift and have been upset ever since. I have had it for four months , three months were late with no fair warning and 2 of those months arrived super late. BTW it is August and I am still waiting for my July box.
I have emailed them multiple times over the last few months about their poor service and don’t get me started on the sizes of their samples. Pitiful!!!
I will say that when I have gotten upset with their service and complained this last time, the y extended my subscription….but still. I will not and have not recommended them , instead I will only warn people about them. I am all for supporting small artisans but come on….

Reply ButtonReply

paige ammann

OK, I just posted a review and it isn’t there. I agree with the other comments but I should have NEVER ordered this box. I think that I ordered it by reading another subscription review. I’ve read MSA’s review and the sizes are there. And the verdict is on point. If I had read MSA’s verdict I NEVER would have considered ordering the box. My fault but really…shame on Hatchery!

Reply ButtonReply

paige ammann

I agree with the above comments. I just received my box. I really couldn’t believe the tiny samples. It is my first box. I cancelled today – but, they are already “processing” my next box. I feel really cheated.
I believe that info like this in the reviews would be appreciated.

Reply ButtonReply

Incredibly disappointed!
They ship LATE suppose to be mid month… arrived 5/25; no shipping notification; no tracking~ The May box makes your June box look like a windfall!
Horrible Horrible value, I feel cheated!
sample honey (the size you get for free with room service at your favorite hotel) small, I mean really small
sample dessert topping (same size as above..)
2 single serve seasoning packets…
and…
a 2oz… ketchup… yes that rare exclusive… ketchup
I did post on their facebook page:
“Very Expensive for what you get”
Their replay:
So sorry you aren’t thrilled with your box! We do hope you enjoy the ingredients and helping small batch makers!

Oh please.. I do not subscribe to boxes to “help small batch makers!” it is a bonus but certainly not my motivation… I’m really displeased with this box & will not renew or recommend to anyone

They buy their reviews, by shipping to bloggers to plug their items… as a consumer I can’t be more disappointed in this

There facebook page doesn’t allow for you to post reviews (stars) as most companies do… I think if the real consumer (those that had to pay for this) were allowed to post reviews; you see a serious disconnect from the blog review they so proudly post.

Reply ButtonReply

Christina Hinks

I’ve subscribed for over a year and canceled today.

Of my last 5 boxes, about 50% off the products have been repeats.

At $25 a box to have 3 packets each of Tessiemays barbecue sauce and honey mustard , and 3 bottles of Formosa habanero sauce, it’s old already. I wanted to taste new things every month. Not just some new things.

Reply ButtonReply

Lara

Ditto to everything. Great box, terrible value. Plus it keeps shipping late and I had planned to gift it and it arrived too late. The samples are needlessly small. For instance the Lucifier spice sample is soooo small. They could have tripled the size and still made a hefty profit on the box. They could have included the full size product at $8 and still made a profit! I cancelled.

Reply ButtonReply

EC

Thats a shamefully massive price to value disparity. $25 to get $9 of items largely available elsewhere, often as free samples? Just. No.

Reply ButtonReply

SarahB

I got this same box, except I did not get the habanero hot sauce, I got a sriracha sauce

Reply ButtonReply

Jody

i just got mine and agree – i love the interesting small batch products & supporting artisan/hand/homemade products! and the packaging is great, too. but…was also wondering about the ‘actual’ value – have to decide if getting the interesting items is worth it in itself. because, i can also take $25 and go to many great local shops in my town that sell the same types of things…and buying local has it’s own major merits. not to mention avoiding shipping & packaging ‘costs’ (environmental & other). maybe another try for me, not sure.

Reply ButtonReply

Jody

darn it – just went to use the coupon for the granola from Prepaired – smallest amount is 10oz for $13.49 (already pricey, but…) coupon for $5 off makes it $8.49, which i thought i’d still do – i want to be supportive…but then…$6.80 shipping?! so, over $15 for 10oz of granola (plus a freebie 1.5oz pack that’s RV $3)? sorry but i sadly can’t justify that ):

Reply ButtonReply