Faqs about Products

HOLYLAMA JUST-A DASH

1. These extracts are too strong for my drink or food – how do I dilute them?

  • For Drinks you can add them to tonic water, jut water or to your garnish or add a drop to plate and then take a little bit on a stirrer and stir them in.
  • For Food you can add to any cooking oil, syrup or vinegar - mix it well and add to your desired cooking, baking or salads. 

2. How are they made?

  • The spices are first cold-pressed using rollers – crushing them in a non-heat generating manner ensures that the vibrant flavours are preserved. The crushed spices are then passed through an extraction vessel where the ethyl acetate (the solvent) is percolated in order to obtain the maximum volume of spice extract. The extracts are passed through a de-solventiser, where the solvent is removed using vacuum suction so as not to adversely affect the flavours. All that remains at this stage is the highly-concentrated oleoresin (oil + resin). Based on years of in-house research, we have developed the optimum concentration of Holylama Natural Extracts. Accordingly, the oleoresin is mixed with emulsifier polysorbate 80(plant based)  to yield the final product in the desired ratio suitable for culinary use.

3. What is Polysorbate 80?

  • Polysorbate 80 consists of natural sorbitol and plant-based oleic acid. Currently, the main use of Polysorbate 80 is as an emulsifier or de-foamer in foods, vitamins, medicines and vaccines. Polysorbate 80 is extremely versatile, highly-effective, and entirely non-toxic, non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic. It has very little potential to cause human skin irritation, sensitization, or phototoxicity. It’s listed as an Approved Ingredient by in The Handbook of Green Chemicals  and Whole Foods – (whose standards, developed by a team of scientists over many years, are some of the strictest available).

4. Why do you need an emulsifier?

  • We use the emulsifier for 2 purposes, firstly to tone down the strength of the extracts, secondly without emulsifier extracts wouldn’t blend easily in tea, cocktails or other drinks, basically to make our natural extracts more soluble with all food & drinks.

5. Are there any preservatives?

  • NO there are NO Preservatives, only natural extracts and plant based emulsifier in the right proportion.

6. How much do I use?

7. They sound fabulous, but how do I use them?

  • We have so many delicious recipes to help you use them to their best potential. Please refer to the "RECIPES" tab in the top section. 

8. Are you a fair trade business?

We do follow the 10 principles of fair trade in our manufacturing and business operations. Thus, we are a member of The Fair-Trade Network UK. We have always put our workers first before profit and that is why we rely so much on word of mouth to further our business. Also, our factory is a women’s enterprise where more than 80% of the workforce is women.

9. I would like to use them in cake – how much do I use?

  • In Cakes & Bakes, for every 250gm of butter, add 12-15 drops depending on flavour, make sure the aroma is a little stronger before it goes in the oven.

10. Can I freeze them?

  • You can theoretically but that will not increase the shelf life. It is best stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight.

11. Are they vegan?

  • Yes all our natural extracts are 100% vegan and also registered with the Vegan Society.

12. I have noticed crystals/lumps in black pepper extract?

  • Don't worry, nothing wrong with the product as far as its within the best before date.
  • The crystals / lumps you might notice in Black Pepper extract is "piperine" which is a naturally occurring substance in pepper. Sometimes at cold temperatures it has potential to form crystal like lumps.
  • Please SHAKE WELL or Mix it well with a clean stirrer before using.

13. Why Holylama Just-A Dash against traditional spice powders?

  1. Simple -  no preparation or messy powders.
  2. Versatile -  a huge range of uses in both food and drink.
  3. Long life -  3-year shelf life from date of manufacturing.
  4. Economical - being concentrated extracts, only a few drops required.
  5. Consistent flavorings -  better cooking with more reliable and consistent taste each time.
  6. Flexible - can be used at any stage of the cooking process.
  7. Accessible - spices at your fingertips (minimum storage only 20cm per bottle)
  8. Sensory - spray via an atomizer for delicious culinary aromas.
  9. Health benefits -  add the ‘wow’ factor to healthy dishes.
  10. Ethically-sourced  - clear provenance of ingredients.
  11. Ethically-produced - Holylama makes a lasting difference to the lives of disadvantaged women in Kerala, South India.

Faqs about orders

1. I am having difficulty placing an order

2. What payment methods are accepted by Holylama Just-A Dash?

  • We accept the following payment types:
    • Visa
    • Mastercard
    • American Express
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Bank Transfer (only for wholesale orders)

If your preferred payment method is not listed please contact us on contact@holylama.com.au.

3. Do you accept payment in other currencies?

  • We currently only accept payment in Australian Dollars (AUD) though you are welcome to pay with a non-Australian credit or debit card. The amount will be charged in your local currency, adjusted for your card issuer’s exchange rate and fee if applicable.

4. How do I place an Order?

  • At Holylama Just-A Dash we strive to make your shopping experience as easy and secure as possible. To place an order through the website, browse the site and add the items to your cart. Once you have finished shopping simply go to view cart page, confirm the items you would like to order, choose your delivery method and continue to payment. If you are happy with your order, confirm the payment and the item(s) will be dispatched as quickly as possible. 

5. Can I change my order once placed?

  • Yes! However, we sometimes dispatch parcels the same day the order is received, so please make sure you’re quick. We cannot amend an order once it has been dispatched. If there are any items you’ve forgotten, please send us an email, or call us to check that your order hasn’t yet left us, and then we may well be able to put the additional order through without charging you a second delivery charge.

6. How do I know if my order was successful?

  • If your order is successful you will receive an automated email to confirm your order has been received, and is being processed. This means the payment was successful, however if an item is unexpectedly not in stock, or we see there may be a security issue with the payment, we will contact you as soon as possible to resolve the situation. You will receive a second email when your item(s) have been dispatched.
  • If you think you have placed an order, but have not received any emails from us, please call or email us to confirm we have received your order. It might be something as simple as the order going through correctly, but an error in entering your email address or any other technical issue. However very occasionally an order might not come through to us for any other reason. It’s always worth checking, especially if you need the items quickly.

7. What if my order is incorrect?

  • If you have noticed that there has been a mistake with your order, please email us at contact@holylama.com.au or contact us by text message   on +61 468825577. Please include your name and order reference, and we’ll make sure we sort it out as quickly as we can.

Shipping

8. When will I know my order has been shipped?

  • We send an email confirming shipment towards the end of the day that your parcel leaves our distribution centre. The email will let you know the items sent, the address they have been sent to, and a tracking number where appropriate.

9. Can I track my order?

  • Yes, you will be provided with a tracking number. If you are concerned about a parcel, please give us a call and we will be able to help.
  • Tracking may not be available if you are receiving free local delivery in selected Melbourne south-east suburbs.

10. How much is shipping and how long will it take?

  • Please refer to "Shipping" under individual product details page or delivery page under quick links in the bottom section of our website.

11. Does Holy Lama ship to multiple addresses?

  • We can ship to addresses other than the cardholder’s address, but we only ship to one address per order. If you would like items in your order to be shipped to multiple locations, unfortunately you will need to place separate orders for each address.

12. Can I change my delivery address once the order has been shipped?

  • We are unable to redirect orders to a different address after dispatch. Please therefore ensure you provide a correct and suitable shipping address for the specified delivery times. However, if you realise very soon after you place the order that the address is incorrect (or incomplete) please SMS on +61 468825577 or email: contact@holylama.com.au with your order details and we will do all we can to help if your order is not yet dispatched. 

13. Is my package insured?

  • All items are insured against theft and accidental damage whilst in transit from Holylama Just-A Dash to the shipping address. Once your items have been delivered to the specified delivery address, they are no longer covered by our insurance. If your package is damaged upon arrival, we recommend that you either refuse the delivery, or make a note when signing for it that you are accepting a damaged package.

14. Do I have to pay customs / import charges?

  • Not within Australia, but outside Australia import duties and customs policies vary widely from country to country and as a result we have no control over their charges nor are we able to estimate the cost of these charges. Your parcel can be also delayed by customs and subsequent charges can be applied over which, unfortunately, we have no control.
  • Duties are charged once the parcel arrives at its destination, all of which must be paid by the recipient of the parcel. We suggest you contact your local customs office for current charges before placing an order to avoid any unexpected costs.

RETURNS

15. What if my item is damaged or faulty?

  • If you believe your purchased item may be faulty or damaged please contact us. We will aim to resolve any issue with a faulty/damaged item as quickly as possible but we need you to tell us as soon as you discover the problem so we can resolve the issue for you. Please email: contact@holylama.com.au and include as many details as possible about the order and the problem with the goods and we will do our utmost to resolve the problem.

16. Can I return my items to you?

  • Occasionally, we know you may want to return items. If you change your mind you are welcome to return your purchase in its original condition within 14 days for a refund (excluding delivery costs). Please contact us on contact@holylama.com.au if you wish to return any goods.
  • Please contact us for instructions on how to return the goods, customer will be required to pay for return postage charges.
  • Once we have the goods back in its original packaging we will issue a full refund (less any delivery costs) or send replacements, as you prefer.

17. Will I have to pay for return delivery charges?

  • Yes, unfortunately we are unable to cover the return postage and packing charges.  
  • Anything else?  If you need any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail: contact@holylama.com.au.

Some of our favourite recipes