- Deliveries During COVID-19
- Farm & Products
- Payment & Delivery
- Return & Refund Policy
Is ordering from Himalayan Haat safe?
Yes, absolutely! Our workplaces are repeatedly sanitized and we have a reduced workforce (with masks, sanitizers etc) to ensure social distancing at all times. Our products are thoroughly cooked and each bottle is sterilized. Our deliveries are contactless.
Please read this quick blog post for more details about how we are ensuring that our families, employees and customers stay safe.
Are you shipping across India during this pandemic?
Yes, we are shipping to most pin codes across India.
Are you able to deliver on time?
Our delivery team operates in Delhi NCR and can deliver within 2 to 3 days of receiving an order.
For other locations, we have tie-ups with leading couriers, who at times may face delays due to unforeseen reasons on the ground. On the whole, 99% of all deliveries are taking place smoothly.
What is the shelf life of your products? How do we store them?
The shelf life of our preserves, coolers and sauces is around 12 months unopened in a cool, dry place but they are actually pretty safe to consume after that too. Once opened, you’ll need to pop in the fridge and consume within a few months’ time.
Our herbal infusions are shade-dried herbs that remain potent for almost 2 years. They can be stored in a cool, dry place.
The herbed Himalayan Pink salts are also good to use for up to a year. Please store them in a dry place. Moisture and humidity can make the salts clumpy since we do not use any caking agents. In such a case, simply spread out the salt on a baking tray and put in the oven on low heat to get rid of moisture.
Won’t your products get spoiled quickly because you don’t use preservatives?
No, not at all. Sugar and lemon juice work as natural preservatives in our coolers and preserves. Further, the bottles are vacuum-sealed and canned so there’s no risk of spoilage. Once open though, they need to be refrigerated.
Why do two different batches of the same product look or taste slightly different?
That’s the beauty of small-batch homemade products! We do follow a recipe and fixed ratios but unlike factory-made stuff, we often need to tweak things around to get the best-tasting version of our product. Often one lot of fruit might be sweeter, more tart or juicier than usual so we have to adjust our recipes accordingly. At least 3 people taste each batch before it’s finalised and bottled.
What kind of sugar or sweeteners do you use in your preserves and coolers? How much sugar do your products have?
We use certified organic sugar that has been sourced from farmers in Uttarakhand. Unlike traditional jam and squash recipes, we use a minimal amount of sugar. Our products are high on fruit and low on sugar. However, since our products are preservative- and pectin-free, sugar acts as a natural preservative. We are unsure how other alternatives to sugar would affect the shelf life, taste, colour and price of our preserves, coolers and sauces.
Are Himalayan Haat’s products 100% natural and preservative-free?
Yes. We do not use any artificial preservatives, colours, thickeners, stabilizers or acidity regulators in any of our products.
Where do you source the raw produce from?
90% of the produce used for Himalayan Haat is grown on our own farm in Pauri. We do buy some naturally grown fruit from local villagers - as part of our community development efforts in the area. These folks are not farmers, they are simple villagers with 1 or 2 fruit trees. We are trying to encourage them to go back to traditional (natural) farming practises by offering them good prices for their chemical-free local produce.
Are Himalayan Haat’s products organic?
Our farm is not certified organic. However, we are committed to natural and sustainable farming that is free from the usage of any pesticides, urea, fertilizers etc. We follow a jungle farming philosophy, relying on leaf mould for fertilizers, pine needles for mulching, natural spring water for irrigation. At no stage are any chemical sprays, urea, pesticides or fertilisers used on our crops or trees.
Similarly, we only purchase naturally grown fruit from local villagers after a thorough check. These are not farmers but local villagers, who have a tree or two each. As part of our community development efforts, we aim to revive natural farming practises by making it viable for locals to grow local crops by buying naturally grown produce from them at good prices. The sugar we use is certified as organic.
How long will it take for my order to be delivered to me?
Depending on your location, the delivery time may vary. It can range from same day delivery to a maximum of 6 working days.
What are your delivery/shipping options?
We usually hand deliver orders in Delhi and NCR and have tie-ups with efficient and reliable delivery partners like Bluedart, FedEx, Delhivery for deliveries to a wide range of pin codes across India.
Why isn’t my order eligible for Cash on Delivery?
Unfortunately, there are a few pin codes for which our logistics partners do not provide cash on delivery collection services.
What are the modes of payment?
You can pay securely online through your credit card, debit card, through net banking or wallets such as paytm, mobikwik, freecharge, etc. For some pin codes, cash on delivery is also an option.
What are the modes of refund?
Online payments are received through our partner Instamojo and we can also initiate refunds back to the source of payment via the service. If COD payments are to be refunded, we can either use Paytm or make a transfer to your account.
Can I change/cancel my order once it has been placed?
You can still modify/cancel your order as long as it has not been shipped already. Please reply to the confirmation e-mail to modify or cancel your order.
What happens if I receive a damaged or defective product?
In case you receive deliveries with a damaged product, please drop us an email at [email protected] with your order number, name of the product and a photo. We will either initiate a refund of the product amount or send a replacement at the earliest.
