Frequently Asked Questions
See a list of all of our frequently asked questions below. If you need any further assistance, please contact us.
Where is my order?
We despatch orders every working Tuesday at the end of working hours (17:30) via DPD's next day tracked service for delivery to you on Wednesdays. Orders shall be place by the end of the previous working day for same week delivery. Your order will therefore be sent out on the first available Tuesday from the day you place your order. You will receive an email from DPD to confirm your consignment number on the day we despatch your goodies. Need more info? Check out our Shipping Policy page.
When will the website be restocked?
We normally aim to restock any items that have sold out on the website every Tuesday, after our online orders have been despatched. If any item remains out of stock for a longer period of time, this might mean that we are overloaded with orders and cannot take any more on. We're a tiny company and make all our products from scratch here in our wee unit in Glasgow, so we sincerely appreciate your patience as we work as hard as we can to restock all products as soon as we can.
Where are you stocked?
Unfortunately, we do not know all food stores that stock our products as they will purchase them from our distribution partners, who most often do not pass details on to us. However if you are in Glasgow, you can find us at Roots, Fruits and Flowers and in London, you can find us at Whole Foods Market, Selfridges, Budgens.
Can I cook the roast in the oven?
Unless you are turning it into a wellington and wrapping it in pastry, we would not advise roasting it whole as this would dry the outer layer. The main point is: our vegan meat products have nowhere near the amount of fat that an animal based product would, therefore open oven roasting would dry it out. If you really want to oven cook it, we'd strongly advise slicing the product first. Then, place the slices on their side in an oven-proof dish containing a good glug of olive oil, and enough good veggie stock to half-cover the slices. We wouldn't recommend a total oven heating time of more than 20 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through.
What is this stuff?
We make alternative meat products from a mix of wheat and either pea or soya protein. It's like meat, but not from an animal.
Our most versatile products are the steaks. You can slice them up and add them to a stir fry; cube them and use them like you would bacon bits or pancetta; chop them up and stick them on a kebab; grind them up and turn them into sausages, burgers, ragù and plenty of other delicious things. We'd recommend starting off your vegan meat experience with a couple of steaks!
Please remember that this is a handmade, individually wrapped, artisanal product. No two steaks will ever be the same, much like two loaves of bread bought in a bakery will never have quite the same shape, but each one receives the same care and attention nonetheless.
What is in this stuff?
Our products are made from a wheat gluten flour base blended with a unique combination of natural herbs, spices and juices to provide a deep flavour and a versatile texture! We only use natural ingredients for our flavours and textures.
Do you deliver to [Your Country]?
At the moment, we deliver to UK Mainland, Northern Ireland and most postcodes in the Scottish Highlands. Please get in touch at info@sgaiafoods.co.uk to confirm that we can deliver to your address.
What is the shelf life of your products?
Our products have a 365 day refrigerated life from the date of manufacture. We try our best to send only products with 6 months or more of shelf life remaining giving you plenty of time to enjoy our products. Once opened, it is best consumed within 2-3 days and stored in an airtight container in your fridge. You can freeze it to extend shelf life over a larger period of time if you wish!
Are your meats gluten free? Do you offer any gluten free options?
The short answer to both those questions is no. However, we're tirelessly working to improve our offerings, and this includes gluten-free alternatives.
Are your meats suitable for freezing?
Yes! Just make sure you thaw them fully by putting them in your fridge the night before you intend to use them.
Ok, so.. what do I do with these meats?
Just use them as you would any other meat! Just bear in mind that our products are pre-cooked and ready to eat, so there is no real need to cook them further. It’s really just a matter of heating them up in a way that will make them even more delicious! We love the steaks sizzled in a little oil and soy sauce until slightly crispy. This should never take longer than 5-8 minutes.
We don’t advise roasting in the oven. The reason for this is that most of our products have little to no fat added to them, so unlike animal meat and many other vegan meats out there, they would become dry and tough if left uncovered in the oven. If you do want to add our products to a roasted dish, remember to keep it tightly covered the whole way through so that it retains moisture, and to add a good amount of water/broth to keep it soft. Check out our Cooking Info page for more detailed steps on how to cook our products!
Can I eat it without cooking?
Yes: our products are always pre-cooked and ready to eat unless otherwise stated. You can slice them up and put them in a sandwich or salad as they are if you're in a hurry! However, we always advise to quickly pan fry the steaks, burgers, sausages and bacon in a little oil and soy sauce to enhance flavour.
I'm interested in wholesale. What do I do?
That's fantastic! Please drop us a line at sales@sgaiafoods.co.uk if you're interested in stocking our products, or using our meats on your menu.
Can I come visit you/collect my order?
Yes, you can pick up your order at our Italian Deli at The Barras in Glasgow. You can find more information here. If you are not in Glasgow, you can sign up to our newsletter and find out when we are at a market or festival in your area!