FAQ
“How will I know what they taste like?”
Every sauce is designed to be flavour first, heat second.
The Cotswolds Arms in Burford have supported us from the early days and they have some of the sauces for use when dining.
There are also plenty of customer reviews throughout the site, and Google.
Honestly, my favourite option is for you to catch me at a market and try as many as you’d like, NO obligation to buy.
Below is a set of paragraphs that hopefully help!
“I don't want something I'll only use once.”
I designed these as everyday sauces, not novelty shelf ornaments.
Most customers start using them on eggs or burgers, then end up putting them on wraps, roast potatoes, sandwiches, marinades, noodles, pizza, stews, BBQs, through mayo, and grilled meat & veggies. The aim is versatility with personality.
“How hot is hot? (Are they too spicy?)”
Most of the range sits in realistic, usable heat levels.
The focus is balanced flavour and repeat use, not punishment, gimmicks or challenge.
Heat guides & comparisons are provided as a rough guide so you can choose confidently, whether you want mild warmth or something genuinely aggressive.
Remember though, a teaspoon isn’t as spicy as a tablespoon.
“Why do the sauces cost more than supermarket products.”
I can’t be sure as I’ve never worked in a factory, our sauces are made like proper cooking rather than industrial processing, in small batches using real ingredients & fresh produce. Also buying power, I can’t purchase tons for pennies.
The goal was simply to make something genuinely delicious that improved everyday meals.
“What do you recommend?
Which sauces should I choose first.”
The range is intentionally varied, so really it comes down to; how & what YOU like to cook & eat.
You can do anything except wash your hair with our sauces; marinate, dip, season, bake, drizzle etc
“How can I trust Oakes?”
Oakes is still a genuinely small independent business.
Read our (and leave your own) customer reviews, insta posts, seeing them used on real food usage matters far more than polished influencer advertising.
The brand is built around actual use and repeat purchases.
Every bottle is;
· Prepped by me
· Cooked by me
· Hand-filled by me
· Hand-labelled by me
· Each order is carefully packed by me
· Shipped by me
· Communication is direct with me.
Customers are buying from a real independent producer, not a faceless warehouse brand.
“Some product photos seem to be AI”
Yeah, we use some AI-assisted tools. It allows us to create concepts & ideas we simply couldn’t afford to do traditionally.
For small independent businesses, AI can be a useful tool for creating concepts and visuals efficiently while we continue growing.
I’d rather be able to pay photographers to create all my content but I’m just not a big enough company to do so, yet.
As a chef I always valued quality over cost-saving, however it was easier said when I was just an employee.
“Which sauce is your bestseller?”
-
Chilli Garlic, all day long
-
Santa Muerte has surprised me at how much we sell
-
Rhubarb, Ginger & Cardamom holds its own for a seasonal release
“Which sauce is least spicy?”
· Beetroot Ketchup
· Wild West BBQ
· Tomato ‘Nduja Relish
· Rhubarb, Ginger & Cardamom
In my experience, in that order.
“Which sauce is hottest?”
Santa Muerte is the true high-heat option. It is intentionally hotter than the everyday range,
and depending on how irresponsible I’ve been with the Roulette sauce it could be one of those bottles.
“How long does a bottle last?”
The label says 10 weeks, which is arbitrary.
Really it depends how heavily you use it, but most customers go through bottles surprisingly quickly once they taste them.
“Do I need to refrigerate after opening?”
Refrigeration maintains freshness and flavour quality after opening.
“Are the sauces very vinegary?”
Mostly no. Rather than relying heavily on artificial preservatives for shelf-stability I use vinegar as it’s the traditional preservation method.
And despite refusing to use a lot of Sugar like most others do they’re not harsh.
“Are they sweet?”
Most supermarket food is loaded with sugar. We refuse to do that!
Some have natural sweetness from ingredients like fruit, balsamic, roasted vegetables, or maple/unrefined sugar, but the range is generally balanced, never sugary.
“So they’re low sugar?”
Yes, especially compared to many supermarket sauces.
We use sugar as a seasoning not as a cheap bulking ingredient.
“Which sauces work best with BBQ?”
Velvet Burn and Wild West BBQ are naturally smokier but any of them you fancy really!
“Are your sauces handmade?”
Yes, chopped by hand. Produced in small batches with direct control over recipes and consistency.
“Where are they made?”
Made in Burford, England.
“Do you use fresh chillies?”
Yes, we chop fresh chillies to be used throughout the range.
We don’t use a mash, although that’s industry standard.
Never tinctures or extracts.
“Are they vegan?”
Most are, but individual product pages should clearly confirm this.
“Are they gluten free?”
Most are, except for the Velvet Burn due to the Stout.
“Do they contain preservatives?”
No artificial preservatives.
We use two products derived from natural fermentation, Xanthan Gum & Citric Acid.
Varies from recipe to recipe but always less than 0.9%, used sparingly and only where needed for texture or balance.
“Why do some bottles vary slightly in colour?”
Real ingredients naturally vary slightly between batches and seasons.
Small variation is a sign of genuine production rather than industrial standardisation.
“How quickly do you dispatch?”
I aim to get the delivery out that day or next (depending on the time). I pack them by hand & take them to the PO myself.
“Are bottles packaged safely?”
Yes. Each bottle is wrapped in hive wrap and the box is cushioned with shred-pack to survive courier handling.
“What happens if my order arrives damaged?”
Contact me directly and I’ll resolve it ASAP.
“Do you offer gift boxes?”
Yes, Free with Three, just add it to your basket and with 3 bottles it will discount automatically Ideal for birthdays, thank you gifts, seasonal periods, fathers’ day and other events.
“Can I include a message?”
Absolutely, at the product page.
“Do you ship internationally?”
Not yet but we will soon.
“Is this another gimmick 'artisan' sauce?”
No novelty branding-first nonsense. The emphasis is on genuinely useful sauces with proper flavour identity.
“Will this improve everyday food?”
I designed the sauces to do most of the heavy lifting, so I hope so!
“Can my family enjoy this too?”
Most of the range is deliberately approachable for ‘normal’ households, the best thing would be to place on the table for ultimate dinner customisation.
There’s only so much
reading you can do about flavour.
Like I said, you can’t lick the screen.
Pick a bottle and see where
it takes your cooking