From Holy Lama Naturals

Holy Lama Naturals use essential oils to make a natural body care range using ancient ayurvedic principles to help balance mind, body and soul and extract the oils from herbs, spices, flowers and fruits to make a range of food and drink natural liquid extracts called Spice Drops®.

Their products are ethically sourced, largely from local farms, and ethically produced; they are handmade in the factory in Kerala which is a women’s enterprise employing mainly disadvantaged women who have been marginalised due to personal circumstances. In a traditionally male society, employment in the factory gives these women much needed self-confidence and independence.

BACKGROUND

Gouri Kubair is third generation of the family that pioneered the essential oils industry in India. Her grandfather was the first person to cultivate vetivert (a long tall grass) on a commercial basis to extract its oils. From these beginnings has grown the successful family business Holy Lama Naturals with its natural body care range based on the ancient principles of Ayurveda, and a unique range of highly concentrated extracts of herbs and spices used in cooking and drinks called Spice Drops®.

Gouri grew up in Kerala with her younger sister and parents, who continued to develop and grow the business established by her grandfather, extending the range of essential oils they worked with and their uses. She watched as together they worked up the beauty range and began to experiment with oils for cooking. With success, more help was needed, and Vijaya, Gouri’s mother set up the manufacturing unit as a Government-recognized women’s enterprise, supporting and empowering marginalized women in the local community, something the business still proudly does today.

Although naturally interested in the family firm, Gouri chose to spread her wings and trained to become a chartered accountant in India as well as in the UK where she worked for Deloitte. For over a decade she worked as an auditor and during this time met her husband, Anirudha, and had her two children, Neha and Ashwin.

Perhaps it was having children of her own but the lure of working for the family business became too much and in 2013 Gouri left her secure job with Deloitte to further her family’s ethical business bringing the natural skincare range and Spice Drops® to the European market. During the last five years, Gouri has worked hard to develop the reputation of the Spice Drops® name. As a result, over half the 34-strong range has been awarded either one or two stars at the Great Taste Awards and eminent chefs such as Nigella Lawson, Rachel Khoo, Tom Kerridge and Cyrus Todiwala have recommended using them.

In 2016 Gouri gave Spice Drops® a whole new brand image which is both contemporary and fun while maintaining its Indian roots and the quality of the product. It has clearly paid off as Sainsbury’s now stocks Spice Drops® as do Ocado and Wholefoods, as well as Amazon and Not on the High Street.

ABOUT SPICE DROPS

Spice Drops® is a unique range of 34 highly concentrated natural extracts of herbs, spices, flowers & fruits designed to inspire a whole new generation of home cooks, bakers and cocktail lovers with their easy to use format – simply add a drop or two of the chosen aromatic Spice Drops® and transform a recipe in an instant with authentic aromas and flavours.

Spice Drops® can be used to add an extra burst of flavour in teas, coffees, smoothies or cocktails, are fantastic for adding intensity to curries, gravies or sauces and can be used in baking or in making chocolates – in a word - versatile!

With a range that includes cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, mint, vanilla, ginger and rose, Spice Drops® are made using fresh produce largely from local farms. They contain no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives and no added sugar or salt. They are also gluten free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans and alcohol free.

By adding a single drop, any recipe is improved and enhanced with an authentic, fresher, more intense flavour. Spice Drops® are oil soluble and blend easily with the other ingredients so you can be sure the dish tastes just right! And with a shelf life of three years, the results will be consistent every time – unlike with dried herbs or spices which very quickly lose their intensity of flavour. The extraction process, which has been perfected over 20 years, also ensures the natural goodness of the raw ingredients is retained in the Spice Drops® too.

Spice Drops® are incredibly simple to use. Each bottle comes equipped with a dropper which allows for easy, accurate dispense, removing the need to grind, grate, peel or chop the equivalent raw ingredients, cutting down completely on waste and effort. Each 5ml bottle (available in retail) contains around 150 drops and has a year’s shelf life, offering tremendous value for money. They are also available in bulk for manufacturing businesses or caterers who might need higher volumes.

Spice Drops® can be found in Sainsbury’s, Wholefoods and on line at Ocado, Amazon, and via www.holylama.co.uk where a range of inspiring recipes can also be found.