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How We Work

Privacy Policy

Any personal information supplied by you to Nicoletta will be managed in the strictest of confidence. We will never use your data for any other purpose than communicating with you about Nicoletta. So rest assured we will never sell your details to any Nigerian scam artist looking to share tens of millions of dollars with you because your long-lost uncle just passed away in Lagos!

How to order?

At Nicoletta, we have a very simple business philosophy.

1. You go ahead and browse our products, identify those items that you like (we know there will be lots), and add them to your virtual shopping cart. View your cart and calculate any delivery costs according to your address postal code, and then (when your cart is loaded to the brim) head for the checkout.

If your order is in excess of R2000.00 [vouchers not included], we will ship the order (via courier) to your physical address anywhere in South Africa for FREE. Yes, FREE! (TIP: get your friends together to ensure you buy a good amount). For orders under R2000, a courier cost will be added to your total before checkout based on your location. Please note that our offer of FREE courier only applies to orders placed through our online ordering system and not orders received via fax/phone/email.

2. We will not ask for your credit card, rather, after you have completed the required details on our checkout page, and placed an order, you will receive an order confirmation immediately – this will serve as your Pro-forma invoice, (we will be notified of your order through our internal systems) and you can then pay via EFT – nice and secure.

3. We will then ship your order as soon as your EFT reflects in our account; a formal invoice will be packed for your delivery. (Please allow a further 24 hours after payment has been made so that we can pack your order and dispatch, and another 3 days for the courier to deliver to you). Please note that we use third-party couriers, as such they are unable to deliver at specific times, or make phone calls prior to delivery. Sorry, but we don’t work weekends.

Really… how much easier can we make it?

Trade Customers – minimum R2000 per order on Trade pricing

We have a new and easier ordering process for all Trade Customers! All Customers wishing to purchase at a discounted trade price must be registered on the website as ‘Trade’ (follow the process outlined below). The only criteria for using a Trade Account will be to spend R2000 or more per order. Remember, that this is a minimum of R2000 using the trade price!

If you would like to be Trade Customer: Please register an account with your own username and password on the website, and then contact info@nicoletta.co.za. Your account will then be upgraded to ‘Trade’ status, you may then log in to your account at any time and the prices on the website will reflect the discounted trade price.

Payment Options

We have one option, EFT. We request that you pay according to your order confirmation (proforma invoice). Please do not make cash deposits. We don’t accept credit card payments through our online store. We know many do, but we think our process is just as slick (maybe a little slicker), and you keep full control over that little piece of plastic in your purse or wallet! Card on delivery (COD) payments may be made for those collecting stock from our premises.

Nicoletta

ABSA BANK
Branch code: 63-10-05
Account #: 40 9871 3112

Delivery Options

We only use couriers to deliver your much-anticipated orders. Normally it is BEX Couriers. If your order is greater than R2000.00 (vouchers not included) we will deliver it for FREE – anywhere within this beautiful country! As mentioned above – our offer of FREE courier only applies to orders placed through our online ordering system and not orders received via fax/phone/email.

In the true spirit of nation-building, we want all South Africans to be able to get their hands on our amazing products. We will pack it to ensure that it arrives in your kitchen in perfect condition, just like when it left our factory in Cake Town (Cape Town), South Africa!
For those orders less than R2000.00 a basic courier fee will be added to your order total at checkout. The amount will depend on your location as well as the weight of the goods purchased. Please provide accurate details when loading your physical address at the checkout. We cannot deliver to a P.O. Box; it has to be a physical address with somebody present (to sign for the delivery) during working hours. Please note that we use third party couriers, as such they are unable to deliver at specific times, or make phone calls prior to delivery.

Collection

You are welcome to order through our online store and then collect the order from our factory at no additional charge. We are in 23 Eiland Street, Bella Vista, Paarl. In this case, you need to ensure that the EFT has cleared in our account before you collect. We DO NOT have card facilities at our factory! We DO NOT accept cheques. Please note, that we no longer accept cash payments on collection. ALL payments must be via EFT and the funds must have cleared in our account BEFORE you can collect the order. Please just be sure to agree on a collection time between 9.00 am – 4.00 pm on Monday – Friday (we are closed on weekends).
Orders from beyond the borders of South Africa.
We understand that Nicoletta is a much sought-after brand, so if you are desperate (and live outside of South Africa) please get in touch directly with us so that we can make the necessary arrangements to get you your heart’s desire! (Please note that the website will not allow the order if the delivery address entered at checkout is outside South Africa – so input a South African delivery address to order (i.e. Nicoletta’s address), and let us know about using a courier to deliver to you).

Returns Policy

Much like our business philosophy, our returns policy is equally straightforward. We don’t take returns. And there is a good reason for this… it is to protect you the consumer! Once the goods have left our factory, they are beyond our control. Since it is a food product we cannot accept any products back from customers, as we have no idea what might have happened to them while they were out of our control. We would never want customers wondering (even for a nanosecond) if they are receiving goods that had accumulated more “frequent flyer miles” than our members of parliament put together!

Colour variations

Please note that colouring food products is not an exact science, and one batch of products may differ slightly from the next batch. Please also remember that the colour in product photos being viewed on our website may differ from the actual colour of the product due to colour settings on your electronic device.

You know where we are!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Nicoletta?
Nicoletta Fine Confectionery is a Cape Town-based company specialising in supplying an exclusive range of sugar confectionery; including sprinkles, cake decorations, fondant, sugared almonds and candies to the Southern African public.

2. Who are the people behind Nicoletta?
Nicoletta Scapetis-Yoell and her husband Ian Yoell, who has single-handedly built this brand and handpicked a team to make Nicoletta what it is today.

3. Can I order from Nicoletta?
Yes. Please do! You can order directly from us and we courier nationwide.

4. What is your minimum order quantity and what is the cost?
All minimum order quantities and prices are displayed with each product on the website.

5. How long will my order take to arrive?
This depends on whether you are in Putsonderwater, Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein or urban South Africa. We are in Cape Town! Your order will be processed and delivered within approximately 5 days from proof of payment (48hr from us to courier + max of 3 days from courier to you!).

6. What is the delivery cost?
Nothing – if your order is over R2000! Please note vouchers are not included in the free delivery limit of R2000, and only orders placed on our online ordering system qualify for this free service. For purchases under R2000, the delivery cost will depend on your location; this will be added to your total on checkout.

7. What do I do if I don’t receive my order?
We find in most cases that if proof of payment has not been received by us; your order will not have been processed. But in the event your product does not reach you, please drop us a mail/give us a call, and we will track your purchase and let you know!

8. What if you send me the wrong thing?
This never happens… Jokes. We are humans, not machines. If we have delivered the wrong product, a faulty product, or have misrepresented the offering with an incorrect picture or description – we’ll humbly accept we’ve slipped up and resolve the situation speedily with a replacement or full refund.

9. Do you take returns?
No, we do not take returns. This is a food product and once it has left our premises we cannot guarantee that nothing “dodgy” has happened to the product. We would like for each person to know that every product that they receive has never left our premises until it has been dispatched to them. This is to ensure that you get a quality product every time.

10. What if a product is damaged?
We never knowingly send out damaged products from our premises, we’re kind of fussy about that; but as we are aware, this may occur from time to time. Depending on the circumstance, the damaged item may be replaced.

11. Do you sell gift vouchers?
Yes. We sell virtual vouchers. Should you choose to purchase one online; once proof of payment has been received, we will email you the voucher as a PDF. Your voucher is unique and contains a code that can be entered before proceeding to a checkout to redeem your moola. If you would like us to send a voucher on your behalf we can forward a voucher to that lucky person – simply add their email address and email date in the order notes on checkout. Please notes that the voucher will be valid for one (1) year after it has been issued and can only be used in one (1) purchase for the full amount. Since vouchers are a virtual product, they do not carry a shipping cost, and therefore will not count towards the free delivery limit of R2000.

12. Where can I find your stock in my area?
You can order directly from us. We courier nationwide. Email us; we would be able to supply you with a retail stockist list of your area.

13. You don’t have a product I want in stock – what now?
We are sorry, sometimes products run out… But we can advise you of a similar product and we can let you know when we will have that specific item back in stock. Otherwise, you can click to join the waitlist on that product, and you will be notified when the item is back in stock!

14. You have discontinued a product – what now?
We are sorry for your loss. We do not discontinue a product in a heartbeat; these are our babies; if we feel that it is a very slow-moving line and it is the best business decision, then we will go ahead and discontinue the item. We will let you know in advance via the website if the product is a limited edition.

15. Can I get your website pictures without the Nicoletta watermark?
No, I’m sorry. In order to protect intellectual and creative property, we cannot release our watermarked photos for personal use. You are welcome to take photos of your own!

16. Why do you recommend 5 sugared almonds for a wedding favour?
The bitter almond and the sweet sugar symbolize the bitter-sweetness of marriage – the almond being the difficulties and the sugar-coating being the good stuff. Traditionally there are five almonds to a wedding favour, representing wishes of good health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.

17. Do you have a newsletter?
Yes, we do, a monthly recipe mailer (affectionately dubbed the Nico-letter) may be sent to your email if you sign up below on the page footer.

18. Is my personal information safe?
Yes. Yes, it is. Nicoletta will never leak personal information for any reason.

19. Are your products Halaal or Kosher certified?
Most of our products are Halaal suitable. A number of products have been certified Halaal (for use by Halaal bakeries and businesses), although we do not use the Halaal emblem on our retail products, the following products have been certified Halaal by the NIHT for the year 2015 (March ’15 -Feb ’16, Halaal Certificate H786/ NR #).

  • Silver Cake Crystals (NR 1203)
  • Gold Cake Crystals (NR 1204)
  • Angel Drops  (NR 1188)
  • Rain Drops (NR 1189)
  • Silver Drops (NR 904)
  • Snow Drops (NR 1206)
  • Dew Drops (NR 1540)
  • Stars Cake Confetti [only Blue (NR 1205), Green (NR 1181), Orange (NR 1182), Yellow  (NR 1183)and White (NR 1184)]
  • Dots Cake Confetti (NR 1187)
  • Flowers Cake Confetti [White (NR 1194), Green (NR 1197 ), Pink (NR 1198)]
  • Dolphin Cake Confetti (NR 1199)
  • Silver Chocolate Hearts (NR 1190)
  • Silver Chocolate Buttons (NR 1191)
  • Gold Shimmer (NR 1207)
  • Silver Shimmer (NR 076)
  • Cookie/Royal Icing (NR 1450)

Products Certified as Kosher

  • Silver Shimmer
  • Gold Shimmer
  • Stationery for Cakes, including all edible markers (Blue, Black, Green, Pink, Purple)

Products that contain any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products (such as beeswax/ shellac) should be indicated on our labels. Bovine and fish-derived gelatine ingredients used in any products are certified Halaal gelatine. Should a product contain halaal unsuitable cochineal colourant (insect-derived, E120), this information will be available on our website under “additional product information: colourants”.

20. What is “glazing agent: shellac”, and is it Halaal?
Yes. Shellac has been reviewed and deemed a Halaal ingredient by SANHA for use in confectionery and bakery applications as of April 2011.
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug (this insect is in the same family as the insect from which cochineal is obtained). The insects suck the sap of the tree and excrete “stick-lac” to produce empty “resin cocoons”. These are scraped off the bark and used to produce a glazing agent for confectionery and pharmaceutical uses. Shellac is considered to be an insect by-product, similar to that of honey/ beeswax.

21. Are your products suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, many products we offer do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. Products containing animal-derived ingredients (bovine/fish gelatine) and animal by-products (such as beeswax/ honey/shellac/cow’s milk) will be indicated on the product label, as well as listed on our website under “additional product information: animal-derived ingredients”. For products containing shellac: shellac resin has been determined by the British Vegetarian Society to be suitable for vegetarians; however, please note that shellac is an insect by-product and hence is not considered vegan. Should a product contain cochineal colourant (insect-derived, E120), this information will be available on our website under “additional product information: colourants + animal-derived ingredients”. Please note that cochineal is an insect extract and hence is not considered vegan.

22. How does Nicoletta label ingredients?
Nicoletta does not label additives as E-numbers; we label the specific additive name with its’ corresponding functional category (eg. glazing agent: carnauba wax), to give our customers as much information about what they are putting in their bodies! Nicoletta has chosen to label “colourants” as a nonspecific category name, due to frequent changes in colourants.  Warning labels will be used for products containing tartrazine. Current specific colourants used in products will be available on this website under “additional information: Colourants/ Natural Colourants”.

“Natural Colourants” listed include natural colourants only; which consists of colouring foodstuffs, or colours made from natural substances by chemical modification, or produced synthetically although being identical in chemical structure. These colourants include extracts of edible plants, seeds, fruits or vegetables (i.e. beetroot/ spinach) as well as extracts of mineral ores. “Colourants” includes listed artificial and natural colourants that are used in the product.

23. What is the fuss about Azo dyes?
Azo dyes are used because they are cheaper to produce and are much more stable than most natural food colourants (Azo dyes are stable in the whole acidity range of foods, are heat-stable, and do not fade when exposed to light or oxygen, unlike natural colourants).
The acute toxicity of Azo dyes, as defined by the EU criteria for the classification of dangerous substances, is rather low. Nevertheless, some Azo dyes do have toxic side effects. These are not due to the dye itself, but to degradation products of the dyes; as several have been found to be mutagenic or carcinogenic. Since 2003, there has been a widespread trend to move away from the use of artificial colours in food products, especially those aimed at children. The EU has moved to phase out the use of these colours.

24. My kid has ADHD, which colourants do I look out for?
A 2007 study completed by Southampton University suggests that the consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours in conjunction with sodium benzoate preservatives is associated with increased hyperactive behaviour in children. The following additives were tested in the research:
o Azo dye: Tartrazine (E102)
o Artificial colourant: Quinoline yellow (E104)
o Azo dye: Sunset yellow (E110)
o Azo dye: Carmoisine (E122)
o Azo dye: Ponceau 4R (E124)
o Azo dye: Allura red AC (E129)

25. Why does tartrazine have to be included on a label?
Tartrazine may cause increased allergenic symptoms in people with asthma and similar disorders. In South African legislation, the colourant additive “Tartrazine” must be listed with ingredients on the label; unlike other Azo/ artificial colourants that may be labelled simply as colourants.

26. What is the fuss about Spirulina as a colourant?
Spirulina concentrate consists of the dried biomass of cyanobacterium species. Spirulina is naturally blue and may impart colour to food. Traditionally, Spirulina is used in the pharmaceutical industry as a supplement, as the FDA has awarded Spirulina GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status. Essentially, SA legislation does not legislate for or against the use of Spirulina as a food colourant, and therefore there is a large grey area. Spirulina has been classed as a natural colour under UK legislation, and historically all Nicoletta products have met EU standards as the SA legislation for confectionary has not always been clear or defined.