Frequently Asked Questions

There are still certain plastics which can’t be recycled at home and previously our pouches have been going to landfill. We’re extremely proud to have found a solution, and earlier this year teamed up with Enval to launch our Recycling Scheme. Together, we will help close the loop and leave no plastic unrecycled. You can find out more information about the scheme and get involved here.

Our whole grain products contain gluten. Other products which do not naturally contain gluten such as lentils, may be grown in rotation with other crops such as wheat or barley or are processed in an environment where there could be a small risk of cross-contamination with gluten, so they are not strictly gluten-free. Please refer to the ingredients section for each individual product on our website or check the back of pack labelling information if purchasing in store.

Our appetite for change led to us taking the decision to focus on plant-based and inspire more people to eat more plants. Our range is fully vegan with the exception of our Peruvian-Style pouch, which is listed exclusively in Lidl. We have recently redeveloped our Peruvian recipe to make it vegan friendly, and you can expect to see it in stores soon.

We do not recommend freezing the pouch itself, however you can remove the contents from the packaging and store it safely in the freezer if you wish. All our products are ambient, so can be kept in the cupboard for a long time!

We pride ourselves on sourcing the best quality ingredients, therefore use a diverse selection of growers and packers to compensate for potential seasonal and geographical quality variances. Our Chestnuts are supplied from both the EU and further afield.

Our pouches of grains and lentils are ready-to-eat. For best results, heat through in a pan with a dash of water. Otherwise, tear a 2cm opening at the top and microwave for 45s at 900w, or simply enjoy it cold.

In order to get their Puy name, which is protected under DOP regulations, Puy lentils have to be grown in the small Le Puy region and cultivated in unique conditions that restricts the use of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation with a mandatory annual crop rotation.  

These unique conditions mean that Puy lentil crops are at high risk from climate change. As a result of the
unstable climate over recent years, Puy Lentils have been subject to extreme harvest fluctuations and we have seen availability of supply decrease to record lows. The poor yield from the most recent harvest has meant that Merchant Gourmet are currently unable to meet the increasing demand of our much loved, bestselling Simply Cooked Puy Lentil pouch.

Despite these supply issues, we have been working hard to ensure that Puy Lentils are available to UK shoppers. Therefore we have decided to update the Simply Cooked Puy Lentil pouch recipe to include French green lentils, which means a reduction in Puy content. Puy lentils are actually a type of green lentil, and French green lentils are often grown near to the Puy region, but are not subject to the same restrictions on farming processes, so are not as exposed to climate change risk or supply issues. This also means the two varieties are closely matched in colour, taste, size and texture.

This small ingredient change is the best solution we have found to ensure that Simply Cooked Puy Lentils are continually stocked on UK supermarket shelves all year around.

It has been widely reported that the sunflower oil supply chain has been affected by the conflict in Ukraine. We would like to make our customers aware that we may substitute sunflower oil with alternative oils such as rapeseed oil in some of our products. This will not impact the quality or taste of any of our products but if you would like to receive further details on the products impacted, please feel free to contact us.

As I’m sure you are aware, there has been an unprecedented rise in food prices and inflation over the past 18 months which have been caused by a number of factors including poor harvests and crop shortages.

Our Puy Lentils are a specialist lentil grown in a designated region in Puy-en-Velay in France - where we unfortunately cannot always protect the quantity harvested at the end of the season. We also work directly with the co-operative who ensure the farmers receive a fair price for their harvest to ensure that they will keep planting Puy Lentils and continue the long history of this treasured crop. 

We are always hopeful that we can increase the harvest, however on this occasion we’ve had to make some difficult decisions to keep our much-loved Puy Lentils on the shelves. We have reduced the pack weight to 300g in order to keep the price point accessible to the majority of our customers.

You can find our pouches of grains and lentils in all major supermarkets. See a full list of stockists here.

We'd love to hear from you. Please send us an email at mgsales@merchant-gourmet.com and someone from our sales team will get back to you.

You can enter a promo code on the checkout page. The price will be updated when you click apply.

Unfortunately not. You can only redeem one promo code at a time.

Sorry for the delay. Our team are working hard to get your order to you as fast as possible. You will receive a tracking link once your order is out for delivery. Alternatively, please email hello@merchant-gourmet.com and we will get back to you within 24 hours.

We're really sorry to hear that. Please send an email to hello@merchant-gourmet.com and we will do our best to make it up to you.

Sometimes our boxes can get damaged in transit. Please send us an email on hello@merchant-gourmet.com, with your order number and we will try our best to help. Please be sure to include a photo of the damage if you have one.

I'm afraid we only deliver within the UK at the moment. We hope one day we will be able to find Merchant Gourmet internationally!

Standard delivery costs £2.99. We offer free delivery for all orders over £30.

We don’t accept returns. If, however, you have a problem or are unsatisfied with your order in any way, please send an email to hello@merchant-gourmet.com and we will be happy to help. You can read more about our returns policy here.

Orders are picked and packed shortly after they are placed so we cannot change or cancel orders. Please read more here.

Please allow 3-5 working days from dispatch for your order to arrive. All orders placed after 12pm Friday will not be processed until Monday.

2022 was a year unlike any other, with inflation rising at an unpredictable rate. Like many businesses, this has meant we are facing ongoing rising costs across our supply chain which has ultimately, impacted the cost of goods of our products. 

We are committed to limiting the increased costs to our consumers where we can. However, with the cost of fuel in the UK increasing by 40% vs previous years, we have been left with no choice but to increase our delivery costs. 

When shopping our products you will be given the option to subscribe to regular deliveries. You can choose to receive deliveries every 7, 14, 30, 60 or 90 days. You can amend, pause or cancel your subscription as often as you like.

Simply log into your account by clicking the button in the top corner of our site. If you haven't created an account with us, you can register using this button.

Simply log into your account and click manage subscriptions. Here you will be able to change your delivery schedule, add or remove products, and pause or cancel your deliveries.

Log into your account and go to your billing information. Here you can add a new payment method.

Of course. Simply log into your account and click on manage subscriptions. Select the edit button next to your delivery address.

There is no minimum duration required for subscriptions. No strings attached, cancel anytime.

We do not advise reheating this product once cooked.

This product can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours once cooked, however we do not advise reheating.

Our frozen pouches do not use any gluten containing ingredients, therefore it is safe for gluten intolerant / coeliac consumers to eat. We do not declare a gluten free claim on this product because you would not expect gluten to be present and we do not conduct any finished product testing to support this claim.

Our frozen pouches can be recycled with bags found at front of store at large supermarkets, however they are not recycle ready at home.

You do not need to defrost our frozen Veg & Grains before cooking. For best results, put 1/2 the pack in a frying pan with a splash of water on a medium heat for 7 minutes. Alternatively, put 1/2 the pack in a microwaveable container and heat for 4 minutes on 900W.

We do not recommend cooking our frozen Veg & Grains in the oven. For best results, cook in the microwave or pan-fry.