Shipping Info & Policies

HERE’S A QUICK GUIDE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND OUR SHIPPING PRACTICES AND POLICIES.

NOTE: Some info in this video is now out of date, but it still gives you the gist of what it's like to receive cacao from us!

GENERAL SHIPPING INFO

(Last updated Nov 14, 2025)

We are thrilled to offer you more options for faster shipping than ever before! All online orders are currently shipping from northeastern Pennsylvania (PA).

On weekdays, shipping happens around 10am Eastern time/7am Pacific for any orders that were placed by 2am on that same date. That means that if a change or cancellation is needed, the customer is responsible for completing it before 2am. (Read how here)

Our domestic shipping options are below. (International shipping info further below.)

• USPS Ground Advantage (formerly called "First Class") - Includes tracking, but doesn't have a guaranteed delivery date. It can take 2-5 days (sometimes a little longer) depending on how far you are from PA. All orders of $125 or more are granted this type of shipping for free!
• USPS Priority Mail - This option takes 1-3 days to arrive depending on your zone (shown on the map below), with 3 days being the guaranteed maximum.
• UPS Ground - This takes 1-5 business days and can offer extra security (especially if you live in an apartment where packages are left in a mail room).
• UPS 3-Day Select - This is the guaranteed delivery in 3 days or less, along with the potential added security offered by other UPS methods.
• UPS 2nd Day Air - The fastest domestic shipping option we offer, arriving within 2 days of the shipment going out.

This map shows how many days it takes a USPS Priority Mail package to get to different places after the order is shipped from northeastern PA.

CHOOSING A SHIPPING OPTION

On the checkout page you will be shown shipping options based on what you're ordering, how much (size/weight), and also your destination.

NOTE: "Small package" might be a cardboard box, paperboard envelope (think: cereal box thickness), or plastic padded envelope, depending on the size and quantity of the product(s) you order.

U.S. orders of $125 or more automatically get free USPS Ground Advantage shipping! Most of our products are heavy, so shipping options tend to be expensive compared to other products of a similar size. For orders that qualify for free shipping, we automatically choose the most economical option while also taking into account the size and shape of the product(s) in your order.

If you want to guarantee that your order ships in a cardboard box (rather than a bubble mailer or envelope), then please instead choose and pay for a Medium or Large box option at checkout. If you want to ensure that your order arrives faster, then choose and pay for USPS Priority Mail or UPS 3-Day Select.

FREE LOCAL PICKUP

Due to the closing of our Ladd's Addition cacao studio, we are no longer able to offer local pickup of online orders.

We are attempting to find a local retail partner that can keep our products stocked for you to buy in person!

SHIPPING ERRORS, DAMAGES, AND MELTING

All domestic packages are fully insured for the order value case of loss or damage (e.g. a torn bag) during shipping, so you can purchase with confidence. We include instructions for what to do about damages on the packing slip. Basically, send us photos by email and hold onto everything until we provide further instructions.

If a month passes and you have not received your package, Contact Us and we can submit a claim for loss. Note that we can only file a claim for a lost package if 2 weeks have passed from the shipping date.

PLEASE NOTE:

• We are not responsible for mistakes in the shipping address submitted with orders. And we're not able to update the delivery address of a USPS package after we send it out. If a package gets returned to us, we can refund the order minus the original shipping cost. Then you’ll have the option to order again to a new address. 
• Melting due to high heat doesn't count as damage or qualify for insurance reimbursement. Check upcoming weather in both Portland, Oregon (where we are), and your location before ordering. If either one is over 90 degrees F, then there's a chance that some melting might occur. We do what we can to insulate your product using wrapping paper or shredded paper. We also put a sticker on packages asking postal workers to keep the package out of high heat and direct sunlight.. but there's no way for us to guarantee they'll honor the request. Melting doesn't actually harm the cacao. Just put it in a cool, dark place until it re-solidifies. Then you can chop and use it like normal. If you're concerned about melting, we recommend buying blocks of cacao (which don't melt as easily) or a single serving of drinking chocolate (which can easily be broken up to make a drink) – not larger bags of ground cacao or drinking chocolate.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

We do ship internationally at extra cost. This is automated in our online shop when you enter your destination country at checkout.

International shipping options:

• USPS Priority Mail International - This takes 6-10 days and is the simplest option for worldwide shipping.
• UPS Standard - Available for Canada and Mexico only, this takes 2-7 business days and can offer additional security over USPS options
• UPS Worldwide Expedited - This takes 2-5 days for global shipping.
• DHL Express Worldwide - This takes 1-3 days to most major cities worldwide.

There may be additional delays to due global events beyond our control.

Also please note that the “tracking number” provided by USPS does not always give progress updates for international shipments, other than to say if it has shipped and arrived.

We are not yet able to collect and prepay import duties or taxes that may be incurred for shipping items to your destination country (if you're outside the U.S.) Please research that before ordering so you can be prepared. We're working on a better solution and hope to offer that to you soon!

IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE READ OUR FAQ PAGE AND THEN CONTACT US IF NECESSARY!