Status
With situations changing dynamically, we'll be keeping this page up to date with relevant information regarding COVID-19.
Are you shipping products?
Yes.
Is buying online safe?
We rely on the advice and guidance of health officials and our partners for the most current information. Here are some resources about Coronavirus and shipping:
“Yes, it’s safe to order food,” said Dr. Jeff Kwong, a scientist at Public Health Ontario and associate director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto."
https://globalnews.ca/news/6683446/coronavirus-food-delivery/
"Is it safe to handle a package from an area where the virus has been reported? Per WHO, yes, it is safe. The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperatures is also low."
https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/coronavirus.html
"Is it safe to receive a package from a novel Coronavirus-affected area? The World Health Organization (WHO) and Public health Agency of Canada (PHAC) have stated that the likelihood of novel Coronavirus contaminating cardboard or other shipping containers is low."
https://www.ups.com/ca/en/about/news/important-updates.page?
"If you have general concerns about the safety of the mail, we would like to assure you that the World Health Organization continues to state that mail and packages are safe to handle, including those from incoming countries."
Are there processing delays?
Yes, we're experiencing an average processing delay of 1 business day (on top of the standard 1 business day processing time), due to higher than usual order volumes and staff shortages.
The majority of orders are being shipped within 2 business days.
Coffees are still being roasted within 1 day of being shipped.
Are there shipping delays?
Couriers are experiencing much higher than usual shipping volumes due to additional online ordering while people self-isolate.
As of 2020/05/25:
- all couriers are experiencing delays all across the country for all customers
- you might be frustrated with UPS, CanadaPost, FedEx or Canpar, but they're all experiencing exactly the same issue
- in some locations this is 1 day, in some locations this is 10 days - there is no list of delays by region
- the tracking systems at all couriers are displaying incorrect delivery estimates and package locations
- if you've contacted us about your package, be aware that we have no specific information on your package and can not trace it for you
The delivery people are under tremendous stress levels, dealing with higher-than-Christmas shipping volumes and exposing themselves to the Coronavirus daily, during the course of deliveries. Sympathy is an appropriate response to this situation, not anger.
We thank everyone for their patience and understanding at this time.
All couriers have stated that:
- they will not provide signature required services
- there are no longer delivery date guarantees, regardless of service level
- there's only one person in Canada who can mandate specific customers/segments get priority: Justin Trudeau
This means that your order may experience delays and that there is no compensation for delays. The "proof of delivery" for all shipments is now the couriers' statement that a package was delivered, and there won't be disputes about this.
As such, we've changed our "Shipping Time" to "Shipping Est.".
Is your coffee going to be stale?
Nope! Volumes have remained constant thanks to a shift to ordering online.
As always, your order is fresh roasted after you've placed it, and this won't be changing.
Is pricing changing?
There has been a lot of volatility in the coffee market, and prices are fluctuating a lot. We are not inexperienced when it comes to this, and have always smoothed out this volatility with our 50+ years of buying experience.
We don't believe there is going to be any impact on pricing due to the Coronavirus.
The USD dollar has appreciated significantly relative to CAD in recent months, and this may affect prices over time as normal.
There's no way for us to know this ahead of time.
What's the long term availability of product X?
We have had some communications from our suppliers that shipments may be delayed or shorted due to "stay at home" directives in some states, especially California.
We don't currently know which products will be shorted or delayed. Items currently in stock online are in our warehouse as of last check (every 24 hours).
If you need a specific product, we would recommend ordering a little more than usual to ensure continued availability.
Is there a risk of infection through coffee?
We adhere to all CFIA guidelines and are regularly inspected, and are following all Government regulations as well as Health Canada best practices.
Coffees are roasted at temperatures over 300 degrees, which is far above the current threshold for organic matter. We currently believe there is no risk of transmission through coffee.
We have instituted a "Health Unit" and all staff have been told to remain at home for a 14-day isolation at the first sign of illness, if there's any contact with someone who is ill, or if they have traveled recently.