Q: When will my order be shipped?

When and from where do we ship your order? We ship orders around mid-morning Monday to Friday, excluding US public holidays. All orders are shipped from Salt Lake City, Utah, via USPS or FedEx. If we received your order after 8am Mountain Time (Utah) then it is most likely your order will ship the next business day. In the event that your order is very time sensitive please contact us directly to discuss options for fastracking delivery. Under what circumstances might there be a delay? There are some cases which may result in a delay, such as the following: We need to validate import requirements for food in your country. There is hot weather on route or at the destination and delaying by a few days means we can ship when the weather is predicted to cool. If this is the case we will get in touch to let you know your options. There is an issue with your address (i.e. the courier systems we use do not accept it). There is a stock issue with an item you ordered. If there is going to be a delay to your order we do our best to advise you if there is going to be a delay. You can contact us via one of the following channels if you have a question about your delivery Phone (USA): +1 (862) 505-2811 Phone (Ecuador): +593 23227520 SMS/WhatsApp: +1 (805) 600-8625 Email: hello@toakchocolate.com

Q: What should I do if one of more of the items I ordered was missing when it was delivered?

First of all, we apologize if this happens . This is a problem, and we’re going to fix it. Please contact us via one of the following channels: Phone,SMS, WhatsApp : +1 (805) 600-8625 Phone (Ecuador) : +593 23227520 Email : hello@toakchocolate.com Include your name, phone number, order confirmation number. It is important that you also attach a photo of the package and its contents so that we can learn what went wrong. We will then contact you directly to advise a resolution. Please note we offer complimentary worldwide shipping insurance for lost, stolen or damaged orders. To learn more and file a claim click here . More Questions? Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Q: Do you have a media kit? Can I request samples or an interview?

Media Kit and Press Releases Yes, we have a media kit with high resolution photos, press releases, and other product related information. Please submit some basic information here to receive the access details. Request access to To'ak Chocolate Media Kit Request an Interview We would be pleased to provide a phone or video interview for your article/publication. Please request an interview and we will get in touch shortly. Request an Interview Do you Provide Samples to the Media? Sometimes we do, yes. Please contact us through one of the forms above and let us know who you write for, what type of story you’re working on, and how we can help you.

Q: What is terroir-driven chocolate & why do you release different harvest years?

Terroir The very finest of wines, be they from Bordeaux or Napa or Tokaj, allow us the privilege of tasting the valley in which the grape was grown. To’ak’s Harvest editions offer connoisseurs of dark chocolate this same opportunity—to taste not only the land, but also the characteristics of the particular year in which it was harvested. Similar to viticulturists in Burgundy and Bordeaux, cacao growers in Piedra de Plata practice “dry farming,” as it is known in the wine world. In other words, they do not irrigate their cacao. As a consequence, our harvest is especially expressive of terroir and varies each year according to weather fluctuations. Embracing these idiosyncrasies of land and weather, and likewise engaging their consequences during various phases of the production process, is the art and challenge of tree-to-bar chocolate-making. Further Reading The Main Steps in the Production of To'ak Chocolate The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao More Questions? Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 1

Can I store my chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer?

Accepted Answer

We recommend that you NEVER store dark chocolate in a freezer

If you live in a home where the indoor temperature doesn’t exceed 24° C (75° F), it’s best to simply store your chocolate at room temperature, in a dry place that is protected from sunlight and other strong odors. For example, in a cupboard.

If you live in a hot place and don’t have air conditioning, you can store your chocolate in a refrigerator or a wine cooler; in this case, we advise you to first put the chocolate in a ziplock bag, to protect it from moisture.

Follow this link for more detailed storage instructions here.

The difference in brief

Our Harvest editions are harvested from a specific appellation during a specific year (similar to wine), with the objective to highlight the unique flavor and aroma characteristics that are created by the unique soil and climate conditions of that particular harvest (i.e., “terroir”).

Our Aged editions are Harvest editions that have been aged in some kind of aromatic vessel (eg, casks that formerly stored wine or spirits, or Ecuadorian wood vessels) or have been aged in the same container as some other aromatic material (eg, Kampot pepper or Palo Santo wood).

A little more detail on the differences

Our Harvest editions express the unique climatic and growing conditions of each particular harvest year. It's quite amazing to taste totally different chocolate made from cacao that is harvested from exactly the same trees each year. What we can taste are the unique changes in sunshine, rainfall, and factors such as soil nutrients that evolve over time. In the world of wine this is referred to as terroir. We consider our Harvest editions to be terroir-driven expressions of dark chocolate.

Our Aged editions, make up our most innovative collection, where we attempt to push the boundaries of what is possible with chocolate flavor development. The concept was born out of our admiration for whisky and wine production techniques. Approximately 70% of the aroma and flavour in a whisky comes from the cask that it is aged in. Our Aged editions demonstrate the flavour progression of chocolate over time and how this can be enhanced with extractable aromas from barrels and other mediums. We developed this technique with some assistance from the oenology team at Washington State University. Their team predict that we can age our chocolate (thanks to the antioxidants, tanins and lack of perishable ingredients) for upwards of 20 years. You can read more on this blog article about our aging program.

Review our FAQ on How and why do you age your chocolate?

In summary, the main differences are as follows. Our Harvest editions are bold, terrior-driven, expressions of the valley where we harvest our cacao and they are emblematic of the very special Ecuadorian Nacional cacao variety. They are typically highly complex in aroma and flavour.

Overnight

For orders within the USA only, we are able to offer FedEx Overnight express courier service for $30. Cut off time is 8am Mountain Time but if you miss this by a small window please give us a call or send us a message and sometimes we can still dispatch the same day.

Specific arrival date?

If you would like your package to be delivered on/after a specific date please advise us in the "Special Instructions" box during checkout.

USA Orders Only

During the summer months (typically Jun-Sep), most orders will ship from Monday through Wednesday so that they arrive before the weekend. This makes it easier for us to keep your chocolate cool during transit.

The cut-off time for same day shipping is 8am Mountain Time. Therefore, orders received after 8am Wednesday (Mountain Time) will be held for shipping on the following Monday unless otherwise requested by email or phone.

If you need to rush your shipment, regardless of temperature, please write to us at hello@toakchocolate and we will do our best to get the shipment out that same day.

What day will my order ship?

Orders received on Monday and Tuesday will ship the next business day.
Orders received during the rest of the week will be shipped on Monday.

All orders are shipped with ice packs during summer months or when the transit or final destination is warm.

Rest of the world (excluding Ecuador)

All orders are dispatched as per our normal shipping policy.

Ecuador

Orders for Ecuador can be collected from our office in Quito (please contact us) or we deliver to major cities in Ecuador with Servientrega (free of charge).

Sipping Insurance

All online orders (excluding Ecuador) receive complimentary shipping insurance with Route.com. Read the details here.

More Questions?

Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 10

What are your Terms of Service?

Accepted Answer

OVERVIEW

This website is operated by To'ak Chocolate. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to To'ak Chocolate. To'ak Chocolate offers this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here.

By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (“Terms of Service”, “Terms”), including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink. These Terms of Service apply to all users of the site, including without limitation users who are browsers, vendors, customers, merchants, and/ or contributors of content.

Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing or using our website. By accessing or using any part of the site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the website or use any services. If these Terms of Service are considered an offer, acceptance is expressly limited to these Terms of Service.

Any new features or tools which are added to the current store shall also be subject to the Terms of Service. You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time on this page. We reserve the right to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and/or changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the website following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.

SECTION 1 - ONLINE STORE TERMS

By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state or province of residence, or that you are the age of majority in your state or province of residence and you have given us your consent to allow any of your minor dependents to use this site.

SECTION 2 - GENERAL CONDITIONS

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.

SECTION 3 - ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION

We are not responsible if information made available on this site is not accurate, complete or current. The material on this site is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as the sole basis for making decisions without consulting primary, more accurate, more complete or more timely sources of information. Any reliance on the material on this site is at your own risk.

SECTION 4 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE SERVICE AND PRICES

Prices for our products are subject to change without notice.

**SECTION 5 - PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (if applicable) **

Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy.

SECTION 6 - ACCURACY OF BILLING AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION

We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same credit card, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e‑mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers or distributors.

You agree to provide current, complete and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made at our store. You agree to promptly update your account and other information, including your email address and credit card numbers and expiration dates, so that we can complete your transactions and contact you as needed.

For more detail, please review our Returns Policy.

SECTION 7 - OPTIONAL TOOLS

We may provide you with access to third-party tools over which we neither monitor nor have any control nor input.

**SECTION 8 - THIRD-PARTY LINKS **

Certain content, products and services available via our Service may include materials from third-parties.

SECTION 9 - USER COMMENTS, FEEDBACK AND OTHER SUBMISSIONS

If, at our request, you send certain specific submissions or without a request from us you send creative ideas, suggestions, proposals, plans, or other materials, whether online, by email, by postal mail, or otherwise (collectively, 'comments'), you agree that we may, at any time, without restriction, edit, copy, publish, distribute, translate and otherwise use in any medium any comments that you forward to us. We are and shall be under no obligation (1) to maintain any comments in confidence; (2) to pay compensation for any comments; or (3) to respond to any comments.

SECTION 10 - PERSONAL INFORMATION

Your submission of personal information through the store is governed by our Privacy Policy. To view our Privacy Policy.

SECTION 11 - ERRORS, INACCURACIES AND OMISSIONS

Occasionally there may be information on our site or in the Service that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may relate to product descriptions, pricing, promotions, offers, product shipping charges, transit times and availability. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, and to change or update information or cancel orders if any information in the Service or on any related website is inaccurate at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order).

SECTION 12 - PROHIBITED USES

In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in the Terms of Service, you are prohibited from using the site or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, age, national origin, or disability; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be used in any way that will affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other websites, or the Internet; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; or (k) to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Service or any related website, other websites, or the Internet. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Service or any related website for violating any of the prohibited uses.

SECTION 13 - DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.

SECTION 14 - INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless To'ak Chocolate and our parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, officers, directors, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, subcontractors, suppliers, interns and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third-party due to or arising out of your breach of these Terms of Service or the documents they incorporate by reference, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third-party.

SECTION 15 - SEVERABILITY

In the event that any provision of these Terms of Service is determined to be unlawful, void or unenforceable, such provision shall nonetheless be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and the unenforceable portion shall be deemed to be severed from these Terms of Service, such determination shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other remaining provisions.

SECTION 16 - TERMINATION

The obligations and liabilities of the parties incurred prior to the termination date shall survive the termination of this agreement for all purposes.

SECTION 17 - ENTIRE AGREEMENT

The failure of us to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of United States.

SECTION 19 - CHANGES TO TERMS OF SERVICE

You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time at this page.

SECTION 20 - CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions about the Terms of Service should be sent to us at hello@toakchocolate.com.

Can I store my chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer?

When will my order be shipped?

What should I do if one of more of the items I ordered was missing when it was delivered?

What is the difference between Harvest editions and Aged editions?

Do you have a media kit? Can I request samples or an interview?

Do you offer overnight shipping?

What is terroir-driven chocolate & why do you release different harvest years?

Indulgent Drinking Chocolate recipes

What is your Summer Shipping Policy (US Orders Only)

What are your Terms of Service?