518 Kitchen Shipping Updates // COVID-19

To our valued customers-

We are fully open for business. 

In this rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, we don’t know what requirements will be in the near future. If the mandates in Clinton County and New York State stand, we will remain open through this period of uncertainty. As an essential business providing food services, we are open. Our food services are to remain open for delivery to you, our valued customers. This also assumes logistical services like the ones delivering our fresh ingredients and FedEx remain operational as well. We do not anticipate any interruptions with FedEx.

The nation’s food supply chain is critical, and we are all an important part of it.  Our production kitchen is and remains under USDA and FDA inspection. We operate under strict food safety guidelines and have stringent GMP’s (Good manufacturing practices), SSOP’s (Sanitation standard operating procedures), and Food Safety Plan (Hazard, analysis, of critical control points).  We have gone further and enhanced and increased our already rigorous procedures. We remain vigilant in our efforts to keep our staff, and associates healthy.

Should anything change, we will notify you all as soon as possible.

As mandates, guidance, and advice changes daily regarding COVID-19, we are largely in an anticipatory mode, just like everyone else.

If we find we are unable to fulfill orders at any time, we will cancel and refund any outstanding orders or offer credit for future orders, at your preference.

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING SHIPPING

Due to increased demand, we remind customers to allow extra time for our hardworking staff to fulfill orders. Customizable boxes are still available at this time. While we do not require shipping cut-offs, we request your understanding that we are getting your order to you as quickly and efficiently as we possibly can.

POSSIBLE SHIPPING CHANGES & DELAYS
Once our boxes leave our facility, the shipment timing is in the hands of FedEx. We currently ship Overnight nationwide, and shipments arrive in 1 to 2 days without issue. At this time, we have no reason to believe FedEx will not honor Overnight shipping.

Due to increased demand at this time, there may be delays in delivery timing that are out of our control.
This may result in one of the following scenarios:

1. Meals that arrive cold, not frozen, with no Dry Ice.
   While not abnormal, deliveries arriving with no dry ice and meals that are partially frozen, and or cold to the touch may be more common during this time. Please do not panic- Our boxes are packed with sufficient Dry Ice and because we ship to arrive within 2 days, most boxes will arrive in perfect condition. Dry Ice evaporates throughout the shipping process; it is common for orders to arrive with little or no remaining Dry Ice. If your meals are thawed or partially thawed, they are perfectly safe to re-freeze until you choose to enjoy them.
2. Meals that arrived thawed, not cold or room temperature. 
   If your box arrives with meals that are room-temperature/ melted/ warm to the touch, due to a shipping exception or error please email info@518kitchen.com. These meals are not safe to eat, and we will take care of these issues in a timely manner and on a case to case basis as needed. 
3. A box that doesn’t arrive by 8pm local time on Friday. 
   If this is the case and it is after 8pm local time, please email info@518kitchen.com and we will take care of these issues individually, as needed.

PACKAGING + DELIVERY
As a reminder, the packing materials, box, and meals are safe to touch.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "it is safe to handle a package, even if it comes from a place where the virus has been reported." To ensure the safest delivery of products, we recommend allowing the driver to drop the package on your doorstep if possible. Avoiding the contact of a hand-off is encouraged, and our packages do not require a signature for release.

Further, the FDA has stated that there have been no reports that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted through food or food packaging. In general, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures.

For the safest possible exchange, remove the contents of the box and inner cooler, and leave packing materials outside, in your garage, or recycling area, then wash your hands thoroughly.

Due to recent supply chain interruptions we have temporarily transitioned to alternative shipping coolers. While this is temporary, we ask customers who receive their order in such a cooler (white + styrofoam cooler) to note that the internal styrofoam cooler is not curbside recyclable. We thank our customers for their understanding during this short transition while we await our standard recyclable coolers and liners to become available.

At 518 Kitchen we continue to monitor reports and advice from the CDC and take guidance from the State of New York. If we need to pause operations, our staff and customers will be informed of any changes to our schedule or service immediately. 

We will continue to stay open and operational for as long as our location in Plattsburgh, NY allows.

As always, we are beyond grateful for the opportunity to help fulfill the needs of the Keto & Low Carb communities, their families, and everyone in between. Please stay safe and healthy in these times. Please do not hesitate to reach out - respond directly to this email with any questions you may have.