Shipping policy

At Durca Chocolate, our premium cacao products are carefully crafted and shipped directly from our facilities in Ecuador. Because we are shipping delicate, perishable goods internationally, we have established the following shipping guidelines to ensure your chocolate arrives in exceptional condition.

1. Order Processing Times All orders are processed within 1 to 3 business days (excluding weekends and Ecuadorian national holidays) after receiving your order confirmation email. You will receive another notification when your order has shipped.

Special Note on Weekend Shipping: To protect the quality of our chocolate and prevent your package from sitting in a carrier’s transit warehouse over the weekend, orders placed on Thursday or Friday may be held and shipped the following Monday.

2. Shipping Origin and Transit Times All orders currently ship directly from our fulfillment center in Ecuador.

  • International Shipping Transit Time: 3 to 7 business days (after the 1-3 day processing period).

Please note that transit times are estimates provided by the carrier and are not guaranteed. High-volume seasons, holidays, and severe weather can occasionally cause carrier delays.

3. International Customs, Duties, and Taxes (Delivered Duty Paid) We believe enjoying premium Ecuadorian chocolate should be a seamless experience. That is why all international orders are shipped Delivered Duty Paid (DDP).

Durca Chocolate covers all customs fees, import duties, and local taxes associated with bringing our products into your country. The price you see at checkout is the final price you pay - there will be no surprise bills from customs or the shipping carrier upon delivery.

4. Temperature Control and Receiving Your Order Chocolate is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations. We carefully pack our orders to withstand standard transit times. However, to ensure your chocolate does not melt upon delivery:

  • Please monitor your tracking number closely.

  • Ensure someone is available to receive the package at the time of delivery, or have it shipped to a temperature-controlled location (such as a commercial office building).

  • Durca Chocolate is not liable for, and will not refund, chocolate that melts because it was left outside in the heat or direct sunlight after the carrier has marked it as "Delivered."

5. How Do I Check the Status of My Order? When your order has shipped, you will receive an email notification from us which will include a tracking number you can use to check its status. Please allow up to 48 hours for the tracking information to become active in the carrier's system.

If you haven’t received your shipping confirmation within 4 business days of placing your order, please contact us at hello@durcachocolate.com with your name and order number, and we will look into it for you.

6. Incorrect Shipping Addresses Customers are responsible for providing a secure, accurate, and complete shipping address at checkout. If an order is delayed, lost, or returned to us due to an incorrect or incomplete address provided by the customer, Durca Chocolate will not be responsible for replacement costs or refunds.

7. Lost or Stolen Packages Once the carrier marks a package as "Delivered" to the address provided at checkout, Durca Chocolate's liability for the shipment ends. We are not responsible for packages that are lost or stolen after delivery. If you believe your package was stolen, please contact the shipping carrier directly to file a claim.