Considerations and requirements

  • Orders must meet a minimum of 400 lbs in order to qualify for freight shipping.
  • A maximum of 1,500 lbs is allowed per pallet. Orders exceeding this limit will require multiple pallets to fulfill which will affect available shipping rates.
  • Full bags of coffee (100-154 lbs) must be shipped via freight and do not qualify for UPS shipping options.
  • 50 lb boxes are fully eligible for freight shipping and can be mixed in on a pallet with full bags.

Volume discounts

Discount tiers

  • 4–9 Full Bags: Price per pound drops by $0.10
  • 10–29 Full Bags: Price per pound drops by $0.20
  • 30+ Full Bags: Price per pound drops by $0.35

Volume discounts are automatically applied to qualifying orders, and savings can be viewed in the cart. Discounts apply to full bags and not to our 50 lb boxes.

Processing times

Freight orders are generally shipped within 2–3 business days from the time they are placed.

Estimated pick up and delivery dates are provided to us by freight carriers. These dates are not guaranteed and are subject to delays.

PRO/Tracking numbers will be emailed to you once your order has been picked up from our warehouse.

Shipments may experience delays if further information/clarification regarding an order is needed. In such cases, we will contact you as soon as possible via the email address or phone number listed on your order.

Rates and payment

Freight charges will be passed on to the customer in the form of an invoice after the original order has been submitted.

Shipments are booked via reputable carriers who have proven to offer reliable, prompt, and affordable freight service.

Accessorials

  • Lift Gate: By default, we arrange Lift Gate for every freight delivery. This is a required freight accessorial for customers who don’t own or have access to a forklift. If this service isn’t required for your delivery, send us an email to let us know.
  • Limited Access Delivery: Freight going to Cafes/Restaurants, destinations with high foot traffic, or locations which are difficult for larger trucks to navigate will be assigned a Limited Access Delivery.
  • Inside Delivery, Scheduled Delivery, and/or Call Ahead: Customers can request that these or other additional freight accessorials be added to their shipment prior to booking. Send us an email as soon as your order has been placed to submit your request.

Arranging your own freight

If you would prefer to arrange your own freight shipping, please email us as soon as possible to let us know. We will supply you with our freight pick up hours and the dimensions/weight of your palleted order upon contact.

We will need the BOL (Bill of Lading) for your shipment prior to the established pick-up date.

Freight for domestic shipments must be arranged within 5 business days from the time the order is placed. Orders that have not shipped within this timeframe are subject to a storage fee of up to $200 per day or may be canceled.

Obligations on behalf of Sweet Maria’s have been fulfilled once orders leave our facility, and we cannot be held responsible for shipping costs or damage incurred during transit.

International freight

Customers located outside of the US are required to arrange their own freight for international orders.

It is important that you know your local import laws and communicate them to us right away.

International freight must be arranged within 10 business days from the time the order is placed. Orders that have not shipped within this timeframe are subject to a storage fee of up to $200 per day or may be canceled.

We would love to ship our items wherever they are wanted! Unfortunately we cannot send green coffee to countries that restrict or ban its importation. We are also limited on where we can send electrical appliances due to warranty and support issues.

Inspecting your delivery

Damaged or incomplete pallets aren't common occurences, but they happen from time to time. Here are some things you should know when receiving a freight shipment.

  • Prepare for the delivery. Make sure you have some time to dedicate towards receiving the shipment. You don't want to rush through the process or you'll risk overlooking important details. If someone else is receiving the shipment on your behalf, make sure they are prepared and understand the protocol.
  • Inspect each pallet thoroughly. Check high and low, and walk around each pallet to ensure you don't miss anything. Look for punctures in the plastic wrap that surrounds the pallet or in the coffee bags themselves. Count the number of coffee bags received, and compare that to the number of bags ordered.
  • Make note of any damage or loss on the Proof of Delivery (POD). This is a very important step and can be as simple as writing “Damage” on the slip provided by the driver.
  • Take detailed pictures if damage or loss is observed. It's important to show that your order arrived damaged or incomplete, so pictures should be taken prior to breaking down the pallets.
  • Do not sign the Proof of Delivery (POD) until you've gone through all aforementioned steps. Proper documentation of damage or loss is necessary when filing a relevant claim and seeking reimbursement from the freight carrier. It is your responsibility as the receiver of these goods to ensure all damage/loss is documented and recorded on the POD before signing and sending the driver on their way. Doing so will significantly increase the chances of a claim being decided in your favor. While we at Sweet Maria's will always assist customers with navigating the claims process, we are not financially responsible for damage or loss that occurs in transit.

Requesting changes

If you need to make a change to your order, please email us (info@coffeeshrub.com) as soon as possible. We begin preparing freight orders shortly after they are received regardless of whether or not payment is pending. Certain fees apply to order changes requested after a freight order has already been prepared.