Protect Your Order from the Heat

Please arrange delivery to an air-conditioned location, for example: your office, where your package can quickly be brought indoors immediately.  Someone must be present to receive the package otherwise, the shipping carrier will leave packages outdoors and your product will become damaged due to extreme temperatures.

Even if your area is not experiencing temperatures above 70 degrees, your order may be shipped from or travel through locations with higher temperatures so shipping via expedited options and with ice packs may still be necessary.

When it's 75ºF / 24ºC or higher outside, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of the chocolate from melting. Please choose one of three options below to improve the chances your order arrives in great shape.

Option I: UPS Next Day Air®.

Select UPS Next Day Air® at checkout when weather is 81ºF / 28ºC or above (includes expedited shipping, an insulated cold shipping envelope and cold pack).

Option II: Select UPS 2nd Air Day®.

Select UPS 2nd Air Day® at checkout when weather is between 77ºF - 80ºF / 25ºC - 27ºC (includes expedited shipping, an insulated cold shipping envelope and cold pack).

Option III: UPS 3 Day Select® or Standard Shipping UPS Ground®.

Every order is different. It's possible your particular order will be just fine with standard shipping. So you should ask yourself, how important is it that your chocolates arrive in perfect condition? Do you need them to look pretty for a party or a gift? Or do you figure it's all just going to end up in your stomach anyway, so who cares? If you are less concerned about everything being perfect or if you just want to save some money on shipping, you can always risk it!.

Shipping may be delayed to protect your chocolates.
If necessary, your order will be held in our temperature-controlled warehouse to avoid additional transit time over the weekend. If you need a delivery by a specific date, please add a note at checkout or contact us so we can ensure your order arrives in time.

Be home for delivery.
Choose a delivery address where someone will be available to accept the package so it doesn't sit outside in the heat. Tip: If the box feels warm, open immediately to expose your chocolates to cooler indoor air. If chocolate has softened at all, give it a chance to firm up again before handling further.

Follow these steps to protect your chocolates:

1. Check the weather forecast.
Look up the current 10-day forecast for your location and the temperature high at our Ricardo Bremer Chocolates warehouse today/tomorrow (zip code 11220). If it's hotter than 75ºF / 24ºC in either location, upgrading the shipping is recommended.

Keep in mind your package may travel through areas much hotter than either location, weather forecasts can change, packages can sit in warehouses, and delivery trucks may be 10° warmer or more than outside!

2. Determine how long your chocolates will travel.
Here are the estimated UPS business days in transit (excluding weekends and holidays) via standard shipping options, from our warehouse in Brooklyn, NY to your location:

  • Eastern US est. 1-2 days transit time

  • Midwest US est. 3-5 days transit time

  • Southern States est. 3-5 days transit time

  • Florida and South Georgia est. 3 days transit time

  • North and East Texas est. 3-5 days transit time

  • West and South Texas est. 4-5 days transit time

  • Mountain and Western States est. 4-6 days transit time

  • Alaska est. 4 days transit time

  • Hawaii est. 5 days transit time

  • APO 5 est. days or more transit time

These are estimates only... actual transit times will vary by each zip code, even within a state, and are not guaranteed by UPS.

3. Choose an appropriate shipping method at checkout.

  • Above 81ºF / 28ºC, UPS Next Day Air® delivery is recommended.

  • Between 80°, UPS 2nd Air Day® delivery is recommended.

  • At lower temps or to save money, 3 Day can be a good option.

Other warm weather considerations.

Chocolate is the most heat sensitive. Foil-wrapped chocolates and candy-coated chocolates are more sturdy and hold their shape better than other chocolate types. Chocolate covered items may crack and become a little greasy after exposure to heat. Other chocolates may get soft and lose their shape even if they don't completely liquify.

Note: Temperature fluctuations naturally cause chocolate to "bloom", where the cocoa butter separates resulting in changes in color and texture. Bloomed chocolate is still edible but may be less attractive. It often looks like it has a white coating, which is just the cocoa butter (and not mold!) click here for more information.

How much of the order is heat-sensitive?

Order Size: for example, a very small order may be more susceptible to the heat with its small mass, but it might not be worth it to take all the Warm Weather Shipping precautions. With a much bigger order you probably don't want to risk melting a large quantity of chocolate.