Do you have a question? Check out the FAQ page where you can find information about our products, return policy, shipping information, etc.

Products:

How do I store caviar and what is its shelf-life?

The temperature labeled on the jars is meant for commercial coolers.

Caviar in tins and jars: Caviar in tins and jars is not a “canned” product, but rather a refrigerated one. While canned products are cooked at high pressure and temperature for long time in order to kill all bacteria, refrigerated caviar is never heat treated. Our caviar is cured with salt, and sorbic acid is added to protect freshness, however, storage at proper refrigerated temperatures is necessary. In your kitchen refrigerator, we recommend you store tins and jars of caviar in the coldest section, such as the meat drawer. The temperature should be between 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 4.4 ° C). It is best not to freeze the caviar in tins and jar unless you are anticipating storing it over 6 months. Most of our cans and tins can theoretically be stored for up to 18 months, if kept at 32 degrees, however it is not recommended. If temperatures are warmer, then the shelf life will decrease.

Premium Sturgeon Caviar: This caviar has no preservatives, so we recommend you consume the product within two weeks. Premium sturgeon caviar can be stored in refrigeration for up to 2 months from the date of production if the fridge temperature is at, or below 32-34 degrees. You can also freeze the caviar as the quality degradation is negligible.

Frozen Caviar: If kept at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (–18 ° C), then it will last for 24 months from the date of production. If it is kept in commercial freezers then it can last an additional 5 months. If you are not planning to eat it all at once, load it into a mason jar all the way to the brim, not leaving any air space, close the lid tightly and re-freeze. We do not recommend breaking or cutting frozen caviar as it will break the grains and cause it to be runny. Please keep in mind frozen red caviar has no preservatives added to it, hence it has a significantly shorter shelf life once thawed. If thawed, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 days at temperatures between 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 4.4 ° C). As a general rule, thawed caviar is recommended to be consumed within 10 days, however, it depends on how much bacteria is introduced to it (bread crumbs, specs of butter, etc.).

Is caviar the same thing as roe?

Roe develops in ovarian sacks of female fish. When fish roe is harvest in ovarian sacks, it’s usually referred to as “roe in skeins” or “green roe.” There are several popular ways to prepare fish roe including roe salted in ovarian sacks, salted roe, dry roe, roe cured in sauces and spices etc. However, not all fish eggs that have been separated from skeins and cured with salt have the merit to be referred to as “caviar.” It is safe to say that in the world of processed fish roe, first place undoubtedly belongs to sturgeon caviar. Its one-of a-kind qualities drive the demand for this precious product. Cured sturgeon roe is the original caviar.

What does “malossol” mean?

Literally translated from Russian, it means “little salt.” When referring to caviar, it is the traditional, low-salt curing process for sturgeon roe. With a salinity of around 4%, the caviar is preserved with salt while maintaining its delicate flavor. Malossol was originally the style of curing only for premium sturgeon caviar, however, the process is now widely used for most sturgeon caviar.

I tried a new type of red caviar but it is much saltier than what I previously ordered. Why is that?

The maturity and grain size of the caviar has a direct impact on its final salinity.  Salt is the most ancient, tried-and-true way to preserve food. We have to keep the salinity of our caviar up to a certain percentage and own sophisticated equipment that checks moisture and the salt content of caviar grains. Each batch of caviar is checked thoroughly to ensure the salinity is within the appropriate range; not too low so that the caviar is successfully preserved, but not too high to deter from its taste. Caviar in jars and tins will be slightly more salty than frozen caviar.

My caviar arrived as expected, but all of the ice packs melted. Is it spoiled?

We ship all of our refrigerated products with enough ice packs to last the duration it takes for the package to get to your home. The gel packs are designed to be melted by the time you open your package and are ready to put your caviar into the refrigerator.

We ship frozen caviar with 2-day shipping, packed with dry ice, which is lower in temperature than the gel packs. By the time the frozen caviar arrives at your door, the dry ice will sublimate. This means the dry ice did its job during the shipping process. If the dry ice is still intact, do not handle it with bare hands.

My frozen caviar arrived partially thawed. Is it ok to consume?

With frozen products we utilize 2-day shipping with dry ice to ensure the integrity of the product is not jeopardized while in a route. Yes, as long the product remains partially frozen it is safe to consume. If you would like to eat it right away, put it into the refrigerator and let it thaw out completely. If you would like to store it for later, place it in the freezer.

Does the appearance of caviar correlate to its nutritional value?

It is almost the opposite; the runnier, softer shelled immature caviar contains more nutrients than the picture-perfect firm, round shaped grains. When caviar is mature it contains more polyunsaturated fats. When a fish is nearly ready to spawn, it has poorer nutritional value.

Is your caviar from wild or farmed fish? Which is better?

All of our red caviar is from wild Pacific Salmon, which is on the sustainable species list. Our caviar is not only delicious, it comes from a sustainable fish source, not harming the fish population. Since sturgeon is an endangered species, most of our black caviar comes from a farmed source; however, we chose farms which keep fish in a natural-like environment, not in tanks with circulated water. We also offer wild Hackleback sturgeon caviar. Hackleback is an indigenous, American, not endangered species.

Why should I buy caviar from you instead of my local store?

We keep our inventory of caviar year-round, and do not buy small batch from other wholesalers. Since we specialize in caviar, we have industrial-grade refrigerators and freezers to preserve its freshness. The official salmon caviar season begins in July and lasts until September, with the first batch available to customers in August. If your local store promises you this season’s caviar prior to August, then you are either not getting the truth or you are getting illegal caviar.

Orders and Returns:

How do I check on the status of my order?

To check the status of your order please select “Track your order” at the top of the page. Input the order ID and the email address associated with the order. The status of your order will appear as well as the tracking information if the package has shipped already.

Why can’t I buy a single jar of chilled salmon caviar?

We have a minimum purchase of $60 due to the high cost of our shipping and handling. The shipping rate charged to the customer only partially covers our shipping costs. In addition, we use specialized packaging and gel ice, required for these perishable products to stay safe. It would not be beneficial to us to send you products that are worth less than the price of shipping and handling fees.

Why didn’t I receive a confirmation email, yet I see the charges went through on my credit card?

Paypal: If you purchased through a PayPal transaction and have any questions about the charge, please give us a call at 1-888-407-0127.

Credit and debit cards: We do not accept American Express cards, however, if you paid with a Visa or MasterCard your order may have been placed and it may be a bank (authorization) hold you are seeing rather than the actual charge for your order. This means that we did not receive payment for your order yet. Please note that if the card is declined, your order will not be placed.

Do you take checks? How about money orders?

We do not take personal checks as a form of payment. You will not be able to place an order online using a money order as payment, however, you can call us at 1-888-407-0127 and we can place the order for you. This order will be held (not shipped) until we receive the money order.

One or more of the products are damaged. Can I get my money back?

We are sorry to hear that you received a damaged product. Although we try our best to bundle our products with packaging material to avoid damage, there are rare cases when something goes wrong while in transit. If caviar leaked out, please give us a call or email us with a photo and we will refund your credit card. If a metal can is dented, we are unable to give you a refund as the product is still intact. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us.

I do not care for the taste of the product. Can I return it?

If you are unsatisfied with the products, please contact us within the first three business days of receiving your package and we will work to correct the problem.

I want to place an order however I am waiting for a sale or promotion. When do you offer discounts?

We employ a pricing model which helps you save more when you buy more. When your order is $200 or more, you will receive 8% off your order (excluding shipping costs) and when your order $300 or more you receive 10% off your order (excludes shipping costs).

We will have occasional promotions and sales. Make sure to Like our Facebook page to have the latest information on upcoming promotions.

My order is a gift. Can you include a gift message?

At this time we do not have a gift message or gift invoice available on our site when placing your order. If you give us a call, we will do our best to accommodate your gift message request. Please be ready to provide your order number.

Shipping and deliveries:

Where is my order shipped from?

We ship from our wholesale storage in Bellevue, Washington.

Where do you deliver to?

We currently ship within the US. We are unable to ship to US territories, Canada or any other international destination.

Which days do you ship and what kinds of shipping/delivery options do you offer?

Depending on the products placed into the shopping cart and where you are shipping to, you will be presented with shipping options and their associated fees. You can always upgrade to faster shipping, but you cannot select slower shipping. Some of our restrictions are as follows:

Premium Sturgeon Caviar: We require overnight, next-day delivery if you have any premium sturgeon caviar in your order.

Frozen Caviar: We require 2-day shipping or faster if you have any frozen products in your order.

To mitigate the risk of the goods arriving late and spoiling, we ship out third-day shipping items on Mondays and Tuesdays only so they arrive prior to the weekend. If you would like to know when you order will be shipped, please contact us.

Why did my shipping type change?

When you add frozen caviar to your shopping cart, we have to shorten the delivery time to 2-day shipping or faster to ensure the dry ice keeps you caviar mostly frozen during its delivery.

When you add Premium Quality Sturgeon caviar to your cart, the delivery for the entire order has to be changed to Next Day as this product doesn’t have any preservatives added to it. For this reason, it is crucial that it spends as little time as possible in transit. Although frozen gel packs will hold proper temperature for 48 hours, we don’t want to take unnecessary risks and choose to ship it Next Day Air only.

I received my tracking number in an email, however, when I click on the link to track it, no information appears. What happened?

As soon as we have prepared the shipping label for your package you will receive an automated email with the tracking number. The tracking information will not, however, be populated until UPS picks up the package later in the day. Please try the link again after 5pm PST.

Can I ask for a specific delivery date to ensure I am home?

We can usually work to accommodate a date but not a specific time. Packages are usually delivered in the second half of the day, but we cannot guarantee what time UPS will arrive on a given day.

Can you call my phone or ring the doorbell when my package is being delivered?

We use UPS for our deliveries. We do not have a way to make special requests such as calling a certain phone number upon arrival. You can contact UPS and request special delivery instructions, but we cannot guarantee that UPS will acquiesce.

Do I need to be home to receive the package?

You are not required to be home, and the delivery does not require a signature. However UPS will leave the package on your doorstep or wherever you usually receive deliveries. As soon as the package is delivered, it is the responsibility of the recipient for care and proper storage. Aside from the possibility of theft, we recommend someone be home to immediately place the chilled caviar into the refrigerator and frozen items into the freezer.

Can I get free shipping if I order a certain amount?

If you order over $120 in chilled caviar (excludes premium sturgeon caviar) and no other products which require faster shipping, you will receive free third-day shipping.

What kind of discounts and deals do you offer?

• If your purchase subtotal is between $200, but less than $300, you will receive an 8% discount on the products.
• If your purchase subtotal is greater than $300, you will receive a 10% discount on the products.
• If you are ordering over $120 worth of chilled caviar (no other items in order), then you will receive FREE Third Day shipping.

 

If your question is not answered here, please contact us.