As an e-commerce business, you may sell food products that you’d like to ship to customers around the world. Unlike most other product types, food shipments are subject to specific restrictions depending on the destination.


Canada

There are no strict restrictions on shipping food products domestically within Canada. However, the following conditions must be met:

  • Products must not require refrigeration

  • Items must not emit strong or unusual odours

  • Packaging must be durable and secure to withstand transit and prevent leaks or damage to other shipments

United States 

Shipments entering the U.S. are subject to regulations from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At this time, we are only able to support shipments containing the following food products:

  • Coffee beans (roasted or unroasted)

  • Tea leaves

Note: Roasting coffee beans in a different country is considered a substantial transformation for customs purposes.

HTS codes classified as coffee or tea are automatically accepted by our platform. HTS codes for all other food products are not eligible for U.S. postage.

To clear U.S. customs, the shipment must be sent to a consumer (not to another business) and is subject to an additional fee. You will see a charge titled FDA Prior Notice, which is $0.50 USD per unique HTS code classified as coffee or tea. 

*This fee is subject to change.

International (Outside of the U.S. and Canada)

Due to strict international food regulations, food products are not permitted to any other international destinations at this time.


Packaging & Reminders

When shipping food products, professional and secure packaging is essential. Informal packaging, such as using ziplock bags for coffee beans or tea leaves, will not be accepted by Chit Chats or by customs authorities (where applicable).

Products shipped to the United States must include nutritional information on the packaging. If this is not possible, the information must be clearly and easily accessible on your website.

Learn more about FDA regulated labeling here.