My order arrived damaged — what do I do?
Take photos of the outside of the box and the contents — within 4 hours of delivery for perishables (fresh or frozen), or 24 hours for non-perishables — and send them to our team.
Once we have those two pictures, we can move forward on a reshipment, partial refund, or carrier claim — whichever fits the situation best.
We need two photos, fast
The photo window is firm: 4 hours for perishables, 24 hours for non-perishables
UPS and FedEx both require timely visual evidence to honor a damage claim, and without it we may not be able to authorize a free reshipment. We need exactly two pictures: one of the outside of the box (showing crushing, tears, water damage, or a torn label) and one of the contents (broken jar, leaking sauce, smashed tortillas, ristra with chiles falling off, etc.).
Send the photos by text to 575-267-2067 or attach them to a message through our contact form. Either route works — pick whichever is easier. Please include your HATC- order number so we can pull the order up quickly.
Reshipment is the standard fix once we've reviewed the photos
For broken jars, smashed tortillas, crushed tins, and damaged ristras, our default is to reship the affected items at no cost as soon as we've reviewed your photos and confirmed the damage. We don't ask you to ship anything back — food doesn't travel well twice, and we'd rather you put the broken pieces straight in the trash.
A popped or broken seal counts as damage even when the jar itself is intact. If you open the box and the lid button is raised, the safety seal is broken, or the jar hisses when you twist it, photograph the lid up close along with the box exterior and send those in. Don't eat from a jar with a compromised seal — we'll reship it.
Reshipment timing follows the product's normal ship schedule: jars and powders ship Monday through Friday, frozen ships Tuesdays and Wednesdays, ristras and wreaths ship Tuesdays and Thursdays. We'll send tracking once the replacement is in the carrier's hands.
We don't promise a reshipment before the photos arrive. Verifying the damage is what lets us file with the carrier and authorize the replacement.
Perishable damage is tied to the original shipping method
If your fresh or frozen order arrived damaged and the box was shipped overnight or 2-Day Air, or if you added Shipping Protection at checkout, we'll reship at no charge. If perishables shipped ground without Shipping Protection, transit damage isn't covered under our policy, but we'll still review the photos and offer a partial refund or store credit as goodwill.
For all non-perishables (jars, powders, pods, nuts, ristras, wreaths), reshipment is straightforward regardless of shipping method.
Refunds are an option if you'd rather not wait
If you'd rather a refund than a replacement — or if the item is out of stock or the season has ended (fresh chile after mid-October, certain tamale varieties between batches) — we'll refund the damaged items to your original payment method. Refunds typically post 3–10 business days after we issue them, depending on your bank. See our returns and refunds policy for details.
When to reach out
Call 575-267-2067 (9 am–5 pm Mountain, Monday–Friday) or use our contact form. Have your HATC- order number ready and the two photos in hand. We pack carefully — every box is hand-checked before it leaves our distribution center — but transit damage happens. We'll make it right.
Frequently asked questions
One of the jars arrived broken — what now?
Take a photo of the broken jar inside the box and a second photo of the box exterior, then send both to 575-267-2067 by text or through the contact form within 24 hours of delivery. Include your HATC- order number and we'll reship the jar at no cost.
The shipping box was damaged — should I open it?
Yes — open it carefully and photograph both the outside of the box and whatever you find inside before unpacking further. Carrier claims need both views. If contents are intact, no action is needed; if anything is broken or leaking, send the photos and we'll handle the replacement.
My order arrived leaking — is that covered?
Leaking jars or sauces are covered when reported within 24 hours of delivery with photos of the box and contents. Send pictures to 575-267-2067 or through the contact form along with your order number, and we'll reship the affected items.
The tortillas arrived crushed — can I get replacements?
Yes. Take photos of the box and the crushed tortillas, send them within 24 hours, and we'll reship a fresh package on the next available ship day. You don't need to send the crushed ones back.
My ristra arrived with chiles broken off — what do you cover?
A few loose pods are normal in transit, but a ristra arriving structurally damaged (chiles falling off in clumps, broken twine, broken cap) is covered. Photos of the ristra in the box plus the box exterior, sent within 24 hours, get the reshipment moving.
The jar seal was broken — is the product still safe?
No — if the vacuum seal popped in transit, treat the jar as compromised and don't eat it. Send a photo of the jar (showing the popped seal) and a photo of the box exterior to 575-267-2067 (9 am–5 pm Mountain, Mon–Fri) within 24 hours of delivery, include your HATC- order number, and we'll reship the jar at no cost.
The sauce arrived leaking inside the box — what should I do?
Photograph the box exterior and the leaking sauce inside before cleaning anything up, then send both pictures to 575-267-2067 or through our contact form within 24 hours of delivery. Include your HATC- order number and we'll reship the affected jars.
My wreath arrived damaged — is that covered?
Yes. A wreath that arrives with the frame bent, chiles broken off in clumps, or the bow crushed is covered the same way as a damaged ristra. Send a photo of the wreath in the box plus the box exterior within 24 hours of delivery, and we'll reship on the next available ship day.
My perishable food arrived spoiled or thawed — is that handled here?
Damage to the box itself is covered on this page; spoilage or thaw on perishable food has its own process. See our spoiled or thawed perishable page for the photo requirements and reship rules specific to food-safety cases.