My fresh or frozen chile arrived spoiled or thawed
If your chile arrived warm, leaking, or showing mold, send us photos of the box and contents within 24 hours of delivery and we'll work out a reshipment or refund.
If the bags are still cool to the touch — even if no longer rock-solid — the news is better than you'd think: the chile is safe to refreeze and use.
Cool-to-the-touch frozen chile is safe to refreeze and consume
Frozen Hatch chile that arrives cool but no longer rock-solid is safe. Pop it back in the freezer and it will keep its full flavor and heat for 18-24 months from the date of roasting and freezing. Our vacuum-sealed bags travel well, and a little softening is normal — the dry ice is sized to keep contents frozen through late evening on the expected delivery date, not brick-hard. The food has not been compromised.
Reshipment isn't the default for cool-to-the-touch arrivals. If you'd still rather have a replacement, tell us and we'll take care of it — but most customers are relieved to learn the box is fine to put away.
Warm or room-temperature items should not be eaten
If the bags feel warm or sit at room temperature, don't consume them. Move on to the photo step below — that's the case where we want to get a reshipment moving.
For fresh chile (sold in season, mid-July through mid-October), check for sliminess, mold, leaking liquid in the box, or off-smell. Any of those mean the same thing: don't eat, send photos, we'll make it right.
Two photos within 24 hours of delivery
The 24-hour photo window
The 24-hour window is firm because UPS and FedEx require timely visual evidence to honor a spoilage claim. We need exactly two pictures: one of the outside of the box (any crushing, water damage, the shipping label) and one of the contents laid out so the condition is visible (warm bags, melted dry ice, mold on fresh pods, leaking liquid).
Send the photos by text to 575-267-2067, by email to support@hatch-green-chile.com, or attach them through our contact form — either route works. Please include your HATC- order number so we can find the order quickly. Without photos in the 24-hour window, we may not be able to authorize a free reshipment.
Reshipment depends on the original shipping method
Our spoilage coverage applies to fresh and frozen orders shipped via Overnight or 2-Day Air, and to any order with Shipping Protection. When a perishable arrives warm under one of those methods, we reship at no charge with upgraded shipping, or refund the items — whichever you prefer.
Ground shipments without Shipping Protection are not covered for spoilage, since ground transit times can vary by several days. We'll still review your photos and offer a goodwill discount in those cases. Our frozen chile ships from Edison NJ (Eastern US, since 2023) and California (Western US) to keep transit short, but Overnight is the safest route during summer heat.
When a carrier delay causes a perishable shipment to arrive late and thawed, the same coverage rules apply: Overnight, 2-Day Air, and Shipping Protection orders are reshipped or refunded once we have your photos. For ground orders without Shipping Protection, a late arrival isn't covered, but send the photos anyway — we'll review the case and offer a goodwill discount.
Reach out as soon as you see the issue
Call 575-267-2067 (9 am–5 pm Mountain, Monday–Friday) or use our contact form. A real person handles every claim — once your photos and order number are in, we set up the reshipment or refund and send tracking.
Frequently asked questions
My order arrived thawed — is it safe to eat?
If the bags are still cool to the touch, yes — refreeze and use as normal, full flavor and shelf life intact. If they're warm or at room temperature, don't consume them. Send photos to 575-267-2067, support@hatch-green-chile.com, or our contact form within 24 hours and we'll arrange a reshipment.
Can I refreeze the thawed items?
Yes, if they're cool to the touch. Cool-but-not-frozen chile is safe to refreeze and will keep its full flavor and heat for 18-24 months from the date of roasting and freezing. If items are warm or room-temperature, refreezing isn't safe — discard and contact us with photos.
The dry ice had melted and items were thawed — what now?
Check the temperature of the bags. Cool to touch means safe to refreeze. Warm means don't eat. In either case, send photos of the box and contents within 24 hours via text, email, or contact form so we can document the issue and arrange a replacement if needed.
Some chiles were rotten or spoiled — can I get a refund?
Yes. Photograph the affected pods and the box exterior, send within 24 hours of delivery, and we'll either reship or refund the spoiled portion to your original payment method.
Order arrived late and was spoiled — is that covered?
Late-shipping spoilage is covered when the order shipped Overnight, 2-Day Air, or had Shipping Protection. Send photos within 24 hours and we'll reship at no charge or issue a refund.
My order arrived late due to a shipping delay and the chile was spoiled — what do I do?
Send us two photos within 24 hours of delivery (box exterior, contents) and your HATC- order number. If the order shipped Overnight, 2-Day Air, or with Shipping Protection, we'll reship at no charge or refund the spoiled items.
The box was damaged and leaking when it arrived — is that covered?
Yes. Photograph the damaged box and the leaking contents, send within 24 hours of delivery, and we'll arrange a reshipment or refund. A crushed or leaking box usually means the dry ice vented early or a bag split in transit — either way, we'll make it right. For non-perishable damage (broken jar, shattered ristra), see our order arrived damaged page.
Is the food still safe to eat if the bags are cool but not frozen?
Yes. Cool-to-the-touch frozen chile is food-safe to refreeze and use, with full flavor and 18–24 months of shelf life from the date of roasting. Only warm or room-temperature bags should be discarded.
