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Thawed Meat? Damaged Product??

First, we’re very sorry you’re in this situation! It happens sometimes but we'll do our very best to make lemonade out of lemons. With Route shipping protection just know you are in good hands!

About Route and why it is important:

Route Shipping Protection offers added peace of mind by protecting your order against loss, damage, or theft during transit. If something happens to your package, adding Route to your order makes the resolution process simple with fast replacements or refunds.

While Route is optional, orders placed without shipping protection are shipped at the customer’s risk. Northstar Bison is not responsible for packages that are delayed, lost, or damaged once they are in the carrier’s possession.

Route is very affordable. But not everyone needs or wants Route. Our decision to offer Route is out of a desire to put the decision in your hands. Some folks need it, others don't. Without Route, we end up footing the bill on losses which, in the end, costs everyone, which we're trying to protect against.

Here's what to do...

#1: Know you're in good hands.

We’ll do everything we can to make it right! We’re very sorry for the situation but know with Route, you're in good hands

We’ll do everything we can to make it right! We’re very sorry for the situation but we will not leave you hung out to dry.

#2: Snap Some Pics

A picture says way more than 1000 words in this case. Photos are extremely valuable for us to internally investigate what went wrong and for filing a claim with Route.

Note: Claim may not be approved without photos due to Route's policies

Pics To Get:

  • Outside Damage
  • Inside Damage
  • Product Damage
  • Shipping Label

 

A picture says way more than 1000 words in this case. Photos are extremely valuable for us to internally investigate what went wrong and for potentially filing a claim with the shipping company.

#3: Put everything in the freezer.

DO NOT throw it away. Even if thawed or partially thawed, the meat may still be good. Anything under 40 degrees (you can temp it if you have a thermometer) would be no different than having it in your refrigerator. It may well have to be thrown out but doing it prematurely and finding out it was totally or partially salvageable (even for pets) feels icky. It’s not about the money, we hate being wasteful of anything, especially meat.

DO NOT throw it away. Even if thawed or partially thawed, the meat may still be good. Anything under 40 degrees would be no different than having it in your refrigerator. It may well have to be thrown out but doing it prematurely and finding out it was totally or partially salvageable (even for pets) feels icky. It’s not about the money, we hate being wasteful of anything, especially meat.

#4: Notify us ASAP.

The sooner we know, the more we can do to help!

The sooner we know, the more we can do to help!

#5: Remember: Raised, Harvested, & Processed As Nature Intended is different!

  1. Salmonella & e-coli are the health risks in thawing & refreezing meat. The natural grass/forage diet supports a less acidic environment in the meat that greatly reduces the risk of salmonella or e-coli bacterial growth.
  2. We are not a huge processing factory cesspool. We are a small meat processor, minimally processing only our animals, going to great measures to ensure the extremely high standards of cleanliness, safety, and quality of your next meal. We don’t take that lightly.
  1. Salmonella & e-coli are the health risks in thawing & refreezing meat. The natural grass/forage diet supports a less acidic environment in the meat that greatly reduces the risk of salmonella or e-coli bacterial growth.
  2. We are not a huge processing factory cesspool. We are a small meat processor, minimally processing only our animals, going to great measures to ensure the extremely high standards of cleanliness, safety, and quality of your next meal. We don’t take that lightly.

Have thawed or damage you need to let us know about?
You can do that right here!

Just enter your information below, click submit, and we'll be in touch with you ASAP.

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Damage & Thawing FAQ's

We do our darndest to prepare your package for the rigors of cross-country travel and, 99.9% of the time, we’re proud to say we’re successful at doing so.
However, there’s the .1%...

Q: A couple of packages arrived with punctures in the plastic... Is it safe?
A: Yes, it is safe! And here's why... All damage occurs in transit (inside the sealed shipping box). When we pick your product, we inspect it. When we pack your product, we inspect it. This process ensures that everything in your box is in ideal condition when it leaves our door. Once it leaves our door, it can get mishandled. When jarring happens, the rock-solid frozen packages inside bang into one another and puncture the packaging, sometimes noticeably, sometimes not. When a package is poked, air can leak in (most often seen in steaks, roasts, & ribs). When this happens, the moisture that is in the package when the air leaks in, is frozen by the dry ice in the box, creating ice crystals inside the package. Since this type of damage occurs after the box has been sealed, the first environment for that product to be exposed to is when you open the box. Though we certainly don’t intend for this to happen, the product is not immediately compromised. If left in the freezer for an extended period of time, the product will eventually pick up a “freezer burn” taste. If consumed soon, the meat will be fresh and delightful.

  • Place the product in a ziplock baggie, squeeze out the air, zip it closed, and plan to use it as per usual. :)
  • Thaw on a plate or bowl to catch any liquid that may leak. (We recommend this practice any time you're thawing meat as a precaution just in case the package leaks or sweats.)