Policy
Shipping policy
Last updated: 2026-05-05
Where we ship from
Essential Care Plus is a US LLC headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But our orders ship directly from Africa, where our cooperatives are based.
Our main dispatch hub is Cotonou, Benin. From there, our team consolidates orders and ships worldwide. For specific seasonal harvests or larger wholesale orders, shipments may also dispatch directly from one of our source countries (Chad, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Madagascar, and others, depending on the ingredient).
This direct-from-source model is intentional. It keeps cooperatives at the center of the supply chain, shortens the path between harvest and your home, and means the margin stays with the women who produce these ingredients, not with intermediate warehouses. Read our story to understand why this matters to us.
Carrier
We ship internationally via DHL Express. A tracking number is sent to your email as soon as the label is generated.
Delivery times, retail
| Destination | Transit time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 5 to 8 business days | Calculated at checkout |
| Europe | 4 to 7 business days | Calculated at checkout |
| Rest of world | 5 to 10 business days | Calculated at checkout |
Transit times are working days from dispatch, not from when you place the order. Add 1 to 2 business days for order processing.
Order processing
- Retail orders from our catalog are typically processed and dispatched within 1 to 2 business days. We do our best to ship as quickly as we can.
- Wholesale orders ship within 3 to 5 business days of payment clearing, or PO acceptance for Net 30 buyers.
- Orders are not processed on Sundays or local public holidays in Benin.
Wholesale and bulk
- Cases under 30 kg ship via DHL Express on the same lanes as retail.
- Pallet-sized orders (above 30 kg) ship by air freight or sea freight on quote, depending on urgency. Approved wholesale buyers see real-time freight quotes at checkout.
- Bulk-tier shipments are coordinated by our logistics team. Typical lead time is 7 to 14 business days from PO confirmation.
Customs and duties
Customs duties, taxes, and import fees are the buyer’s responsibility. We label every commercial-invoice document accurately. We will not falsify values.
For US buyers: orders under $800 generally clear without duty under the de minimis threshold. Above $800, expect a CBP entry. Our DHL paperwork includes the CoA and the cooperative origin declaration.
Phytosanitary certificate
Every export shipment leaves Cotonou with a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Beninese plant-health authority. This is required for plant-based ingredients entering most major markets including the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The certificate is included in the DHL paperwork at no extra cost. For wholesale buyers with strict customs requirements, we can also issue a fresh per-batch CoA before shipment so your team can pre-clear the consignment.
Lost or delayed shipments
Email contact@essentialcareplus.com with your order number. We will open a DHL trace and ship a replacement at our cost if the package is confirmed lost.
PO Box and APO/FPO
DHL Express does not deliver to PO Boxes or APO/FPO addresses. Please use a physical street address at checkout.
Related policies
For full details on returns, refunds, and damage claims, see our return policy. For payment methods and Net 30 terms for wholesale buyers, see our payment policy. For other operational questions, our FAQ covers most cases.