Shipping, Return, and Credit Policies

At Foundation Foods, we aim to keep things simple, fair, and easy to work with. Our goal is always to provide great service and clear communication, while setting straightforward expectations that help everything run smoothly for both sides. Please reach out to us with questions or feedback!

Ordering & Delivery

Shipping Costs & Delivery Days

Please refer to our Wholesale Delivery Schedule for delivery days and order deadlines based on your location.

Shipping charges are calculated at checkout and based on product type and destination. Please see our Customer Shipping Rates page for full details about our shipping rates.

Certain items may incur higher shipping costs due to weight, size, fragility, or temperature requirements.

Temperature-controlled items are packed in curbside-recyclable insulation with reusable ice packs and shipped with a maximum 3-day transit time.

We do not offer international shipping.

Inventory & Out-of-Stocks

We do our best to maintain accurate inventory, but availability may vary. Please see our Stock Management Page for full details about our inventory policies.

Out-of-stock items will not be billed. We do not backorder items unless requested.

If you would like an out-of-stock item backordered, please email us at orders@foundationfoods.com and we will discuss on an case-by-case basis.

Payment Terms & Account Standing

Invoices are due according to the agreed payment terms. Accounts are expected to make payments consistently and remain with those terms.

We aim to work collaboratively with our retail partners and encourage proactive communication. Customers who anticipate a payment delay should contact Foundation Foods as soon as possible.

When an Account May Be Placed on Hold

An account may be placed on hold if Payments are repeatedly late or are not consistently made according to the agreed terms.

Accounts on hold will not be eligible for weekly order releases unless:

• Weekly payments are made consistently;
• The overdue balance is decreasing over time.
• A weekly payment amount is not confirmed by Wednesday at noon;
• The confirmed payment is received or satisfactory proof of payment is provided by the required deadline;

Foundation Foods may resume releasing orders once the required payment or an acceptable payment arrangement has been confirmed.

Practically speaking, accounts that are more than 10 days overdue, or have more than $10,000 in overdue invoices, may be placed on hold.

Keeping Orders Eligible for Release

Foundation Foods may continue releasing orders for an account with a recurring overdue balance when weekly payments are being made consistently; and the overdue balance is decreasing over time.

When payment will be sent after Wednesday, the customer must:

• Confirm the payment amount by Wednesday at 12:00 p.m.; and
• Provide proof that the payment has been initiated or scheduled by Thursday at 12:00 p.m.

Orders will not be released until the required confirmation and proof of payment have been received.

Significantly Past Due Accounts

If an account’s balance becomes significantly past due, additional action may be taken:

• 30+ Days Past Due: Accounts may be moved to prepaid terms for future orders until brought and kept current.
• 90+ Days Past Due: Accounts may be subject to additional collection steps or account closure if the balance remains unresolved
• Ongoing Issues: Repeated late payment issues may result in revised payment terms or account review.

In the event of nonpayment, Foundation Foods reserves the right to suspend orders, place accounts on hold, modify payment terms, require prepayment, or take other appropriate action at its discretion.

New Store First Time Shipping Policy

Timing & Prepayment for Larger Orders

We do our best to ship first-time orders during the week they are placed, as long as they are submitted by the regular weekly order deadline.

First-time orders over $1,750 require a prepayment of 75% of the total, and may need up to one additional week so we can coordinate payment and inventory.

First orders must be paid within approved terms. If payment is not made within terms, the account may be placed on hold immediately until payment is received. Additionally, first-time accounts have an initial credit limit of $12,500.

Free Shipping Introductory Deal Exclusions

New stores receive free shipping on their first three orders, with no order minimum required. This applies to customers in our ‘local states’ shipping zone only: CA, NV, UT, & AZ.  Additionally, items classified as Heavy Beverages may be removed from the order  if free shipping is applied and the order is below our standard minimum order size.

Stock Availability for New Store Orders

Our normal stock management procedures apply to first-time orders. We will do our best to ship your first order in full, but unavailable items may be removed. If you would like us to hold your order until it is 100% fulfilled, please let us know by email.

Shelf Testers, Sample Requests & Special Orders

Active clients may request shelf testers or sales samples by emailing our team directly. Requests may also be added to order notes, but email is the best way to ensure we see your request.

Shelf testers are intended for use with active, approved product displays only. Sales samples are intended for buyer review or staff education only.

Tester and sample requests are fulfilled as an add-on to a regular order and are not shipped separately. Please submit requests before your regular order deadline so that our team has time to review and include them when possible.

We will do our best to include approved testers or samples promptly. Requests are subject to stock availability, policy limits, and brand restrictions. Some brands may limit when testers or samples can be sent, or they may not allow them at all. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing.

Special Orders

Foundation Foods operates a curated catalog and does not accommodate one-time special orders for products outside of our current assortment.

In order for us to bring in a new product, we typically need consistent demand across multiple retail partners, not just a single request.

We are always open to product suggestions and are happy to evaluate new items for potential addition to our catalog.

In select cases, we may be able to accommodate seasonal or limited-time requests with sufficient lead time and interest from multiple accounts.

Delivery Issues

Damages, Mis-picks & Other Shipping Errors

Any items damaged in transit, mis-picked by our team, or shipped in error must be reported within 2 business days of delivery.

Please email photos of the damaged items to service@foundationfoods.com. Claims submitted after this window may not be eligible for credit. Thank you for understanding!

Short-Dated Product at Time of Delivery

Items that arrive short-dated may be eligible for return.

As a general guideline:

• Shelf-stable items: considered short-dated within 2 weeks of expiration
• Perishable items: considered short-dated within 1 week of expiration

To request a return, please email service@foundationfoods.com with product details, quantities, expiration dates, and photos (if applicable).

If approved, we will arrange pickup on your next delivery day. Credit will be issued once the product is received and reviewed.

All requests are subject to review and approval at the sole discretion of Foundation Foods.

Returns & Credits

Voluntary Product Returns

All voluntary return requests must be submitted within 2 business days of delivery. All voluntary return requests are subject to review and approval at the sole discretion of Foundation Foods.

Customer Credit Returns for Wellness Items (Pass Through Credits)

Credit requests related to wellness products that originate from end-customer returns must include sufficient documentation to be eligible for credit.

To qualify, a PDF credit slip or equivalent documentation is required and must include:

1. Reason for return (if available)
2. Lot number and expiration date

Requests that do not include this information may not be eligible for credit.

Eligibility may vary by vendor or brand based on each vendor’s individual policies. We are happy to confirm eligibility upon request.

All refund, credit, or replacement requests are subject to review and approval at the sole discretion of Foundation Foods.

Unsold, Excess, or Expiring Product Policy

Credit requests for excess, expiring, or otherwise unsold products are only considered for items within approximately one week before or after the expiration date (up to two weeks total). Requests submitted outside of this timeframe may be denied.

Credits are not guaranteed for unwanted, excess, or unsold inventory. Retailers with repeated over-ordering or expiration-related credit requests may be denied future credits.

Credits may also be declined due to improper storage, failure to follow first-expiring-first-out (FEFO) practices, or other inventory mismanagement.

Eligibility may vary by vendor or brand based on guaranteed sale terms and the product’s original shelf life. We are happy to confirm eligibility upon request.

All refund, credit, or replacement requests are subject to review and approval at the sole discretion of Foundation Foods. We aim to handle these situations fairly and work with our retail partners whenever possible.