FAQ
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO SHIP MY ORDER?
Our handcrafted nut butters and bars are freshly made in small batches and typically ship in 2-3 business days. We offer real–time shipping rates for services including USPS Priority Mail, USPS Retail Ground, FedEx – 2nd Day, and FedEx Home Delivery. These options include estimated shipping and arrival dates, but please note that delivery dates are not guaranteed, as they are subject to change by carrier. We don’t add any handling fees to your orders, and we work hard to negotiate the best shipping rates available.
Free shipping is available for orders of $70 or more within the continental United States, not including P.O. boxes. *To qualify for free shipping, each order must equal $70 or more after discounts are applied, and before taxes and optional package protection to qualify for free shipping.
Local Pickup
We also offer free local pickup from our Hillsborough HQ (500 Meadowlands Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278) Monday - Friday from 11 AM - 2 PM. Just select local pickup at checkout, and we will send you an e-mail when your order is ready! Please note: We do not operate a retail shop and these hours are for local pickup for prepaid orders only.
MY ORDER WAS DELAYED/LOST OR DAMAGED – WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you purchased optional Package Protection insurance, please reach out to orders@bigspoonroasters.com with any issues and/or photos of damage. If you did not purchase the insurance, please contact the carrier directly for assistance. Make sure to have your tracking number handy, which can be found in your shipment confirmation email. For more information on our shipping policies visit bigspoonroasters.com/shipping.
WHY IS THERE OIL AT THE TOP OF MY JAR?
We don’t use any palm oil, hydrogenated oil, or other stabilizers to prevent natural oil separation. That’s a good thing, because those added ingredients are not good for you or the planet. Simply stir well to the bottom of the jar and enjoy (go to the next question for stirring tips and an instructional video).
Another reason to stir is that key ingredients (that make our nut butters so delicious) such as crystallized ginger, spices, sea salt, and coconut nectar can sink to the bottom of the jar over time. When you stir, be sure to get all those bits at the bottom of the jar incorporated into the whole mix!
For more information about why we do not use palm oil, check out our blog post about it here.
WHAT'S THE BEST STIRRING METHOD?
If a jar has been sitting for a while, the oil will naturally float to the top, and the bottom of the jar can get pretty hard and “dry,” but we promise, it's always worth a stir. The best way to stir separated oil back into a nut butter is to take a sturdy knife, spoon, or fork and poke holes all the way to the bottom of the jar. As you're poking the holes, use a gentle twisting motion to help reintroduce the oil. Then slowly stir the contents of the jar until the texture is uniform and spreadable. Click here for a video!
We also recommend this amazing Nut Butter Mixer sold on our website. It works so well and also makes a great gift!
I CAN’T TASTE THE CHAI/SALT/MAPLE/GINGER, ETC. IN MY JAR OF NUT BUTTER. HELP?!?!
Our nut butters are natural, flowing products. We don’t use “flavoring” that permeates the entire jar, but rather use whole ingredients and spices like freshly ground cinnamon and dehydrated lemon juice. Over time, some of these solids can sink to the bottom. Just give your nut butter a good stir from the bottom of the jar to re-incorporate these tasty bits.
IS MY JAR FULL? THERE IS A “HOLE” OR AIR POCKET IN IT.
Our 3oz and 13oz jars are filled and weighed, by hand, to contain the desired amount of nut butter per jar. We intentionally leave some space at the top of each jar above the “fill line,” which is just at the bottom of the glass jar’s lid. The jars are flipped, spun, and turned upside down countless times as they travel from our roastery to your doorstep. Since our nut butter is a fresh, “flowing” product, the pocket of air at the top of the jar may shift during transit. Some vigorous shaking and/or light tapping on a soft surface, e.g. a cutting board, should return it to a “table-ready” presentation. Please rest assured that no jar leaves our facility that does not meet our strict quality control standards.
HOW SHOULD I STORE MY NUT BUTTERS AND/OR BARS?
We recommend storing our nut butters and bars in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. Refrigeration is not necessary.
We don’t use palm oil, hydrogenated oils, or other fillers, so if you eat our nut butter infrequently, you’ll notice natural oil separation over time. We recommend storing the jar upside down to reverse the typical direction of oil separation and ease stirring when you’re ready to dive back in. We also suggest flipping the jar(s) every few weeks to let gravity do the “stirring.” Please note that these tips will not prevent natural oil separation, but they should make stirring a little easier!
BEST BY DATES – WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
A “best by date” is printed on either the side label or bottom of every jar of nut butter, and on the back of every bar. Nut butters have a best by date of 12 months past their production dates, and bars have a best by date of six months past their production dates. These dates are not expiration dates, but they are meant to communicate when our products are at their best. From a food safety perspective, our foods are safe to eat well beyond their best by dates.
Keeping the lids closed and storing our nut butters in a cool, dark place are the best ways to make sure they are safe to eat almost indefinitely. Think of oxygen (which has a staling effect) and heat (which accelerates oil separation) as the enemies. Refrigeration makes our nut butters last even longer, but there is no need to refrigerate for food safety reasons. Your nut butters will not be harmful to eat past their best by dates, but please keep in mind that they will age past their prime in terms of flavor and freshness.
In our bars, the whole grain oats and quinoa will slowly absorb the natural oils released by the nuts, causing the bars to become drier and less soft over time. We think our bars are best in the first six months, hence the six-month best by date.
Please remember that if you see natural oil separation in a jar of nut butter, that’s a good thing! It means we don’t use non-nutritious fillers like palm oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil to create “no stir” nut butters. Just stir any separated oil all the way down to the bottom of the jar, and stir the contents of the bottom of the jar upwards, until you achieve a homogenous texture. It just takes a minute and is well worth the effort, we promise!
WHY DO YOUR NUT BUTTERS COST MORE THAN OTHER “NATURAL” BRANDS?
We’re so glad you asked! There are several reasons our nut butters cost more than some other “natural” brands.
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Ingredient integrity – Each ingredient we use is carefully sourced based on our strict standards for taste, sustainability, and the fair and ethical treatment of those involved with producing it (farming and processing). Most of our ingredients are organic and all are GMO-free. We never use fillers or shelf stabilizers like hydrogenated oils or palm oil. For details about individual ingredients, please look further down the FAQ.
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Small batch, handcrafted quality – Most “natural” nut butter brands use a co-packer to make their nut butters, meaning the people running the business are nowhere near where the product is being made. We make everything on-site at our headquarters in Hillsborough, NC. Each batch is carefully made by our small team and taste-tested to ensure it meets our exacting standards.
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Employee benefits – We pay our team members Certified Living Wages and offer additional benefits including a wellness stipend, medical, dental, vision, and short-term disability coverage, monthly catered team lunches and daily snacks, and local food CSA membership support, among others.
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Sustainability – We source only from ecologically sustainable farmers, have a nearly waste-free process, use recycled and non-toxic paper labels, and use only cruelty-free cleaning products. We also package in recyclable and reusable glass jars. More on that here.
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS GMO-FREE?
Yes, our year-round products are Non-GMO Project Verified! All of our ingredients are also non-GMO, but we don’t go through the certification process for some of our seasonal R&D and Limited Batch products because the certification timeline is often longer than these products are even around!
FOR THOSE WITH SPECIFIC NUT ALLERGIES, IS IT SAFE TO ENJOY YOUR PRODUCTS?
If you have a potentially dangerous or life-threatening allergy to peanuts and/or tree nuts, PLEASE DO NOT TRY ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS. We do our best to make it clear on our website, packaging, etc. that all our products are made in a single dedicated facility, and there could be trace amounts of peanut and/or tree nut particles in batches of products that do not contain peanuts and/or tree nuts as stated ingredients.
In terms of precautions, we follow a rigorous food safety plan that includes steps designed to minimize allergen cross-contamination. These steps include adherence to FDA-guided Good Manufacturing Practices involving ingredient/allergen separation in storage, cleaning and sanitizing equipment between allergen-specific runs, and scheduling allergen-specific production runs on separate days.
If you have a severe allergy to peanuts/tree nuts, please do not try any of our products.
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
While many of our ingredients are Certified Organic, including cashews, pecans, dark chocolate, vegan white chocolate, coconut oil, coconut nectar, honey, quinoa, and cane sugar; we do not have a blanket USDA Organic Certification.
We will always be advocates for organic agriculture, but we also recognize that a single certification is not always the best measure of sustainability, quality, and/or regenerative practices. Our ingredient choices are based not only on certifications, but also on the complete processes and labor conditions behind them. For more details on individual ingredients, please look further down the FAQ.
DO YOU SHIP INTERNATIONALLY?
International shipping is available via FedEx, USPS Priority Mail International, and USPS Priority Mail Express International. Please note that import duties and taxes may apply upon arrival. These fees are beyond our control, set by the Customs Authority of the destination countries, and depend on a number of factors such as local Value Added Tax (VAT) rates and import taxes. It is the customer’s responsibility to pay these fees. Big Spoon Roasters is not responsible for orders rejected by customs.
WHAT IS THE WHITE STUFF AT THE TOP OF MY CHOCOLATE NUT BUTTER JAR?
Don’t worry! This natural and safe-to-eat phenomenon is called “cocoa bloom.” These often cloudy white spots are the cocoa solids from the organic chocolate separating a bit. When exposed to colder temperatures, the naturally separated nut oils can blend with cocoa butter, solidify, and turn white. If you give it a really good stir the oil will re-incorporate into the nut butter. If ever in doubt, please send us the jar number (on the safety tab) and a photo to info@bigspoonroasters.com.
IS THE CINNAMON IN YOUR NUT BUTTERS SAFE FOR DOGS?
The cinnamon used in our Pumpkin Spice Wag Butter is totally safe for dogs. Cinnamon is sometimes misconceived as toxic for pets, but in moderation (or Wag Butter amounts!), cinnamon is a valuable, nutritious ingredient for your pup! Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood pressure, boost immunity, fight infection, and reduce inflammation in dogs, just as it does in humans.
We use a blend of Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) with a small amount of “Saigon” cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi) in our Pumpkin Spice Wag Butter, which, amounts to extremely low amounts of coumarin, a compound found in many plants that can be harmful for your dog if ingested in excess. Traditional Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) contains higher levels of coumarin, which is why we avoid this in our nut butters made for both humans and dogs.
Rest assured that all batches of our cinnamon and other spices are also tested for heavy metals before they are approved for shipment.
CAN I TAKE A TOUR OF BIG SPOON ROASTERS?
Thank you for your interest in visiting our headquarters! For food safety reasons, we do not offer tours to the public at this time. However, we do host occasional gift markets and other events, during which we open our doors, hold tastings, and sell directly to our local community. If you’re interested in learning more about these events and more, please sign up for our email list here!
CAN I PICK UP MY ORDER?
You may pick up your order from our Hillsborough HQ (500 Meadowlands Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278) between 11 AM – 2 PM, Monday through Friday. To do this, select local pickup at checkout. We hope to see you soon!
DO YOU SOAK YOUR NUTS?
If you’re going to eat nuts, it’s best to either soak, sprout, or cook them beforehand to increase the bioavailability of their nutrients, i.e. to make them easier to digest and absorb the nutrition they offer. We choose to roast (hence our name) for several reasons:
1) It makes nuts more delicious thanks to the Maillard reaction (a process akin to caramelization in which proteins and sugars turn brown and delicious).
2) It makes nuts easier to digest.
3) It increases the food safety of nuts by killing potentially dangerous microbes such as salmonella and listeria. If you are consuming nuts that have been soaked, especially if they are then stone-ground, be sure that the nuts have been completely dried and tested for food-borne pathogens. Moisture, which can be held in grinding stones, significantly increases the chances of food-borne pathogens. That’s why we use custom steel milling plates in our nut mill.
CAN I RETURN MY USED NUT BUTTER JARS TO BIG SPOON ROASTERS FOR REUSE?
Thank you so much for your commitment to sustainability. Unfortunately, we are not equipped to receive, sterilize, and reuse used jars. We encourage you to reuse them at home, though! They make excellent portable vessels for overnight oats, homemade salad dressing, spice blends, breakfast parfaits, smoothies, etc. They also make a great glass for water, wine, or your favorite cocktail. Our jars are also recyclable and dishwasher-safe.
WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR INGREDIENTS? ARE THEY ORGANIC?
Almonds – We use heirloom Mission variety almonds sourced directly from Treehouse Farms in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Treehouse’s exceptional sustainability efforts include super-efficient, water-saving micro-irrigation systems which are powered by on-site solar panels. Treehouse Farms is also Bee Friendly Certified. Learn more about their sustainability and land conservation efforts here. These almonds are pasteurized with steam, not chemicals.
Peanuts – Our delicious High Oleic Cordoban Runner peanuts are sourced from a single group of growers in Argentina. Peanuts are indigenous to South America, and Argentina has an abundance of land ideal for peanut cultivation, with a naturally high soil fertility that requires little to no fertilizers to produce large yields and healthy crops. The drier and cooler climate, as opposed to the warmer, humid climate of the American Southeast, is much less conducive to aflatoxin growth. Our peanuts are also regularly tested for aflatoxin and other potential hazards, and we receive a guarantee of cleanliness for every lot before it enters into production. In addition, the terroir of Cordoba produces a naturally sweeter, denser peanut. We think they are the best peanuts in the world for peanut butter. In fact, no others come close.
Pecans – Our Certified Organic pecans are harvested from three family-owned orchards in Texas and Mexico. We roast our pecans a tad darker than other nuts to bring out their naturally sweet, caramelized flavor.
Organic Cashews – Our Certified Organic, Fair Labor Certified cashews come from a community of growers in Vietnam. The Fair Labor (SMETA) certification guarantees the ethical treatment of those involved in producing their cashews.
Hazelnuts – Our hazelnuts are Barcelona and Clark variety, sourced directly from vertically integrated grower-processors in Oregon. Although they aren’t certified organic, these Oregon growers use natural pest control systems without harmful chemicals.
Pistachios – Our pistachios are grown in California without chemical pesticides and packed to order. They are steam pasteurized, unlike most conventional tree nuts that are pasteurized using PPO. None of our tree nuts are treated with PPO.
What is PPO anyway? Propylene oxide (PPO) is a chemical that is used to pasteurize almonds and other raw nut meats. PPO is FDA approved and has been used by the nut industry for decades to reduce bacteria, yeasts, mold, and insects. However, PPO has been shown to be a carcinogen, and ingesting large amounts of it can cause health problems.
Walnuts – Our English variety walnuts are primarily the Chandler sub-variety, grown and packed in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. These walnuts are pleasantly rich and naturally sweet, becoming even sweeter with a light roast.
Sea Salt – Our sea salt comes from Jacobsen Salt Co. It is hand-harvested from the pristine waters of the Netarts Bay on the Oregon coast. To learn more about Jacobsen and how their incredible salt is made, click here.
Honey – Our Certified Organic raw wildflower honey comes from the Sunderbans National Park in Bengal, India, which also serves as a sanctuary for the region’s tigers and other wildlife.
Sorghum – Our small-batch sorghum syrup comes from Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill in Muddy Pond, TN. Learn more about this family farm here.
Coconut Nectar – We source Fairtrade, Organic Coconut Nectar from Java, Indonesia. Coconut nectar comes directly from the coconut blossom. It can be used as a liquid or dehydrated and pounded into a dry powder. We use both forms. Minimally processed, coconut nectar is rich in minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium, and it imparts a delicious note of caramel-like flavor. A low-glycemic source of sweetness, it only contains a fraction of the fructose found in regular sugar.
Organic Maple Syrup – Our organic maple syrup comes from Bascom Family Farms and Butternut Mountain Farm, both in Vermont. We use a crystalized version to provide added texture, and a liquid maple syrup to make house-baked granola (for our bars).
Cane Sugar – Our cane sugar is 100% raw, organic, Fair Trade Certified demerara sugar.
Chocolate –Our chocolate comes from French Broad Chocolates in Asheville, NC, Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh, NC, and TCHO in Berkeley, CA. These bean-to-bar, craft chocolate makers take immense care in ethically and sustainably sourcing their ingredients.
Note: Our chocolate comes to us in solid form. We gently melt it before adding it to our nut butters. Because we use such a large amount of chocolate, in the cold winter months the chocolate can re-solidify, giving our Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Butter or Dark Chocolate Hazelnut & Almond Butter a harder texture. We recommend heating the jar in a warm water bath or very low oven or for about 10 minutes for a more spreadable texture.
Cocoa Nibs – Our cocoa nibs come from Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh, NC.
Cinnamon – We have a passion for great cinnamon, and the best cinnamon in the world grows on the slopes of volcanoes close to the equator. We work with the incomparable Red Ape Cinnamon for all our cinnamon needs. They source lush, robust Cassia, or “Saigon,” cinnamon from the tropical island of Sumatra, Indonesia, and they bring in warm, complex Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka. Red Ape’s partnering producers’ trees grow for at least 15 years, producing super concentrated cinnamon bark. The bark is harvested, sun dried and ground slowly to produce a lush, flavorful spice. There is no other cinnamon like this in the world. All their products are Certified Organic, and they test every batch for heavy metals.
In addition, Red Ape is a leader in sustainable spice agriculture, tropical ecosystem preservation, and animal habitat protection. A portion of their profits gets donated to organizations that protect orangutans and their habitat. These funds go towards adopting orangutans and donating to groups that protect this critically endangered species. They also donate to the Orangutan Species Survival Plan for the advancement of the conservation of orangutans and the Orangutan Information Centre for the protection of the Sumatran orangutan and its habitat.
Ginger – Our crystallized Fiji Ginger is from The Ginger People. They work with local farmers on the island of Fiji and invested in a local processing facility to ensure opportunities for the people of Viti Levu. Learn more about our ginger here. Our Organic ginger powder has a lemon pepper aroma and bold flavor. The rich and flavorful ginger is sourced directl from India by our friends at Red Ape Cinnamon.
Gluten Free Oats – We use Certified Organic, Certified Gluten Free oats from a third generation, family-owned grain farming business located in Nunn, CO.
Pea Protein Powder – The peas in our protein powder are grown organically by farmers in the northern U.S. and Canada. These yellow peas are a “dry crop” and require little to no irrigation. The harvested peas are dried and shipped to our vendor’s manufacturing facility, where they are milled into a fine powder. The powder is immersed in water (which is reused), and then a centrifuge mechanically separates the proteins from the starches and fibers. Then, to improve flavor, texture, and functionality, the protein is treated only with organic food-grade enzymes and citric acid. Our protein is not treated with harmful chemicals or submerged in petroleum-based hexane.
Dried Apricots and Figs – The best dried apricots and figs we've ever tasted come from the ancient tree fruit growing regions of Greece and Turkey, respectively. These dried fruits are imported and packed by hand into small cases, perfect for our small-batch process.
Dried Blueberries, Cranberries, and Cherries – We source these select dried fruits from Michigan-based Shoreline Fruit, who works directly with individual sustainable growers in their region.