Frequently Asked Questions

Our most common questions answered. If you don’t find your answer please reach out to us here.

General

+ Do you sell your tea in stores?

You can find us in select retailers as well as cafes & restaurants across Ontario. Please note selection can vary with each location. For a complete list, please visit here.

+ Do you offer corporate gifting?

We do! You can contact us at katie@monarchteaco.com, or check out this page for information on our tea favours, with custom label options.

+ Do you offer custom blends or tea favours for special events?

Absolutely! Please send your inquiry to katie@monarchteaco.com and we will give you a price quote and suggestions within 48 hours. Alternatively you can review a general outline of what we do here.

+ Do you offer wholesale pricing?

Absolutely! Please fill out a contact form here.

Or, email katie@monarchteaco.com and we will get back to you within 48 hours with our wholesale list and terms.

+ Do you offer private events/tea workshops?

Absolutely! We offer both virtual & in person (when safe to do so) tea workshops. Please fill out a form here with some details about your event and we will get back to you within 48 hours. Our private group minimum is 6 people.

+ What are the terms & conditions for your online workshops?

Terms and conditions can be found here. Upon completing your purchase you agree to the following terms & conditions.

Ordering & Shipping

+ When will my order arrive?

We work to get your tea to you as soon as possible! Order processing is 1-2 business days, followed by the shipping time listed and selected at the time of checkout . You should expect your tea in 1-4 business days after that if shipped in Canada, 4-8 days if in the USA. You will receive a tracking link as soon as your order ships.

For tea workshops, packages will ship 10-14 days before the workshop date. You will receive a tracking link as soon as your package ships to you, as well as a welcome email 1 week before the event with the Zoom link and set up details on how to prepare for your tea. If you have not received your welcome email and the class date is approaching, please reach out to katie@monarchteaco.com.

If you have any concerns around your package, please email katie@monarchteaco.com and we will investigate within 24 hours.

+ I live in Hamilton, Ontario. Can I pick up my order?

Yes! Please use code HAMILTON at check out to remove the shipping cost on all orders. We will contact you to arrange a pick up time and location, or offer complimentary delivery depending on the order size (over $40).

+ How are shipping costs calculated?

As a small business we do our very best to bring you competitive shipping prices and also absorb a lot of costs, especially with free shipping promotions. Remember that we also have to pay for (and are NEVER factored into your cost): boxes, bubble wrap, labels, stamps, freebies that we often include. Please reach out to us at katie@monarchteaco.com should you ever have any further questions around our shipping. Your order is shipping from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

We offer free shipping on North American orders over $50. We do offer international shipping. Please contact katie@monarchteaco.com for a shipping quote for anywhere outside North America and we will get back to you within 48 hours.

+ What is your return policy?

The Monarch Tea Co. will provide an exchange or refund only for damaged goods that are not opened. Due to TGA and FDA regulations worldwide we are not able to accept any refunds for open packages – this includes customers who are not happy with the taste of a tea they ordered. Any customer who is concerned their product is damaged or faulty can contact us via our contact us page to discuss the refund process.

For 'change of mind' or if you forget to use a discount code, we do not accept returns/issue refunds. Tea replacement: if for some reason your tea is damaged in postal transit, and you have photo evidence of the damage along with a complete pack of unopened tea bags, please email us at katie@monarchteaco.com and we will commence email communication with you to reach a resolution.

All Things Tea

+ Does my tea expire?

One of the great benefits of loose leaf tea is the shelf life. Every tea we sell is best enjoyed within 2 years of opening. There are additional steps you can take to help maintain the integrity of our teas. We recommend storing your tea away from other strong aromas (spices or coffee for example), avoiding storage that falls under direct sunlight, and avoiding extreme temperatures.

+ What certifications do your teas have & are they organic?

Some of our teas are sourced from organic gardens which will be stated in the product description. We are looking to add more organic products in the near future.

All our blends and tea are made with 100% natural ingredients and flavours. Every product is gmo, gluten, dairy free & Kosher. Wherever possible, Monarch Tea Co. teas are certified by Fair Trade.

+ What does it mean when the blend contains "natural flavours"?

We only use organic compliant essential oils derived from natural sources. This can be a vanilla extract, fruit extract etc. A carrier that is commonly used is ethyl alcohol or vegetable glycerin and all our flavouring complies with organic regulations.

+ Why do you only sell loose leaf tea?

Loose tea has many environmental advantages over packaged and bagged teas.

Some things to consider: Tea Bags

1 lb/500g of tea can produce 200 teabags. To make 200 teabags requires: 200 staples, 200 lengths of string, 200 paper, nylon or other synthetic sheets. Wrapping 200 teabags requires: 200 foil or paper over-wrap sheets

The result? Increased shipping weight. Increased fuel consumption. Increased resource consumption. Increased non-reusable waste.

Loose Tea 1 lb/500g produces 200 cups of tea with no added environmental cost. Certain loose leaf teas if steeped in water between 82°C - 87°C (180°F - 190°F) can offer the multiple infusions. i.e., Oolong, black teas & green teas. We do offer biodegradable tea bags, found here, that make it easy to prepare your loose leaf tea in a mess-free manner.

+ Do your teas contain nuts?

Yes. Many of our tea blends do contain nuts, such as Madeline Cookie, Nutcracker Blend and Coconut Rooibos Chai/Mistletoe Chai. Ingredients for each blend we carry are listed under each tea in our online store. Our teas are packaged in a commercial kitchen that uses gluten & nut ingredients so we can not guarantee nut or gluten free teas & tisanes.