Frequently Asked Questions.

CATEGORIES:

• About Us
• Delivery
• Using & Storing
• Subscription

ABOUT US

NIKU Farms is an online farmers market that connects customers directly to pasture raised meat products from local farms. All our farms meet high standards for ethically grown meat that is raised on pasture and is free from antibiotics, hormones, and non GMO. We are a mission-driven company, with the aim of putting farms first, supporting ethically raised meat, and connecting customers directly with their local farms.

Each of our farms has been individually vetted, visited, and reviewed before being selected as a partner.

Our partner farms agree to follow our strict raising standards for producing the highest quality meats in the most ethical way possible. Our farmers all raise their animals on pasture.

The meat you see in the grocery stores and at restaurants, comes from animals that are probably fed grain. Grain is ideal for fattening animals up quickly and cheaply, but it’s not good for the health of the animals.

Cows and other herding animals have a unique digestive system that helps them digest grass, but makes it almost impossible for them to digest grains such as corn and wheat. Corn and wheat fed farm animals are significantly more likely than grass fed animals to get sick and require antibiotics, and are put to slaughter sooner. Most importantly, grain fed meat has less nutritional value, contains more saturated fats, and more Omega-6s (the “bad fat”) rather than Omega-3s (the “healthy fat”).

While none of our partner farms use pesticides, herbicides, hormones or antibiotics of any kind, not all of them have applied for an “organic” certification as it can be incredibly costly for the type of small family farms we work with. Instead, we have raised the bar for quality and sustainability beyond what “organic” certifications currently required for meat.

Insightful Fact: a cow that is raised in a barn and fed corn, and not raised on pasture can still be labeled as “organic”. Think about that.

Yes! All of the animals from our partner farms are raised on pasture. This means the animals roam, graze, and spend time outdoors.

This is why so many of our farms are small family farms with small herds: so that each animal can have sufficient land to graze. These small farms sincerely care for their animals. NIKU does not accept farms that use industrial or factory farming practices. If you ever want to visit one of our partner farms, feel free to reach out to us and we can make that happen.

We believe that packaging is key to reducing food waste. This may come as a surprise, but one of the best ways to avoid wasting food is by freezing it. That's one of the reasons our farmers flash freeze their meat immediately, at the optimal time for freshness. This way, no meat is spoiled or wasted on its journey from your doorstep, or while sitting in your fridge. When meat is vacuum sealed, it is designed to deliver the ultimate in protection, locking in the freshness and nutrition and extending its shelf life.

DELIVERY

We deliver to most regions within Ontario. When you sign up for a subscription, you will be prompted to enter your postal code to ensure we deliver to your area.

Deliveries are on Thursdays. can happen anytime between 8am to 8pm to a residential address, or if you’re having it delivered to your office it will arrive by 5pm. Your delivery comes in an insulated box with gel packs to keep the meat cold and safe until you get home.

Not at all. In fact, most of our customers are not home for delivery. We deliver with no signature required with Purolator, so the package will be left at your door.

The meat is all pre-frozen and individually vacuum packed. It is shipped in corrugated boxes that have an insulated liner with frozen gel packs. The meat will arrive mostly frozen or cool to the touch. Once the product is received, it must be put in the freezer or refrigerated.

Your vacuum-sealed, frozen meat will be sustainably shipped in our recyclable and biodegradable packaging. Learn more about our Green Cell Foam insulation, made from renewable, non-GMO corn starch.

If the product arrives partially thawed, it is still in perfectly good condition as long as product feels cool to the touch. The quality will not be diminished. You can refrigerate if you plan to cook within a few days or re-freeze until you are ready to use.

We offer free shipping for all membership plans. For trial packages, we charge a flat delivery fee of $14, and free shipping for orders above $250. We encourage you to place larger orders; not only does this allow you to order on a less frequent basis, but it is all around much better for the environment (less shipping and packaging).

USING & STORING:

Since all the meat is tightly vacuum packed and individually packaged, you can store much more in your freezer than you probably think. We have many customers who live in condos with small freezers, and they are able to accomodate our Regular or Large sized boxes.

The meat should be consumed within 1 year of the processing date on the package if kept frozen in the freezer. Once it is defrosted in your fridge, it should be consumed within 3-5 days. Although we can’t imagine leaving delicious meat in the freezer for that long.

SUBSCRIPTION

Always get free shipping on all subscription plans.

When you sign up for a subscription plan, your account will automatically be billed on a recurring basis, based on the frequency you choose. The billing date is one week prior to your delivery date. One the date you are billed, you will receive an email to customize your next package for delivery.

Yes. One week prior to your delivery, you will receive an email reminder to customize your next package. If we don't get a response by Sunday at midnight, we will build a package that we think you will love.

Add-ons are additional cuts of meat or speciality products that you can add onto your packages. The add-ons you choose are not recurring, and will only be part of one delivery. For each new delivery, you get the opportunity to add-on any additional products as you like. Your account will automatically be billed for the add-ons as a separate charge.

Shipping is always free for subscription plans.

You can choose the frequency that works best for you and your family. The options are every 2 weeks, 4 weeks or 6 weeks. You can always pause or skip by sending an email to info@nikufarms.com. If you’re not sure which frequency is best, take our quiz.

As long as you sign-up before Sunday at midnight, you will have your first delivery on Thursday. If you sign-up on a Monday, you’ll have to wait until the following Thursday for your first delivery.

When you sign-up for a subscription you can pause, skip, or cancel anytime. Just send us an email to info@nikufarms.com and we will take care of it.

Send an email to info@nikufarms.com and we will cancel or update your subscription anytime.

Of course. We’re grateful for all of our referrals, and we will credit your account $50 for every successful referral. When you refer a friend, they will get $50 off their first delivery as well. If you’re a current subscriber, simply click here to start referring.