Frequently Asked Questions

What types of payment do you accept?

• For in-store purchases we accept cash, check, debit card, and credit cards (including American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa including Apple Pay). For online orders we accept debit card, credit card, and PayPal. We do not accept Apple Pay for online orders.

Do I need an account to place an order?

• No. You can place an order on the Fromagination website without creating a customer account. However, if you plan to place multiple orders, or a large (group) order, you should contact our business office to give us your contact information, multiple addresses, etc.

How long will it take for my order to arrive?

• Delivery times depend on which shipping option you selected at checkout. Please take note that it takes our team one business day to receive and process your order. Due to the perishable nature of many of our products, Fromagination does not normally ship on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. We do not want cheese sitting in an un-refrigerated  warehouse over a weekend. If you wish, call us to discuss your shipment. The delivery period starts once the package is picked up by one of our two shipping providers, not when you place the order.

Do you keep order data for future re-orders?

• For a certain period of months, yes. However, we cannot always guarantee to know what you ordered last year. Please do not depend on our staff to know about your previous orders. Please keep in mind that our product availability changes, and the products you ordered last time may not be available.

How can I place an order?

• We’ll take your order online, over the telephone, or in person at our shop in Madison. Multiple orders, or group orders of ten packages or more, should be submitted to our business office via phone (608-255-2430 ext. 4) or via email (gifting@fromagination.com) to facilitate faster processing.

How do your online coupons work?

• Most of our coupons are provided with a one-time use code, during a promotion. You enter the correct coupon code to receive the specified discount. If you are provided a coupon code that doesn’t function, please contact us immediately (608-255-2430 ext. 6), so that we can fix the coupon and ensure you get the discount.

How can I return a product?

• If you want to return a product due to an error or damage, contact us by telephone or e-mail to give us information about the return. In many cases, we will replace the item. If the item was damaged in transit, we may ask you to contact the shipper or delivery service (depending on the situation). If the packaging of your order was damaged, please take a picture of the damaged box before opening it.  This will assist us when filing a claim with our shipping providers.

How can I cancel or change my order?

• If you ordered online, you can reply to the automated e-mail you receive from our website, or send us a message to info@fromagination.com. You can also call us directly (608-255-2430 ext. 5) and make a correction over the telephone for online, in store, and over the phone orders. If you placed your order online please have your order number ready. If you placed your order in store or over the phone, please have your last name and the date of purchase ready.

What shipping methods are available?

• We can ship your package by ground (truck) or air. Express shipping can be overnight or 2nd-day rate, depending on your needs. Customers may also order for pick-up in our shop, and pay nothing for shipping.

How can I track a shipped order?

• Fromagination uses two services for shipping, SpeeDee and UPS. Tracking numbers are uploaded to our website at the end of each shipping day. You will receive an email from Fromagination with your tracking details. For orders shipped via SpeeDee, you will need to copy and paste the tracking number into the correct field in SpeeDee’s website.  For orders shipped via UPS, you can click the tracking link in the provided email.

I’m not sure when the recipient will be home or at their office.  When should I ship my order?

• Due to our product’s perishable nature, please ensure the recipient will be at the address you are shipping to. When in doubt ship to home address to avoid cheese sitting out.  If the package is undeliverable, you will incur the replacement of the product and shipping costs. When in doubt we can work with you and select items that are non perishable.

Do you have free shipping?

• Fromagination offers free shipping for orders of $65 or more to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. All free shipping is by ground transportation. Express (air) and overnight shipping is not included.

How do you ship perishable items?

• We ship with insulation, ice packs and packing materials designed to keep your cheese (or other items) cold until they reach you.

Do you ship internationally?

• No. Currently, Fromagination ships only in the United States, including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska. The costs of international shipping are prohibitive for a small business.

Can I ship to a post office box?

• No. We cannot ship perishable items to a post office box. We will not accept shipping addresses that include post office box information.

How should I wrap my cheese?

• Let the cheese breathe. Plastic isn’t the ideal wrap for cheese. Cheese is best stored in breathable paper or cheese bags. Cheese rinds are living things, and wrapping them tightly in plastic alone will smother and kill the rind. Some cheeses, such as Cheddar, can be stored in a zip-top bag alone. Squeeze the air out to improve the cheese’s chances. Otherwise, humidity will build up, and the cheese will ammoniate.

Should all the cheese be stored together?

• No, separate it by type. Store like cheeses together. Parmigiano Reggiano is going to store much differently than a Reblochon or other soft ripened cheese, so don’t wrap them together. Store milder cheeses away from stronger cheeses. Stronger cheeses can impart their flavors to the milder ones. Blue cheeses should generally be stored on their own, since the mold from the blue cheese can spread to whatever is stored with it.

How should I treat older cheese?

• Face the cheese you’ve kept in the refrigerator. The longer a cheese is wrapped in plastic, the more likely it is to taste like it. Improve the cheese’s taste by “facing” it. Scrape the exposed face of the cheese with the edge of a knife to peel off the layer that’s been next to the plastic. For hard cheeses, this method may also be used to remove mold. The cheese underneath is still good. Exception: Fresh/soft cheeses – if you see green, blue or pink mold, throw the cheese away.

What if I want to travel with cheese?

• Keep your cheese cool until your trip. Many of our cheeses can stay out at room temperature for 12 hours. Keep the cheese cool and store it cheese (properly wrapped) in the vegetable drawer or the lowest part of your fridge. Do not freeze cheese – freezing ruins the flavor and texture of cheese. And do not store cheese at room temperature: It’s too warm, and the cheese will sweat out its butterfat, drying out in a few days.

How long will my cheese be good?

• Cheese shelf lives vary. A drier cheese lasts longer. Rules of thumb: Fresh (no rind) – up to 7 days. Bloomy (Brie type) – up to 10 days. Semi-soft to firm – up to 3-4 weeks (face before serving). Hard/dry – up to 5 weeks (face before serving). Blue – Soft, creamy blues last 5-10 days; drier, fudgy blues last 2-3 weeks.

What should I know about cheese made with raw milk?

• Raw milk cheese is made with milk that is unpasteurized. However, for food safety purposes, if you want to purchase raw milk cheese in the United States, it must have been aged for a minimum of 60 days, whether it’s produced domestically or imported from another country. Raw milk cheeses may be firm, oozy, creamy, or crumbly, and can come in any shape, from wheel to block. Almost always made by small-scale artisanal producers, they are often created from a single-herd cow, sheep, or goat milk.

Who do I contact with more questions?

• To inquire with more questions please call our general telephone number at 608-255-2430.
• For cheese-related questions, contact our cheesemonger team at Extension 1.
• For shipping questions contact our Shipping Manager at Extension 5.
• For gift sets, catering, and events contact our Events & Catering Manager at Extension 2.
• For website questions, contact Extension 6.

What e-mail address should I use to contact you?

• info@fromagination.com