Thanks for supporting Red Kettle!
Right now, we offer four types of kimchi: Classic Napa Cabbage, Vegan Napa Cabbage, Mild Napa Cabbage, and Daikon Kimchi (seasonal fall/winter). We also sell Japanese pickles (seasonal for summer). We plan to offer other types of Asian ferments in the future, but each product requires FDA testing and approval. The good news is that by supporting us and ordering our current products, you’ll help us to expand! We’re also stocked at brick-and-mortar stores throughout Maine.
WHY IS SOME KIMCHI ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER?
Our new to market kimchi needs time to ferment and usually can only be purchased via preorder while we’re ramping up. Preorders will open and close at designated times. If you miss a preorder window, you can follow us on social or sign up for the Red Kettle newsletter to be notified of future preorder dates.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE KIMCHI?
Glad you asked! The answer is both simple and also complicated – it takes only about 2 hours to mix up a batch of kimchi. After that, we humans are totally hands off and we let science do the work. Fermentation depends on a whole interconnected series of processes involving microbes, salinity, temperature, humidity, and time. At Red Kettle, our kimchi takes approximately 8-10 days to ferment.
Your confirmation email should have a date range of when your kimchi should be ready for delivery. If these dates change, you’ll receive another email with updates. Thank you in advance for your patience!
PICKUP (MAINE ONLY)
If you’re located in Maine, you have the option to choose local pickup of your kimchi at our production kitchen in Belfast, Maine. When your kimchi is ready, you’ll receive an email, and we’ll coordinate a pickup time! Pickups won’t be scheduled until the kimchi is finished fermenting, packed, and ready to go. Refer to the estimated delivery date(s) in your order confirmation email. If the estimated delivery date has passed and you still haven’t received a delivery schedule email, please contact hello@redkettlekimchi.com.
SHIPPING
All packages will be shipped USPS Priority Mail so as to arrive within 1-3 days. The shipping fee covers the cost of packaging materials, postage, gas costs to the post office, and the cost of shipping a food product packaged in glass. We usually ship Tuesdays and Wednesdays to avoid packages sitting over the weekend at the post office. (Priority Mail isn’t guaranteed, so there are times it will take longer than 3 days for your kimchi to reach its destination!)
Kimchi is shipped unrefrigerated. By the time your kimchi is ready to be packaged and sent into the world, the main fermentation process will have slowed, and the salt in the product keeps “bad” bacteria from growing. The “good” probiotics are still alive and well inside your jar of kimchi, and warm weather tends to make them active, so you may see a bulging of the top of the lid and little bit of bubbling or fizzing when you open it. In some cases, if the package has been tossed around, the kimchi may be leaking a little bit out of the jar. All this is totally normal and the kimchi is still safe to eat! Please refrigerate your kimchi after you receive it to slow down the fermentation.
During the hot summer months of July and August, especially if you live in a part of the country with very hot weather, we may delay or pause your kimchi shipment. You’ll receive an email with your new estimated ship date in this case.
If your jar of kimchi arrives damaged, broken, or in any other sort of bad condition, please email hello@redkettlekimchi.com and we’ll make it right!
INTERNATIONAL
Unfortunately, our physical products are only offered to U.S. customers at this time.
QUESTIONS?
We’re happy to answer any further questions you have after reading this guide! Send a note to hello@redkettlekimchi.com or DM us on Instagram or Facebook.
