Q. Who is Viva Granola?

Viva Granola is a vegan owned and operated web store.  We are a happy vegan family (2 adults and 3 children) living in Quebec, Canada.  Some of us first started to become interested in vegetarianism in 1996 and together we moved in that direction gradually over the following years.  We then became committed vegans in 2005. We celebrate that happy decision each year on Feb 1st. 

Q. Are you a Healthstore? What does Vegan mean?

No, we are first and foremost a Vegan Store, which means that all the products on our shelves are made without the use and exploitation of animals, without animal ingredients or animal by-products (like meat, dairy products, eggs, honey, gelatine, leather, wool, etc) and those products are not and have not been tested on animals.  That being said, we believe that Vegan Candies and Vegan Chocolates and Vegan Marshmallows are healthier than their non-vegan counterparts, for you, the Earth and the animals.

Q. Why are you Vegan?

We are primordially Vegan for the Animals (Animal Rights, Compassion, Ethical reasons) but we also identify with all the other intelligent reasons to be Vegan as well.

Q. Do you publish a newsletter?

Yes we do and you can sign-up to receive it by sending us an email at vivagranola@gmail.com . And thank you for that!

Q. Do you have a physical store?

For now, we operate from our home office and hope to be able to make that physical store a reality!  In the meantime, if you live in Quebec City or are passing through, please know that pick-up is available in the Ste-Foy area.

Q. Can I pick-up my order in person?

For people in the Quebec City region, you have two ways of getting your order, other than Canada Post shipping :

1.  Our delivery person can deliver your order right to your door, or workplace, if you are in one of the following areas:  Sainte-Foy, Ancienne-Lorette, Sillery or Vanier.  We hope to be able to offer services to more areas in the future.  There is a charge of 5$ for delivery.  Service available on Thursdays or Fridays.

2.  You can pick up your order on Thursdays in Sainte-Foy.  There is a 3$ charge for pick-up and the necessary address information will be given to you by email, when you submit your order.

Q.What are your hours of operation?

Monday to Friday:  9am to7pm (Eastern)
Saturday & Sunday: 9am to 12pm (Eastern)

Q. How quickly do you answer customers' emails?

We try to respond as quickly as possible but you can usually expect a reply from us within 24 to 36 hours during business days.

Q. How can I order?

By internet at www.VivaGranolaVeganStore.com;
By mail by sending us your order and your payment by money order or personal check at our mailing address;
By email by sending us your order at vivagranola@gmail.com - payment by Paypal, money order or personal check.

We plan on taking phone orders in the future. 

Q. If I don't find what I'm looking for, can I request or suggest that you carry it?

Please do!  We are very open to product suggestions, in fact, we wish that our customers would make it a habit to ask for what they want as that is what drives us.  We do and will do what we can to find the products you are looking for and we will keep you updated on our progress, if you wish.

Q. What form of payments do you accept?

We accept credit card payments, Paypal, personal checks or Canadian money orders or, if in person, cash payments.  The credit card payments are processed securely using Paypal.  You don't have to have a Paypal account to pay us by credit card.  If paying by personal check, your order will be put on hold as soon we receive your order confirmation and will be shipped as soon as your check clears (this can take up to 6 business days).  A charge of 35$ will be issued in the event of insufficient funds.

Q. How much tax should I expect to pay?

At this time, Viva Granola doesn't charge any taxes.  We are a very small business and so, for now, we don't have to charge customers provincial or goods and services taxes, at least until we reach a certain level of sales.

Q. Is it possible to buy VivaGranola Gift Certificates?

Yes, definitely!  You will find them in the Gift Voucher Section of our web-store.

Q. Do you accept US or International orders?

We ship to Canada and the continental US primarily but we can accept international orders if you have a Paypal account.  Contact us by email with your order for a Canada Post shipping quote that will be based on the total weight of your items and the delivery address. US and International clients are, of course, solely responsible for any customs fees, if they apply.  Please check with your local customs office for information pertaining to your country's customs regulations.

Q. What else can you tell me about shipping?

The shipping costs charged are calculated by Canada Post's integrated shipping module on our website.  We don't use a carrier as of yet but would like to offer that service in the future. Canada Post will charge a minimum of about 8$ for the smallest and lightest parcel, for example, shipped from Quebec City to Montreal.  A bigger and much heavier parcel (ex. 6kg) will cost around 12$ if again, shipped from Quebec City to Montreal.  Of course, the prices vary depending on where you want the parcel delivered.  But keeping that in mind, you can see that the heavier the package (the bigger/heavier your parcel is), the more economical the shipping is

To have a better idea of what the price of shipping would be for your particular order, you can place your items in your shopping cart and go through Checkout. It will tell you how much the shipping would be, giving you different shipping options based on the weight of your products and also your location.  If you prefer, you can send us an email detailing what you would like to purchase and your address and we can check it for you.

Also, you might appreciate knowing that when we receive orders from our suppliers, we reuse their cardboard boxes, styro-foam peanuts, plastic bags, brown packing paper, bubble wrap, etc. to pack your order and we encourage you to reuse them as well.

Q. How soon will my order be shipped?

Your order will be prepared and shipped out to you within 24 to 48 hours during business days after we receive your payment and order confirmation when you pay by Paypal, credit card or money order.

Q. Once you ship my order, will I be able to track it?

Yes, you will!  We will send you your package's tracking number by email on the day your order is  shipped out.

Q. I did not receive an order confirmation after I made my payment.  Is that normal?

This happens when a client doesn't follow the link back to Viva Granola, or doesn't let the payment page go back to Viva Granola after payment is made. If you don't click on the return link or interrupt the process of linking back to your profile, we will receive your payment but not the details of your order (this is also your order confirmation).  We then have to go to the database to retrieve your items (know that they will still be in your basket next time you log in to your profile) but unfortunately, if it is a busy day, that can delay the shipping of your order. 

So please be sure to return to your profile by following the link to VivaGranola when you finish making your payment.  That way, you will receive your order confirmation and we will receive it too, we will be able to read the special instruction or note you may have left us when placing your order, you will be able to see the details of all your orders with us on your profile page and your package will be sent promptly. 

Q. All your products are vegan but are they all manufactured by vegan companies?

Indeed, all the products we carry are vegan.  But unfortunately, there are few entirely vegan companies.  That being said, we believe that the demand for vegan products is a strong message to send to companies around the world, whether they are completely vegan or have a vegan line, and that encouraging such companies is a political gesture that contributes to the increase in the types and quantities of vegan products available.  Also, Viva Granola encourages those companies that produce vegan products even though they must, usually for financial reasons, use equipment that is also used for non-vegan products. We are aware that there are a small number of completely vegan companies at the moment that are in a position where they can have their own factory or machinery. 

Q. I have severe allergies.  What can I buy from your store?

We are sorry but for your security, we can't recommend that you shop at our store because there are risks of cross-contamination from certain products.  For example, a lot of products on our shelves contain nuts or are manufactured on equipment that process nuts.   Also, some of the products we sell are manufactured by companies that share machinery with other non-vegan companies; even though the equipment and machinery is meticulously washed and cleaned between the different batches, it is possible that traces may remain in certain products.  If a note is on the packaging of a product, we include it on the item's page. 

Q. I see that you sell refrigerated products that I would love to order but I don't live in the Quebec City region.  Can I order them anyway?

When a product needs refrigeration, or prefers it, we mention the risk of having it shipped to you and even more so if you are outside of a one-day-shipping region; we also recommend that you add an adequate amount of ice packs to your order and choose next-day shipping to minimize your risks. 

That being said, we are still a very small business and we unfortunately can't take the financial responsibility of spoiled items arriving at your door, and even more so between the months of April-May to September-October.  For example, Sheese products should not be exposed to a temperature of 25C or higher.  So having them shipped to you during the warm summer months of July and August is taking the risk they will get to you in spoiled condition. Yet, the majority of refrigerated products can be shipped without worry during the colder/cold part of the year and they don't have the same refrigeration needs, some requiring more than others.  You will find details and suggestions on the description page of these products.  If you choose to have them shipped to you, you will be asked to confirm that you are accepting the risks when you place them in your basket.  So if a refrigerated item arrives to your door in less than optimal condition, we won't be able to offer you a reimbursement or exchange.  The decision is left to you. 

On our side, we do our best to wrap your refrigerated items and we can decide to delay if necessary, if only to prevent your package from sitting in a postal outlet during the weekend or statutory holidays.  For example, if you include a refrigerated item in an order placed on a Thursday, we will wait until Monday to ship it because it would be impossible for Canada Post to deliver it the following day (Friday).  Another thing we can do to help is freeze the items you ask us to freeze before shipping.  That helps keep your items colder, even with the addition of one or more ice packs. 

During the summer months, please keep in mind that chocolates can melt or soften during transport even if they don't typically need refrigeration.  Again, we strongly suggest you add a sufficient amount of Ice Pack Power and choose next-day shipping to minimize melting.

Q. What is your Return Policy?

For information on returns - what products can be returned and the procedure to be followed -  please read the following page explaining the details of our Return Policy.

Q. What is your Privacy Policy?

Please know that we will never give out, sell or exchange your personal information with a third party.  For more information, please read the following page explaining our Privacy Policy.

Q. How can I contact you?

By mail at: (please note that this is our mailing address only)
Viva Granola
2700 boul. Laurier   P.O. Box 31150
Québec QC G1V 2L8

By email at:
info@vivagranolaveganstore.com