FAQ
Ordering & shipping
Do you save paper?
Yes. Your order details are sent by email. Product-specific instructions and specs are on each product page.
Where do you ship?
We ship to all countries in Europe. Please see our [Shipping page] for country lists, costs, and estimated delivery times. We also ship to Canada.
What are the shipping costs?
All costs and delivery estimates are on our [Shipping page].
Do you offer free shipping?
Yes. Free shipping is available to 16+ European countries on orders over €75. See the full list on our [Shipping page].
Why do shipping prices vary by country?
Prices depend on agreements between Dutch carriers and local partners in each country. We do not add a markup to shipping.
I only need one small product—why is shipping relatively high?
We offer a budget option for Europe: mailbox parcel (no track & trace).
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Great for light, small items (many starter cultures).
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Fits through a letterbox; max weight 2 kg.
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Up to ~90% cheaper than standard shipping.
Trade-off: it’s slower and has no tracking. Neither you nor we can see where the parcel is in transit. Prefer speed and certainty? Choose DPD with tracking. Your parcel, your choice.
Can I pick up my order at your address?
Sorry—no pickups. Startercultures.eu is an online store only.
How does the ordering process work?
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Place your order → instant email confirmation.
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After payment, you receive a shipping confirmation.
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Our warehouse packs and ships.
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For tracked services, you’ll receive a track & trace code once the parcel is processed.
Business details at checkout / VAT?
All orders are processed as consumer sales. A company name field is available only for delivery identification. We do not support EU B2B reverse-charge VAT on this website.
Product care & shelf life during transport
Starter cultures in transit
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Typical transit at ambient temperature for a few days to ~1 week does not noticeably affect shelf life.
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Most cultures have a long shelf life (often ~18 months) when kept refrigerated or frozen after delivery.
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Cultures are dried/freeze-dried and stable; shelf life already assumes ambient shipping. (Most suppliers ship to us at ambient, too.)
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On arrival, store as instructed on the label for maximum shelf life.
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The printed date is a “best before”, not a “dead after” date. After this date, activity may gradually decline; the culture can still work, sometimes requiring a little more.
Casings in transit
All our casings are either heavily salted or dried. Ambient shipping has minimal effect on shelf life. After delivery, store according to the label if you’re not using them immediately.
Intended use, documentation & compliance
Who are your products for?
We supply consumer-size packs intended for home fermentation and educational use by hobbyists.
Are your cultures sold as approved commercial ingredients?
No, unless a product page explicitly says otherwise. We do not position or sell our products as approved ingredients for commercial EU food production.
Who is responsible for EU compliance if I sell a finished food using your cultures?
If you place a finished food on the EU market, you (the food business operator) are responsible for that product’s regulatory compliance, including any Novel Food assessment/authorisation where relevant.
Do you keep traceability records?
Yes. We keep supplier, batch and sales records and cooperate with competent authorities on request.
About fermentation
How do I make yogurt, kombucha, sausage, tempeh, miso, etc.?
Most product pages include clear, step-by-step instructions. You’ll also find courses and workshop materials on our site for deeper learning.
Problems, fun stuff & the fine print
I’m dissatisfied with something.
Tell us—we’ll work it out.
I’m bored.
We have Terms & Conditions and a Privacy Policy to keep you entertained for hours.