GENERAL FAQ
Product Care, Returns, Shipping, Employment
You can purchase our products at our retail locations: Nanaimo, Delta, YVR Vancouver Airport – South Terminal (Richmond), Port Alberni, and Campbell River. Most of our products are also available for purchase online at stjeans.com or can be ordered by phone, 1-866-754-3191. We do have special seasonal products and sales that are in-store only, so please drop on by and say hello!
Our products are also available at a small number of boutique retailers and grocery stores on Vancouver Island, including Country Grocer and Pepper’s Foods (Victoria).
The minimum shelf life is five years, though most canned products will maintain their quality for a number of years after that, provided that the can is not damaged in any way.
Approximately four years. Best-before dates are printed on each pouch.
Our vacuum-packed fish, kept frozen, has a shelf life of approximately 18 months before the quality begins to degrade. Please note that vacuum-packing does not prolong freshness after the fish has been thawed.
Break the vacuum-seal (cut open the package) and thaw your fish overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, it should be consumed within three days.
Family secret! We can say that it is all-natural hardwood.
Please contact us immediately so that we can deal with any issues or concerns: 1-866-754-3191 or info@stjeans.com.
Retail product orders and sport fish processing orders are shipped under different rate programs.
Retail product orders (canned/non-perishables and frozen) are shipped via flat-rate shipping programs. Please visit our Shipping page for current rates.
Sport fish and processed sport fish orders are billed based on the weight of the order and the distance shipped. Shipping for canned orders (ground courier) is cheaper than frozen orders (priority air shipping). Please contact us if you’d like a shipping estimate on a sport order.
As well, you can avoid shipping costs by arranging to pick up your retail or sport fish order at one of our retail outlets in Nanaimo, Delta, YVR South Terminal (Richmond), Port Alberni, or Campbell River.
Orders of cans, foil pouches, most gift products, and non-perishables ship via ground couriers. Expedited shipping options are available for a higher fee.
Perishable/frozen products are shipped via priority air couriers. Our shipping staff will contact you to arrange for a shipment/delivery date. We never ship frozen orders without arranging the delivery date first. (We don’t want frozen salmon thawing on your front porch!)
Please visit our Shipping page for current rates. Retail products are shipping via a flat-rate shipping program while sport fish orders are billed based on the weight and delivery location.
As well, you can avoid shipping costs by arranging to pick up your order at one of our retail outlets in Nanaimo, Delta, YVR South Terminal (Richmond), Port Alberni, or Campbell River.
We do—with certain restrictions for some parts of the world. Please call us at 1-866-754-3191 (request the shipping department) for inquiries or to make arrangements.
Our “safe” zone is usually the first week of December for USA orders and the second week of December for Canadian orders, but please contacts us to confirm shipping times. (Or, for a safe bet, place your order in October or November!)
PS. Gift baskets, boxes, and tins are impactful gifts year-round!
Our fish is wild-caught from Pacific Northwest salmon and tuna fisheries.
Most canned salmon and tuna are cooked twice; once before canning, and once during the canning process. However, we only cook our fish once, during the canning process. We believe that this allows the fish to retain more of its natural flavour and nutrients, and it’s still ready to eat right out of the can. As well, we don’t add any extra water, oil, or fillers to our canned salmon and tuna. Finally, we hand-pack all of our cans to ensure that portions are correct and quality is always high!
Our operating hours at our retail stores and processing plant vary depending on the season. Please refer here to find current hours.
Please ensure you have ‘cookies’ enabled in your browser; this is what remembers your cart additions as you continue to browse the website.
Please visit any of our retail stores and ask to fill out an application form. We’d love to have you as part of our team! Our busiest hiring season is in the late spring as we prepare for the summer sport fish season; there are typically a good number of seasonal positions available (customer service, shipping, warehouse, fish processing) in addition to long-term employment.
SPORT FISH FAQ
Most frequent questions about sport fish processing
We process sport-caught salmon, tuna, halibut, and ground fish. (We are not accepting trout at this time.)
Please contact us if you have any questions about other species. As well, while high-quality fish of any species can be processed in any way with decent results, we can recommend processes that will work best with your catch.
Most people transport their fish in coolers with ice. Do not wrap your fish in newspaper, tissue paper, or plastic wrap. If you are freezing your fish at home before bringing to St. Jean’s, please wrap it in freezer paper.
We can accept fish fresh or frozen. Fish can be whole, cleaned (heads off/guts out), or filleted. To comply with DFO regulations, please ensure you are able to identify individual fish during transport.
We always weigh your fish when you drop it off. Because all non-canned processing is billed based on incoming weight, you are at an advantage if you bring in fish that is already cleaned, with heads off and guts out. If you are canning your fish, you only pay for the cans you receive, so there is no cost benefit to filleting your fish beforehand; however, leaving the guts in causes your fish to degrade much more rapidly, so you are strongly advised to clean your fish beforehand in order to maximize the quality of the fish meat.
Often, during busy periods (including the heart of sport fish season, from June-October), we will not accept fish with guts. To be on the safe side, always clean your fish!
Most fishing lodges on the BC coast have shipping arrangements with us; simply speak to your guide or host. We also have a series of drop-off depots in western BC that can ship your fish to our processing plant. Click here to see a list of our drop-off locations.
You will need to allow 10-12 weeks for processing and delivery, especially during the peak of the sport fish season (mid-July to mid-September). However, most orders will be completed much more quickly (3-5 weeks).
The fish processing itself is quite fast and completed over a handful of days once your fish is in our plant, but typical delays are due to sport fish volume, packaging backlogs, and courier requirements. Hand-filleting and hand-packing fish is definitely slower than what machines can do, but we believe the resulting quality is worth it!
Note: international orders (outside of Canada & USA) often take longer because of volume shipping and customs requirements outside of St. Jean’s controls.
We have developed a comprehensive tracking system to ensure that you receive your own fish back, beginning with your initial processing card. Each card–filled out in triplicate–documents the store, depot, or lodge drop-off point and assigns a master receipt number to your order. Futher paperwork is produced for every process request. This information stays with your fish during the entire process: when it is received, weighed, filleted/portioned, packaged/canned, and boxed up for delivery or shipping.
This level of tracking is another reason why our sport fish turn-around times may not be lightning-quick, but it’s the right way to ensure you receive the one that didn’t get away!
Most canned salmon and tuna are cooked twice; once before canning, and once during the canning process. However, we only cook our fish once, during the canning process. We believe that this allows the fish to retain more of its natural flavour and nutrients, and it’s still ready to eat right out of the can. As well, we don’t add any extra water, oil, or fillers to our canned salmon and tuna. Finally, we hand-pack all of our cans to ensure that portions are correct and quality is always high!
Our operating hours at our retail stores and processing plant vary depending on the season. Please refer here to find current hours.
Don’t see your questions in our Frequently Asked Questions list? Drop us a line at info@stjeans.com or call toll-free 1-866-754-3191. We’ll be happy to help.
