Shipping Frozen Foods

If you run a delivery business online, it is important to know how to ship frozen food. In this guide, we have included all there is to know about how to mail frozen food. Regardless of the type of food that you prepare and ship, it is essential to ensure that it gets to the intended recipient in good condition. This will improve your customer relations, placing your business ahead of the competition.

Plan for Delivery

It is crucial for you to time the shipment properly. If you are shipping perishables, make sure to do so ahead of a holiday weekend. This is important because products might arrive a day or two later than you had planned. Some shipping companies have reduced their schedules on weekends and various holidays. Take time and think of what would happen to the products if they arrive late. Therefore, it is unwise to have perishable food delivered to an office or home when no one is around to receive them. Pick a destination and time when there will be someone there while the products are still in good condition.

Keep Perishables from Spoiling

Any food that has to be refrigerated at 5°C or lower to prevent bacterial growth qualifies as highly perishable. But this description fits any kind of food that is packed, dried or canned. Therefore, you will need to follow the same guidelines for mailing frozen foods and perishable items.

Pack the food in a robust box and make sure all empty spaces are filled with bubble wrap, crumpled 60-pound kraft paper or other environmentally safe packing material. Make sure that your box is at least 1.5-inch thick to ensure the safety of the products inside. Also, there needs to be a 1.5-inch thick cooler that is lined with a refrigerant. This could be gel packs, dry ice, or phase change material. In some cases, you might need to use a cold-shipping box. If you choose to use a cooler with gel packs, make sure to seal it with tape. After that, wrap it in a 2.75 mils-thick polyethylene bag. You are strongly advised against sealing a cooler that contains dry ice.

Use Dry Ice and Gel Packs

Now, how do you ship frozen food? To ship perishable foods and ensure they arrive in good condition, consider using a combination of frozen gel packs and ice. They will provide the best cooling effect to the items you are shipping. Gel packs rated 0°C or lower can remain frozen for between 24 and 36 hours in an insulated and sealed cooler. Dry ice, on the other side, will dissipate within 18 and 24 hours. If the items you are shipping are highly perishable they must remain below 5°C. You won’t go wrong with a pound of gel packs for every three pounds of food.

The Cost of Shipping Frozen Foods

There is never a fixed price when it comes to shipping perishable or frozen food from one location to the next. This is because many important factors come up when it comes to determining the shipment cost.

Factors such as distance, duration, type of frozen food, and weight are used to calculate the monetary cost of shipping a product. Also, it is imperative to understand that you will need to spend money on acquiring dry ice and packing gel. Again, the quantity, in this case, is determined by the amount of food you are trying to ship.

To come up with an accurate estimate of the cost of shipping frozen food, it is proper to evaluate all the items that will be needed. From there, factor in the service costs that your courier might charge. It helps to find the best courier service that might not charge you a lot of money to have the products delivered to the required destination.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking to ship perishable or frozen foods, make sure you understand how packing should be done. The cost of dry ice and packing gel vary depending on the seller. Also, to save the expenses, always try to buy in bulk. That way, your seller will offer you a discount to help reduce the burden on your side. Also, when packing, take caution to ensure that the items are placed in a way that they will not get spoilt before the recipient receives them. If you are not sure how to mail frozen foods, you can talk to an expert to help you understand the additional steps required to ensure that everything flows smoothly. 

READ ALSO: How to Ship Chocolate Candy Without It Melting

Find The Shipping Supplies You Need at Astro Asia

If you’re a business owner who ships frozen foods in large amounts regularly, Astro Asia can provide custom solutions for your shipping requirement. Need a thermal box, cold box or an insulated shipping blanket? Get in touch today for a custom quote.