So, you are just about to start your frozen food business? Everything seems to run smoothly so far, but you release you will be doing a lot of frozen food shipping? This is one of the biggest challenges that new businesses face: ship frozen food, says Gray Growth.

Packaging and shipping your goods to your customer is one of the most important fundamental things in any business. From good marketing to good customer service, and most of all, ensuring the goods get to the customers as fresh as it was from the “factory.”

In this short guide, you will learn how to ship frozen food while making sure the goods don’t get damaged in any form or shape, and satisfy your customers. But before we get into details, you should know the challenges you are fighting. Check them out below;

Extreme Temperature

One of the challenges you will most likely face while shipping frozen food is extremely hot or cold weather. When this happens, it dramatically impacts the packaging or packed food. So, the first thing to keep in mind is to pack for extreme weather. You can never know the temperatures in the next 2 hours.

Spoilage

Packing dry food has always been easier than frozen foods. There isn’t too much process involved. However, with frozen food, you have to be extra sensitive. The box must be well insulated, and the food must have proper refrigeration. Otherwise, the chances of the food getting spoiled would be pretty high.

Shipping Preparation

You have to be well prepared and plan when shipping frozen food. Understanding the process involved will enable you to ship better without compromising the food’s quality, packaging, shape, and form. It will also minimize the chances of any damage.

Here are some tips for your preparations:

• Know your shipment timing and plan it well
• Use the appropriate shipping materials. Make sure it is the right boxes and containers.
• Find a trusted and reputable shipping company. No matter how good you are, if your shipping company is not as good as you, then the whole shipping might as well be a disappointment.
• Don’t cut corners when you are packing.
• If necessary, make special courier plans. Note that some shipping companies don’t offer any special refrigeration services.

The Process

It all starts with the packing materials. Whether you are using boxes or containers, make sure they are properly insulated. You also want to make sure your packing materials are waterproof.

Waterproof containers could be a great choice if the risk is higher. This way, you wouldn’t have to worry about boxes getting soggy. You might need to cover the inside with a waterproof material like plastic for boxes.

The next thing to be concerned about is your refrigeration. You want to make sure to use the correct refrigerant, or else you stand the risk of spoiled goods. Regular ice is not the most suitable for shipping. This is because it is heavier and may melt and dampen the inside of the box.

Instead, it is highly recommended to use dry ice. This is one of the best options to keep the food dry and frozen throughout the entire shipment. Gel packs are also great to keep food cold.

You should know that gel packs melt and dampen, but they stay longer, while dry ice stays dry. Also, be careful when packing not to let the ice come in contact with the frozen food. Always begin by cooling your packing materials before you pack the goods.

Movement and time are also important factors that may affect your goods. Make sure your boxes are full (you can always pad the extra space) to minimize movement of the goods and ensure they are steady and stable for shipping. For transit time, the shorter time your goods are on the road, the better. Always schedule ahead and earlier.