Running a business that sells food and beverages can be full of excitement and rewards. Whether you’re learning to sell food from home or splitting your time between different types of markets, you can reach interested shoppers in a variety of ways.
Selling food in person is one thing, but delivering it without shipping hassles is an entirely different challenge. shipping frozen foods is particularly demanding because you have to ensure that the products arrive completely intact. With this in mind, expedited shipping is probably the best shipping option.
If you don’t have the right ecommerce packaging to support your products, they can go bad quickly. customers may assume you didn’t put in any effort and a damaged reputation will damage your brand and lose sales.
So how can you avoid product spoilage during transit? Read on to learn how to ship frozen food.
how much does it cost to ship frozen food?
The average cost of shipping frozen foods can range from $30 to $150. Since the contents, dimensions and weight of each package differ, you will not know the exact costs of shipping frozen foods in advance of time. Different services and features of eCommerce shipping companies also dictate price variation, such as shipping speed and optional insurance.
Package weight is a major factor in food shipping costs, as advanced packaging is required to keep frozen food intact. That’s why it’s useful to know how to calculate shipping costs by weight.
By standardizing your product weights, you can more accurately predict shipping costs per unit. Creating a weight chart of your best-selling products also simplifies your monthly eCommerce bookkeeping.
Changing even one type of packaging material can reduce weight and save you thousands of dollars over the course of a year. Whether you’re selling through a wholesale marketplace, bluecart ecommerce, or with the help of an ecommerce website builder, your buyers will appreciate the savings you pass on to them.
how to ship frozen food cheaply
Given the attention to detail required to ship frozen items, it’s no wonder business owners want ways to cut costs. Customers expect orders to arrive quickly and cheaply, so regularly cutting costs should definitely be on your priority list.
Even if you only ship a few dozen articles per month, expenses can eat into your profits if you don’t address them. Here are seven universal strategies for shipping frozen food on the cheap:
- Look for a carrier that specializes in cold cargo. Most shipping companies have capable fleets; fewer services understand the needs of temperature-sensitive products. Cold freight carriers have air-conditioned trucks and train their employees to monitor the condition of items throughout the delivery process. working with an experienced carrier is the difference between your products being damaged and arriving in perfect condition.
- Always use some type of insulated container. The art and science of shipping perishable food depends on the use of quality insulated containers. You don’t need a huge box or container full of gel packs, but your shipment needs to be prepared to withstand warm temperatures. start with a reasonably sized box or bag. then add some insulating padding like air pillows or aluminum box liners. continue adding until your product is cushiony on all sides, thus minimizing cold temperature losses.
- Use dry ice. Dry ice is liquefied carbon dioxide and has been used for decades to keep items cool for long periods of time. since it stays solid for so long at a low enough temperature, it helps other items stay cool. Companies that sell dry ice are well used to food companies requesting it, so it’s easy to find if you plan to incorporate it into your operations. The general rule of thumb for shipping dry ice is approximately five pounds for every 24 hours in transit.
- shop around for the best rates. once you’ve narrowed it down to a few carriers you trust, compare their rates. Just because a carrier has cutting-edge capabilities doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. ask them about any bulk shipping rates they have or discounts for first time customers. also reduce the overall time spent shipping by designating one or two times for carrier pickup. this allows your staff to prepare orders in batches, instead of constantly going back and forth between cold storage and the packing table. Since you’re shipping frozen items, make sure they don’t sit around for minutes. but if you are packing five similar items at a time, remove them from the freezer and pack them at the same time.
- buy packaging materials in bulk. the food industry relies on the preferences of consumers, such as the food trends of 2022, in addition to a constant demand. continued demand means you need plenty of packing supplies on hand. Save money and streamline your warehouse organization by sourcing packaging materials in bulk. this way you can store hundreds of packaging units at a time and retrieve them quickly. it will also lower your cost per unit sold. even if it is a small amount, after several months it adds up.
- Optimize your packaging for each product. It’s no secret that shipping cold items can add up quickly. Take a look at your products and ask yourself if you are optimizing product packaging. Are you putting small products in large containers, just to be sure? you’re paying more on shipping, which lowers your profits. Check out insulated Styrofoam containers that fit specific items and incorporate them into your picking and packing workflow.
- Ship in bulk whenever possible. You may also consider a separate cold room where boxes can be placed before pick-up time arrives. try these methodologies and see what works for your business.
If you’re looking for additional ways to reduce shipping costs, bluecart has you covered. our integrated shipping tools combine the buying power of our customers to negotiate the best possible rates from over 60 shipping companies. calculate costs, create labels, print labels with a shipping label printer, track shipments and more. book a demo to see what our platform can do for you.
how to ship frozen food usps
If USPS is your food carrier of choice, there are a few factors to consider. USPS does not offer refrigerated shipping services, so how well your products are protected is entirely up to you.
here are four helpful tips on how to ship frozen food usps:
- Use durable shipping materials. Regardless of the type of frozen food you ship through the USPS, it should be packaged accordingly. an insulated box, Styrofoam casing, dry ice, and bubble wrap are good insulating materials. buy what is within your budget and make sure the materials will keep temperatures down during shipping. this point is particularly important if you run a subscription business.
- consider frozen gel packs. investing in frozen gel packs will increase your expenses a bit (quality ones cost around from $3.50-4 per package). if you prefer these over dry ice or Styrofoam, it’s a great alternative. Pack your frozen food as tightly as you can in its packing paper or sleeve, and then place the gel pack on top. this will minimize the amount of heat that gets trapped between the top of your product and the box flaps, thus keeping the product cold longer.
- Look at dry ice. Frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice, has been used in the food industry for many years. it remains solid at an extremely low temperature, and because of this it keeps surrounding items cool for long periods of time. dry ice should be placed in a plastic liner or ventilated bag, both to protect your hands when moving it and to give the co2 gas room to escape.
- pack your items properly and safe. Since USPS does not offer cold shipping or dry ice, the responsibility to prevent damage rests entirely with you. The USPS website details the requirements for using dry ice to ship frozen foods, such as no leaks, odors, or unsealed packages. will also be responsible for any damage to other customers’ products. take the time to pack your products safely to give you and your buyers peace of mind.
once you’ve completed all of these steps, you can use the shipping cost estimator on the usps website. follow the on-screen prompts and print your label to have your package on its way.
how to ship fedex frozen food
Want to get your frozen foods to your customers in style? fedex is a great way to go.
fedex offers some of the most competitive service for cold and frozen items. they even have multiple cold storage facilities where temperature-sensitive shipments can wait in case of bad weather or unforeseen circumstances.
here’s a closer look at how to ship fedex frozen food:
- look for your temperature-controlled options. frozen food vendors rejoice; fedex has several cold pack solutions. They divide the options into four categories: room temperature shipping, cold shipping, frozen shipping, and deep-frozen shipping. Explore the details in these categories, choose the one that interests you, and then click the “talk to an expert” button. fedex will better understand your needs and offer you a personalized quote.
- Take a look at their value-added services. FedEx offers optional quality management services such as gel pack replenishment, real-time temperature monitoring, and package security higher level. read more about these options and use the contact form on their website to get in touch. A FedEx staff member can provide details on which products are best suited for these add-ons and the costs you can expect.
- If you have questions, please speak to a staff member. If you are unsure which service to select or still have questions, simply contact us. a customer service representative will be happy to learn more about your business and recommend relevant solutions.
how to ship frozen food through ups
Along with USPS and FedEx, UPS is one of the largest shipping and handling services in North America. they are primarily known for their large fleets and competitive ground shipping rates.
if ups calls you by name, you are an expert carrier to work with. Here’s what you need to know when learning how to ship frozen food:
- Choose a shipping solution that matches your products. ups offers many temperature-controlled shipping options. these include true plus, true standard, true saver and true dangerous goods temperature increases. true saver offers basic temperature and package delivery protection, while true hazard goods offers the most advanced level of product protection at all transit points. choose a service that fits the type of products you sell and how often you ship orders.
- Consider their value-added services. Similar to FedEx, UPS has several value-added options for frozen items. These include air-conditioned vehicles, guidance during customs clearance, advanced packaging materials, additional security measures, and temporary storage facilities with controlled environments. The services you choose depend on your product packaging needs and how quickly you want items to reach customers’ delivery addresses.
- Take advantage of UPS’s optimized temperature packaging. UPS has its own line of packaging options specifically for cold and frozen items. It starts with Med Eco and goes up to Med 500, with each option offering increasing protection from the elements. UPS doesn’t require customers to purchase this package if you’re shipping frozen foods, but it doesn’t hurt if you want to give your customers the best.
- Please contact us if you have additional questions. As always, specific scenarios and detailed questions can be resolved by contacting company personnel. If a specific type of food needs to be kept in a narrow temperature range, or if you work with multiple types of produce on a daily basis, your employees can help.
frequently asked questions about shipping frozen food
If you’re selling temperature-sensitive foods, you need to know how to ship them without spoiling. Frozen foods are notorious for melting and spoiling if you haven’t packaged them correctly.
To give you a head start, we’ve put together some frequently asked questions about shipping frozen food. read our answers now:
how much does it cost to ship frozen food?
For most industries and products, you can expect to pay between $30 and $150 to ship frozen food packages. The final cost of shipping frozen foods depends on how much you are shipping, your destination, the weight of the package, and the shipping service you have selected.
If you ship frozen foods in bulk containers, you’ll pay more overall, but less per unit or shipment. This is because bulk shipping is often discounted, making it easy to ship large orders at once.
can i ship frozen foods via usps?
You can ship frozen foods via USPS, as long as your product is sufficiently packaged. USPS does not offer any refrigerated shipping or packaging services, so your products must self-manufacture.
In addition to frozen gel packs, dry ice, or ice packs, it’s smart to put your products in a plastic bag. Not the grocery bag type, but a double sealed food grade plastic bag. In the unlikely event of a leak, this prevents water from seeping into the pack and destroying the box.
what is the best way to ship frozen food?
There are several smart ways to ship frozen foods, including in Styrofoam containers, padded foil box liners, and vented dry ice. you can use one of these methods that matches your products, or all of them if your assets require additional support.
Ultimately, the best way to ship frozen food depends on your products, the distance the box will travel, and the preferences of your customers. It doesn’t hurt to offer shoppers extra dry ice add-ons and packing materials. Not only does this show customers that you care about them, but it also gives you peace of mind that your products will arrive intact.
send, send, send away
Shipping frozen food or learning how to ship alcohol to customers is a challenge. In many cases, business owners have learned how to ship temperature-sensitive items by learning what doesn’t work.
Successful frozen food delivery requires thoughtful packaging and an optimized warehouse management process flow. make sure your storage environment is set up to make packing and shipping easy; otherwise, you will have more problems than solutions.
Even if you’re learning how to do it for the first time, eCommerce shipping companies will be happy to help. By following the advice in this post and your preferred carrier, there’s nothing you can’t get to the right buyer at the right time.