by If you’ve stepped inside a box truck during the summer months, you know how hot they can get.
But to launch a successful farm-to-table business and online store, you need to find a way to protect your perishable goods in this type of brutal environment.
Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. In this blog, we’ll explore how cold shipping solutions can help you get goods to your customers’ front doors safely, ensuring they always receive the freshest, most delicious deliveries possible.
Cold Shipping: The Basics
Congratulations on your decision to start a farm-to-table business! Selling farm-fresh goods online is a great way to share your passion for sustainable agriculture with others — and it can turn a healthy profit, too.
Before we dive into our list of the best cold shipping solutions, let’s start with the basics. What do you need to ship perishable goods from your farm to your customers’ doors?
- Order management software lets customers place orders from your farm and helps you fulfill them efficiently and accurately.
- Sturdy packaging protects your meats and produce from bumps in the road.
- Insulation keeps your farm-fresh products safe from temperature fluctuations.
- A shipping provider transports your goods from your farm to your customers’ front doors.
Now that you know what you’re shopping for, let’s take a look at some of the top providers for each cold shipping category.
Order Management Software
Your order management software is the first link in your cold shipping chain. This powerful tool lets you build your farm e-commerce website, list products for sale, and manage and fulfill customers’ orders.
Since shipping perishable goods like meat and produce can be complicated, we recommend looking for an order management solution specifically designed for farmers. Here are a few of our favorite options:
- GrazeCart is at the top of our list. Designed by and for farmers, our software includes everything you need to create your website, manage orders, monitor inventory, and market your business. Plus, we offer free onboarding and support to keep your farm-to-table operations running smoothly.
- Square is a solid choice if you’re looking for simplicity. This affordable, easy-to-use e-commerce platform is designed for retailers in all industries. Square’s mobile POS soluition also makes it a good option if you regularly sell at farmers’ markets.
- BARN2DOOR is another platform designed to help food suppliers run a successful farm-to-table business. While their services are on the expensive side, they offer bespoke design and branding to make your website stand out from the competition.
Choosing the right farm e-commerce platform will save you time, simplify your operations, and keep your business running smoothly as you expand your customer base and make more sales.
Packaging and Insulation
You’ve built your website, set up your order management software, and made your first sale. Now, it’s time to package your customers’ products to keep them safe on their journey.
On the road, your carefully cultivated products will encounter bumps, temperature fluctuations, and rough handling — which is why you need a cold shipping provider that offers sturdy packaging and high-quality insulation. Here are a few to look into:
- Sonoco Thermosafe is a cold packaging provider that offers a range of products designed to meet different needs and budgets. Their insulated boxes can keep products cold between 24 and 48 hours, and they also offer a corrugated cardboard option to prevent crushing.
- ULINE is one of the most affordable cold packaging providers. They offer insulation-lined boxes to fit shipments of varying sizes.
- Artyc offers a unique, innovative solution to keep your products fresh on their journey. Rather than disposable or recyclable packaging materials, Artyc manufactures reusable, high-tech boxes that cool your products and keep you up to date on the real-time status of your shipment.
Investing in packaging you can trust from a reliable cold shipping and packaging provider can give you and your customers peace of mind.
Shipping Providers
Now, it’s time to talk about how your products will make their way from your farm to the customers’ front door.
If you’re planning to start small and only accept local orders, you can use your own delivery fleet, but as your business grows and you accept orders for delivery across the state or country, you’ll need a partner. Here are three cold shipping solutions to check out:
- USPS offers a cold shipping option that can keep goods at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below for up to 72 hours. To take advantage of this service, all you need to do is purchase a USPS Cold Chain box and provide your own insulation.
- Fedex offers a cold shipping service for businesses and healthcare providers that need to keep products between 35 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit. You can order cold shipping boxes on Fedex’s website.
- Instacart is the most nontraditional option on our list, but it might be a good choice if you’re planning to accept local orders and don’t want to hire your own fleet of drivers.
Overall, we recommend choosing a cold shipping logistics provider that fits into your budget and is committed to safe, speedy deliveries.
Make Cold Shipping a Breeze With GrazeCart
Now you’re ready to start evaluating cold shipping solutions to make your farm-to-table dreams a reality!
Launching your online farm store and tackling your first few orders might seem intimidating, but we’ll be here every step of the way. GrazeCart is a comprehensive farm e-commerce platform that includes an easy-to-use website builder, robust order tracking system, built-in inventory management, marketing integrations, and more.
Take GrazeCart for a spin by launching your free, two-week trial today.