Freight Shipping Food: Getting Goods to Grocery Stores

Freight shipping food involves careful coordination. From getting the right temperature during shipment to delivering on time, there is a lot to consider. Regardless whether you’re a small farm shipping out fresh produce or part of a frozen food empire, you know that how your goods are transported is essential to the supply chain. This means you need more than a food shipping company. You need a logistics and transport partner ready to go the extra mile.

R+L Global Logistics is ready to offer food logistics services. From temperature controlled refrigerated shipping to dry van freight service, we offer the solutions you need to manage freight shipping food. No matter whether your goods are heading to a distribution center or going straight to supermarket shelves, R+L Global Logistics is among top logistics companies shipping perishable foods and more. Let us help you find a cost effective solution to your shipping challenges.

Keep Food Supply Chains Strong

Food supply chains need to keep moving, even during times of uncertainty. Grocery stores are essential businesses and continue to operate even as other businesses shutter and consumers are forced to stay at home. This means your business needs to keep producing and shipping goods to keep food supply chains strong.

It is essential to have the right partner when freight shipping food. A strategic partner like R+L Global Logistics will make sure that the shipment is delivered on time and in good condition, as this can make or break vendor relationships. The way your food is shipped will impact your bottom line. When you optimize food product logistics with a strategic partner, you can focus on running your business.

The right food shipping partner also understands the laws and logistics around getting food across state lines. R+L Global Logistics only works with the best carriers in the business. This allows us to provide food-grade freight shipping for all kinds of edible commodities. We offer everything from wine transportation from California to shipping processed foods from Pennsylvania.

How to Ship Perishable Food

A perishable food is an edible item that will spoil or become unsafe to eat if it is not kept frozen or at below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining temperature will stop or slow the growth of harmful bacteria and help maintain the integrity of the product. Shipping and storing perishable food products at the right temperature will help prevent foodborne illness and keep consumers safe.

Perishable foods that require careful, temperature-controlled handling include:

• Dairy products
• Poultry
• Beef 
• Fish
• Fruit
• Eggs
• Pre-cooked foods
• Frozen foods

R+L Global Logistics works with the best carriers in the business. We’ll make sure your goods are moved on a state-of-the-art refrigerated truck, also known as a reefer truck. Our carriers will closely monitor the Bill of Lading and the contents of the truck to make sure all shipping and temperature requirements are met.

Packaging Perishable Food

How you package your perishable food for shipping is almost as important as how you ship it. Individual perishable items should be properly sealed in airtight or shrink wrapped containers in preparation for freight shipping. From there, packaging is essential. You might choose packaging for temperature-sensitive food like:

• Insulated containers
• Absorbents
• Padding
• Coolants, including dry ice and frozen gel packs

When food is properly packed, it can be palletized. Then it can be loaded onto a reefer truck and shipped, across town, across the region or even across the country.

How Much Does it Cost to Ship Perishables and Food?

The first step in figuring out the cost to ship perishables and other food is getting a freight rate quote. R+L Global Logistics is ready to provide a competitive quote for freight shipping food.

The cost to ship perishables and other food depends on many factors.Three main considerations to keep in minds include:

1. How much food are you shipping: R+L Global Logistics handles both LTL and truckload freight shipping. This means you might be able to ship as little as 150 lbs of perishable food on a few pallets or as much as an entire truckload. The weight and volume, or freight density, of the food you’re shipping will play a role in determining the cost, too.
2. The kind of food item you are shipping: Dry, lightweight and shelf-stable food (think potato chips) might be less expensive to ship than frozen, dense food like frozen chicken breast. Shipping perishables and frozen food requires more legwork and logistics, and can be more expensive, too.
3. The distance you are shipping your food: Though the cost per mile might go down when you’re shipping across the country, the overall cost will likely go up. Long haul shipments often require extra coordination and this can influence price.

R+L Global Logistics is among the nation’s top produce shipping companies. This means we can handle your perishable goods. In addition to produce, we also ship meat, dairy and other perishables. See how we can get your goods into grocery stores.

Freight Shipping Canned Goods

Freight shipping cans of food and other non-perishables can be easier and less expensive than shipping frozen and refrigerated foods. These goods can be shipped in a dry van and don’t require the planning that goes with using a reefer truck. 

You might ship canned goods directly from the plant to the supermarket or distributor. You might ship your cans and other non-perishables to a food-grade warehouse along the way. No matter where your freight is going, R+L Global Logistics can get it there on time, every time. We promise 99.5% on time delivery thanks to our outstanding network of carriers and commitment to customer service. No matter the type of food you’re shipping, we’ll make sure it is handled with care from pickup to delivery.

Freight Shipping Food with R+L Global Logistics

R+L Global Logistics is a full-service 3PL strategic partner. We match shippers with the carriers they need to move freight effectively. Having us on your side will allow supermarket shelves to stay stocked and keep food freight flowing along the nation’s highways.

Freight shipping food is easy when you’re working with an industry leader like R+L Global Logistics. Your freight will be handled with care from pickup to delivery. From keeping up with transit time to scheduling delivery, we provide visibility every mile of the journey. Give us a call at (866) 353-7178 and start the process of freight shipping food today.