Top 4 Logistics Tips For Brands that Attended Expo West

We had a great couple days at Expo West and like everyone else who attended, we saw a handful of encouraging new trends and product innovations that continue the evolution of fresh and healthy food into our everyday lives.

Many of the Brands we interacted with are in the infancy of their brand journey, and therefore they found it helpful to talk with us about some of the logistical struggles their products face going from online to the front door or grocery store. Here are four logistical considerations to note as the industry continues to evolve for the better:

Functional Interior Packaging:

Most important of all is making sure your interior packing materials are properly aligned with your products needs, and of course are up to FDA, and your specific eTailer’s requirements. These interior packaging elements are even more important when you’re talking about products that need to kept at a certain temperature or are packaged in a fragile container. Depending on your product, you may need to have an airtight seal, or in the case of temperature sensitive packaging, Therma bags & gel packs. When shipping glass and liquids, custom solutions typically need to be developed, or even utilize a water tight plastic seal, to guarantee the safety of your product. If your product is to remain cool while shipping, make sure you pack your product with an ice pack. In talking with some of the brands at Expo West we discovered that this is quite the headache for brands that are trying to do this on their own, and that these packing materials can be expensive. One person we talked to told us the barrier to sell online is becoming higher by the day. Doing it on their own, and not enlisting the help of an experienced 3PL, has made it difficult for a consumer to buy their product online at a reasonable price.

Brand Consistency:

With all the additional packing requirements that must be implemented, particularly if you’re shipping a perishable item, it can be difficult to keep your brand consistency. Making sure that the product that appears on your website is the same product that the consumers will get when it arrives on their doorstep is a fundamental must for consumer goods now a days. With food products, this also means that it’s going to taste, feel and look the same as if they bought it in the store fresh, or directly at a restaurant.

Eloquent Exterior Packaging:

One of the things that assures brand consistency is to make sure that you use packing materials that match your brand. One of the brands that does this well is Good Day Chocolate Bars (pictured).

Good Day does a nice job of making sure that when the package arrives it matches their brand identity. Spending a couple extra cents to make a beautiful looking box goes a long way in a consumers mind. Coincidentally having nice packaging also lets your box be a mobile billboard, meaning everyone who touches it is going to look at it and see the brand, whether that’s the deliveryman, someone at a sorting facility or even a neighbor; all potential new customers!

Ship It as Fast or as Slow As Your Product Demands:

Finally, as it relates to shipping, make sure you choose the right choice for your product. If your product is one that needs be refrigerated and stay cool, ship it fast to minimize the transit time. If your product can afford to wait a day or two to arrive at its final destination and you can save on shipping, and therefore the final price to the end consumer, then do so. Constantly evaluating the costs associated with shipping will help you determine the best course of action and incentives that can be offered to the end consumer.

Need help with getting your product from point A to B? Visit us here or drop us an email. We’re happy to provide guidance and help!