Beverage shipping: How to serve up delight to customers

How do you avoid shaking the can of so many carbonated beverages during transport? 

Because Shipwell is a solution provider for transportation and the supply chain, we understand the things it takes to get products safely to their destination. As you might have guessed, some particular measures go into the logistics of shipping beverages over the road.

Fasten your seatbelts, and your drinks

There are a few things you can do in the preparation process to ease the stress of cans on the road. Making sure they are secured, marked and in sturdy boxes, and cushioned appropriately.

If you are using shrink wrap, make sure it is strong enough, and plenty of dunnage is surrounding each pallet.

Packaging is very important in beverage shipping, especially if you are shipping something in glass, like bourbon or beer.

Breaking those bottles could leave someone with a claim and a big mess. Also determining which freight class to select goes a long way in ensuring the carriers have the necessary equipment to ship what you have.

Not all freight travels the same

Drink quality can change based on several factors during the shipment. Some of the most common ones include temperature and packaging. Loading trucks with beverages is not the same as loading it with freight like bales of cotton or palletized products.

Just because you can fill an entire container with whiskey doesn't mean that it is a good idea. Some products are labeled as dangerous goods and have specific restrictions on the shipment.

Alcohol, for instance, is considered a dangerous good and follows a certain protocol that is different from other liquid products.

Speaking of alcohol, did you ever wonder what "proof" meant on a bottle of liquor? Check out this Britannica entry to learn something new! 

Transparency is more important than ever

Shipwell wrote recently about how complex food supply chains can be, and the process of shipping beverages is no exception.

For instance, some beverages that travel longer than six hours require transport in a reefer as opposed to a dry van. Having insight on tight delivery windows and potential delays could drastically change the need for a different trailer.

There are plenty of challenges that go along with shipping beverages and contained liquids over the road.

The need for real-time visibility on products is becoming more and more of a necessity in the supply chain. This is especially important when customers need to guarantee the authenticity of high-value products.

Manage your products with a TMS that works

Communication between parties needs to become more efficient to ease the complexities of the supply chain. It can be hard to maintain communication across so many different parties.

Shipwell has in-app messaging that everyone involved in the shipment can utilize to add visibility to delays and more.

Using Shipwell, food and beverage shippers get access to a vetted network of carriers that extends to over 800,000 truckers.

Connect with carriers who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in shipping beverages over the road and know that your products will make it to the end-customer tasting as good as it does at the factory.

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