Patriot Freight Group

What Meat Delivery Businesses Should Know About Shipping

According to a 2020 report, 98.4% of US households buy meat often. This report shows how many people rely on meat as a vital part of their diet.

Meat delivery is becoming very popular as more and more people are starting to utilize this option. Because getting meat has never been easier as you can order it online.

Buying meat is now much more convenient and fast for most people. This is why many delivery companies are having to find safe ways to transport meat to their customers.

Keep reading to find out how meat delivery works and what trucking company to use.

What to Consider When Shipping Meat

When you are shipping meat, it is important to do this with safety in mind. When shipping any kind of perishable item, this is very important to consider.

There are regulations that predict how you can do this to preserve the meat. Especially depending on where the meat is going, as this impacts how long it will be on the road.

Overall, there are a lot of things that you have to take into consideration. You may even want to test out a few different options before you start shipping meat to customers.

Time-Sensitive delivery can be tricky, and you want to make sure you choose the best option for your company. Here are some important factors to consider when you deliver meat.

Temperature 

The temperature of the meat is the most important aspect of meat delivery. This is due to the fact that meat isn’t safe to eat if it hasn’t been at a temperature below 40ºF.

If meat isn’t kept below that temperature, bad bacteria will begin to grow in the meat. It is then contaminated and unsafe to consume once it reaches its destination.

Temperature is important with all perishable foods, but especially with foods like meat. People can get very sick from bad meat, so you need to take all the necessary precautions.

There are several ways that you can keep meat cold when it is being delivered. There are plenty of great options out there designed for shipping purposes.

Time

When you deliver meat, you also need to consider how long it will take to ship. Some packages can take days to weeks to reach their destination.

If you are selling meat, you will most likely only offer fast shipping options. These options guarantee that the meat will still be fresh once it reaches its destination.

The best types of shipping will allow the meat to reach its destination within a day or two. This makes it much easier to package the meat so that it stays fresh.

You will need to consider these shipping times and make sure the meat will be able to stay cool enough. To do this, you may have to raise your shipping prices.

Packaging

There are different kinds of packaging options for all kinds of delivery. Food delivery often needs specialty packaging to keep the food safe and fresh.

You do not want to ship fresh meat in a standard cardboard box or paper envelope. You are going to need to invest in specialty packaging options designed for food.

You should choose packaging supplies made for meat delivery or cold delivery. The outside temperature should not be able to penetrate the packaging.

Finding packaging that won’t be susceptible to external temperatures is vital. If the outside were to make the package warmer, it would cause the meat to spoil.

You also have to consider that the customer may not get their package right away. So it should be able to stay cool for longer than the estimated delivery time.

Shipping

When shipping meat, the shipping option you choose is very important. You need time-sensitive delivery that is high quality and completely dependable.

A trucking company is often going to be more reliable than a standard post office. A trucking company can transport meat and deliver it within a specific timeframe.

Many companies have trucking logistics that make this a great option. It can save you money over time and provide a more reliable option for the deliveries that you need to have made.

What Could Go Wrong With Meat Delivery

When you deliver meat, there are a variety of things that could go wrong throughout this process. These issues result in many businesses worrying over this option.

The last thing that you want to do is start delivering something perishable like meat the wrong way. Food delivery is tricky, and you will need to make sure you know what you are doing.

The worst outcome would be that meat spoils before it reaches the customer. If this happens, they could get sick if they eat the meat without knowing anything is wrong.

This can be detrimental to your company if it turns out that you didn’t ship the meat properly. It will be your responsibility to make sure it is safely packaged and delivered.

If the right packaging isn’t used, it could become damaged or spoil the meat. Slow shipping could also result in the meat getting too warm to be safe to consume.

There are many things that can go wrong if you aren’t careful when delivering meat. The good news is that these problems can be safely avoided if you know what you are doing.

Why Temperature Control Is Important to Deliver Meat

If you are going to ship any kind of perishable food to customers, the temperature is important. Whether you are shipping meat, dairy, eggs, etc.

The temperature is something that is necessary for perishable foods. You do not want foods to become too warm and spoil during delivery.

This is even more important when it comes to meat, as meat is very temperature sensitive. If not kept at the right temperature, it can go bad.

Freshness

When you have a meat delivery business, you need to deliver that meat fresh. It should arrive to the customer as fresh as it would be if they bought it at a store.

If you aren’t able to achieve this, no one will want to buy from you. Meat is only good if it is fresh, and you want it to be of good quality for your customers.

Meat is also quite expensive, so customers are investing in it. They will be expecting the meat to be very fresh even when delivered to their door.

Safety

Temperature control when shipping meat comes down to safety. You cannot ship meat and simply hope for the best, you need to make sure it will stay safe.

Meat can begin to grow bacteria if it gets too warm, making it unsafe to consume. You will need to make sure it stays within a safe temperature throughout shipping.

This is where different shipping items come into play to help the meat stay nice and cold.

How to Keep Meat Cool During Delivery

Finding ways to keep the meat cold during delivery is going to be a top priority. This is something that you should test, trying out different options.

With food delivery becoming more popular, there are more options you can now use. Making it easier to ship meat without the fear of it going bad.

You should also let your customers know what rolling methods you are using for their purchase. Doing this helps to show that you have this under control and provide only the best quality.

Here are some great options when shipping meat to keep the package cold until it is delivered.

Dry Ice

A solid form of carbon dioxide is also called dry ice and helps keep foods cold. This is a popular option as dry ice stays cold for a very long time.

Dry ice also doesn’t melt like normal ice does, running the risk of damaging the package. It returns to its gas state if it gets too warm to remain solid.

Dry ice has a reputation for keeping foods cold for the longest and being a safe cooling option. It will help to keep packages cold for as many days as necessary.

It is also very easy for customers to discard as they can throw the dry ice into their sink to evaporate. It also limits how much plastic you are using in each package.

Insulated Packaging

When you are in the business of meat delivery, you should be using insulated packaging. Insulated packaging is often designed specifically to keep perishable items cold.

This is packaging that is made with insulated layers as protection against outside temperatures. It blocks outside temperatures, helping the meat to stay cold.

Insulated packaging isn’t enough all on its own, but you should still use it. It works both ways, keeping outside temperatures out and inside temperatures in.

Because of this, it will also help to keep the package colder for longer during delivery.

Cold Packs

Cold packs are typically water-based and can be frozen so that they keep foods cold. They are a great option as they will help fresh meat to stay cold for a long time.

Cold packs are also easier as you do not have to source dry ice. You also won’t have to label the package as containing hazardous materials such as dry ice.

The only issue with cold packs is that they aren’t as reliable. They could potentially cause freezer burn or freeze fresh foods, lowering their quality.

Cold packs are also not going to be as stable as dry ice, as they will eventually start to melt. Most companies find them useful as long as you have short shipping times.

How to Prepare Meat for Delivery

If you are going to be delivering meat using a trucking company, you need to prepare the meat. Preparation is key as this will help to guarantee that the meat will stay safe.

One thing that most companies do is freeze the meat before they package it. Even if you are selling fresh meat, you should still freeze it beforehand as a precautionary measure.

Freezing the meat will bring its temperature down, helping it to stay cold for longer. You will also need to alter your packaging materials to help insulate the cold further.

Some people use plastic air bags, paper, or packaging peanuts to add extra padding to the package. These options all work well, depending on your preferences.

Different kinds of insulated packaging are going to be designed in different ways. But you will most likely have a basic lined box that comes with a lid that fits tightly.

Make sure everything is in good shape and isn’t damaged, in any way. Then you can seal everything up and secure the box for shipping, making sure to add the necessary labels.

If you are using dry ice, you will need to add this information to the shipping label. Because dry ice is considered to be a hazardous material.

This should all be done as close to the shipping time as possible. You don’t want to do this ahead of time since the package will then be left sitting out until it is picked up.

What Meat Delivery Businesses Need to Know

If you have a meat delivery business, there are certain things you need to know about. Because shipping meat is no joke and has to be done in a safe way.

Do you need to find a trucking company that you can trust to transport your packages of meat? Contact us today at Patriot Freight Group for hot shot delivery for your business.