Cold chain
How to ship refrigerated products
Perishable freight is unforgiving: get the temperature wrong and the shipment is a total loss. Here is how to keep cold products cold from the dock to the door.
Start with the temperature requirement
Before you pick packaging, define the target. Frozen goods (think roughly 0°F / −18°C and below) need a different approach than chilled or refrigerated goods (roughly 33–40°F / 1–4°C). The transit time, the route, and the ambient weather all change how much cooling capacity you have to pack. Map those first; everything else follows.
Choose your cooling method
Refrigerated (reefer) transport
For larger shipments or long lanes, a temperature-controlled trailer is the cleanest answer — the truck holds the set point the whole way, so the packaging only has to handle the dock-to-dock gaps. This is the backbone of cold-chain freight.
Dry ice
Solid carbon dioxide at about −109.3°F (−78.5°C), dry ice keeps freight deep-frozen and sublimates into gas rather than melting into a mess. It is ideal for frozen goods but is a regulated Class 9 material (UN 1845) — it needs vented packaging, the right labeling, and a quantity calculated for the trip. Never use it with live shellfish, and confirm carrier acceptance.
Gel packs and cold packs
For chilled (not frozen) goods and shorter trips, reusable gel packs hold a moderate temperature well. Pliable gels conform to irregular spaces; rigid packs suit flat surfaces. Pre-condition them to the right temperature before packing, and test the quantity against your real transit time — not your best-case one.
Insulate and pack for the worst case
- Use an insulated liner or foam/EPS box sized to your cooling duration — roughly 1 inch of insulation buys 1–2 days; thicker buys more.
- Eliminate air gaps with fill so the cold does not pool away from the product.
- For liquids in glass, double-bag and line the box to contain any breakage.
- Label clearly, including any dry-ice markings, and mark the package as perishable.
Moving something that has to stay cold?
Our refrigerated freight and dry-ice teams scope the packaging, the cooling, and the lane so your shipment arrives intact. Tell us what you are moving.