While many of us are soaking up the last of summer’s sun and fun, food manufacturing supply chains are readying for the upcoming holiday food rush.

Have you ever noticed a lot of our favorite memories are surrounded by food? When we go to celebrate something like a birthday, anniversary, or special achievement, it usually involves food. It’s no surprise then that over the holiday season, nearly 165 million consumers across the U.S. purchase food and beverages to celebrate, according to a study from Cornell. As the holidays soon approach, food consumption surges, with the average American indulging up to an extra 440 calories per serving!

The increased demand and tight holiday deadlines can present challenges for many food and beverage companies with their logistics. This is in addition to already facing a competitive peak shipping season! However, by understanding the dynamics of this unique period of time, shippers can ensure success is ahead of them. First, let’s dive into some fascinating facts and insights about food during the holiday season. Then, we’ll follow that with some essential tips so your company can be prepared for the holiday food rush!

Holiday Food Supply Timeline & Stats

The Holiday Food Surge Begins with Fall

The holiday food rush first begins with the arrival of fall flavors. Pumpkin spice, now seen as the quintessential flavor of fall, has seen a 47 percent increase in sales, as reported by The Guardian, within the past five years. In 2023 alone, Datassential reported 144 new limited-time offers that featured pumpkin on major restaurant menus. From the infamous Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSLs) to pumpkin soups and ravioli, this flavor dominates the season. But we can’t forget another fall favorite – apple. Food and beverage items with caramel apple were one of the highest-indexing flavors last fall.

Halloween Signals Significant Holiday Food Consumption Increase

Halloween is a major milestone in the holiday food timeline, with 65 percent of consumers participating in the festivities. In fact, of all 172 million that celebrate the spooky season, 95 percent of them purchase candy. Even more staggering is that a quarter of all the candy sold annually comes from Halloween sales. It’s not all about the sweets, though! Pizza is the most popular dinner staple on All Hallow’s Eve, according to Grubhub. There’s also the annual tradition of carving a pumpkin, with Statista reporting roughly 154 million Americans partaking in the activity in 2023.

Dia de Los Muertos Celebrations Begin to Trend

Datassential reports that 10 percent of consumers in the U.S. report celebrating Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This holiday is gaining popularity, which means so are the celebratory foods associated with it! Pan de Muerto is one traditional sweet bread that’s essential to the celebration.

Thanksgiving Continues to Drive Food Supply Chain Demand

Thanksgiving remains the most popular fall holiday, with 83 percent of Americans celebrating the tradition. A whopping 46 million turkeys are consumed each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Other top holiday staples include cranberry sauce, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin and apple pies. That’s a lot of food to prepare for a meal, so 23 percent of consumers will buy a full, ready-made meal from a restaurant. Another 22 percent will supplement with some food from restaurants for part of their feasts.

Sweets, Candy & Chocolate Build Holiday Food Demand at Christmas & New Year’s

Leading up to Christmas, many enjoy hot cocoa, cookies, and other treats. 1.76 billion candy canes, a holiday staple, are made annually for this joyous time of the year. 70 percent of Americans make Christmas desserts, with frosted sugar cookies being the top ones consumed annually. Don’t forget the eggnog! 122 million pounds of it is poured and drunk each year.

When it comes to Christmas dinner, pork dishes are the most popular globally, but turkey still trumps all for the U.S. Other winter feast staples include roasted or mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, gravy, stuffing, shrimp, and lots of Christmas pudding, cookies, and pies. Sweet tooths rejoice as 83 percent of consumers fill stockings with treats like candy and chocolate.

Christmas and New Year’s are among the busiest holidays for restaurants. Both holidays also see a spike in alcohol consumption, with New Year’s Eve being the second most alcohol-associated holiday behind Mardi Gras. Champagne is the fan favorite for those ringing in the New Year.

Logistics & SHipping Tips for Holiday Food Shipping

The holiday season often brings those in logistics the gift of increased demand and decreased capacity. Like most Americans, truck drivers aim to be home for the holidays, trimming the number of available carriers down. Freight of all kinds can increase during the period, further cutting the number of trucks available. Shippers with more specialized requirements, like temperature control, can find even less capacity. Shippers also have tighter deadlines to meet at this time to make the most of the seasonal business.

Overall, the holiday season can be a time of heightened stress and disruption. Given these unique challenges, it’s crucial for food and beverage shippers to prepare thoroughly to appease customers.

Five Tips for the Best Holiday Food Shipping Logistics Outcomes

Tip 1: Keep Inventory Stocked

Running out of stock during the holiday season is a surefire way to lose customers. Track your inventory levels closely and replenish supplies early to ensure you’re well-stocked. By keeping orders moving consistently, you’ll be able to meet consumer demand and avoid causing any disappointment.

Tip 2: Have Backup Shipping Plans Ready

The chances of any disruptions or delays happening during this season are increased. Having backup shipping plans already prepared is essential to keep your goods moving.

Build relationships with multiple carriers and suppliers, or even a third-party logistics provider (3PL). This way, you’ll have known contacts ready in case you need any help. 

Look at alternate modes of transportation and be prepared to quickly shift plans should something happen. Exploring multimodal options can be a great way to diversify risk, add capacity, and protect your freight budget. Having this flexibility available and ready can help you stay on track and your supply chain running smoothly.

Tip 3: Real-Time Visibility is Needed for Success

In today’s supply chains, having access to the visibility you need is crucial. You should either work with a provider that offers it or invest in your own technology, like a Transportation Management System (TMS).

A TMS can be very helpful during the holiday season. It can help you with routing decisions by matching your freight with the best carriers, lanes, and rates. In addition, it will allow you to optimize the in-house processes of your transportation network – which can be helpful during busy and slow seasons. By selecting the best carriers and optimizing your routes, you’ll not only increase your service but reduce your risk.

Using a TMS also gives you data-driven insights to better manage disruptions, reduce downtime, and budget your logistics spend. Data analytics can help you recognize which carriers are most likely to have the capacity, saving you time arranging your shipments.

Tip 4: Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication is key to a successful holiday season. Regularly communicate with all stakeholders, including suppliers, carriers, and customers. Collaborating with your partners during the seasonal planning phase can provide valuable insights and help you identify potential issues before they arise.

Tip 5: Partner with a 3PL

Working with a 3PL can be a game-changer during the holiday season. A 3PL offers access to a larger network of carriers, advanced technology, and expertise in managing complex logistics challenges. With their support, you can ensure your supply chain remains resilient, even in the face of unexpected disruptions.

Treat Yourself with Easier Logistics This Holiday Season

Navigating the holiday food rush can be overwhelming, and that’s why Trinity Logistics is here to be your guide. Like Santa, we’ve been around a while, with 45 years of experience handling logistics during holiday seasons.

Right away, you’ll gain access to our large network of vetted, quality carrier relationships to cover your shipments. But that’s just the start! There are many more benefits to working with Trinity, including:

• Multiple modes of transportation to find the best bang for your buck, support your business growth, or just have a backup plan ready
• Best-in-class technology and customized Managed Transportation solutions available, giving you the exact visibility and data you want
• 24/7/365 support, so no matter what day or time it is, you’ll have the help you need

One benefit that tends to shine above all else? Our exceptional People-Centric service. It’s the trait that makes Trinity different from other 3PLs and keeps our customers returning time and time again. It’s truly our care, compassion, and communication that you’ll notice and appreciate.

Everyone wants to enjoy the holiday season. Why not let Trinity focus on the logistics for your business, so you can go back to doing what you enjoy – helping consumers savor holiday treats and create memorable moments with your product.

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Craft Beer Logistics: Navigate Complexity, Grow Your Business

Beer, a beloved and timeless beverage. It’s a staple in many cultures and continues to be one of the world’s most popular drinks. A growing subset in beer is the craft beer industry, known for its robustness, variety of flavors, and highlighting regional tastes. According to the Brewers Association, in 2022, craft beer sales increased five percent and now account for almost a quarter of the U.S. beer market. While the demand for craft beer grows, the logistics behind its distribution is increasingly complex.

Craft brewery owners often wear many hats and have lots of tasks to hop on. This can include handling their logistics. This includes more than just the shipping of their beer but the many ingredients and equipment that go into making it. From start to finish, these beer supply chains involve numerous stages and stakeholders, including ingredient manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Having effective logistics planning and processes is crucial for craft brewers to meet their growing demand and provide great service to their stakeholders. Managing their supply chains can be difficult to do alone, which is why a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can be a valuable resource to growing craft breweries. 

LOGISTICS CHALLENGES FACING THE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY

Knowing how to legally and efficiently manage their shipping networks is a crucial part of running a successful craft brewery business. There are several challenges craft brewers face such as keeping temperature control throughout transportation, meeting state regulations, and meeting customer demand.   

PERISHABLE INGREDIENTS AND PRODUCTS

The need for temperature control in the logistics of craft beer is paramount to preserve the integrity of any needed ingredients or finished products.

Craft brewers also often experiment with ciders, mead, and other malt beverages with specialized flavors, which can include perishable ingredients like fruit. The shelf life of the raw materials and craft beer brings along the element of urgency, placing even more importance on on-time deliveries. Coordinating these shipments to ensure quality beer adds an additional layer of complexity to the logistics process.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Navigating the web of regulations for shipping beer in logistics can be a considerable challenge. Regulations for shipping alcohol vary from state to state, meaning you’ll need to be compliant based on where you are shipping to and from. Additionally, state laws will often change every few years, making it even more difficult.

Craft brewers must also find carriers with the correct licensing, knowledge, and experience to handle the unique requirements of transporting alcoholic beverages. It’s important to work with a logistics provider that knows all the ins and outs of meeting your product’s requirements and state regulations to prevent costly disruptions due to non-compliance.

MEETING CUSTOMER DEMAND

As craft brewers reach more customers, the more need there is for effective logistics planning. Having to juggle keeping track of supplies, determining the most efficient distribution methods, and preparing for any supply chain disruption can be overwhelming. Having a successful craft brewery goes beyond just brewing great beer, but ensuring it reaches the consumer when and where they want it.

Managing costs is on top of rolling out new beverages can be a significant challenge for craft breweries. Having efficient strategies, such as freight consolidation or finding the most cost-effective mode of transportation, can help keep costs in check. This is where an expert third-party logistics company (3PL) can assist with strategy and technology, like a transportation management system (TMS) for visible reporting.

3PL BENEFITS: BREWING SUCCESS WITH TRINITY LOGISTICS

While there may be difficulties to face in the dynamic world of craft brewing, partnering with a 3PL like Trinity Logistics can alleviate the burden. Here’s why working with us for your craft beer shipping and supply chain is the perfect recipe for success:

Our Only Job is Logistics

Logistics is what we handle day in and day out. When you trust us with your freight, you get more time to focus on what you do best – brewing exceptional beer and growing your business.

Experts in Specialized Shipments

Understanding the nuances of transporting freight with specialized requirements, such as temperature control, is our expertise. Whether it’s raw materials or the final product, we ensure everything arrives in optimal condition.

Regulation Compliance

Our dedicated Team and compliance department work diligently to ensure the necessary regulations are meant to provide you peace of mind and reduced risk.

Tracking and Tracing

We understand transparency is key to your success, so we offer several ways to view and keep track of your freight, no matter the time of day.

Effective Logistics Strategies

Whether you need help with something as simple as finding the most cost-effective mode of transportation to freight consolidation, we can help you find and implement strategies to optimize your supply chain and manage costs. It doesn’t matter if it’s just one or 20 pallets of freight, we can arrange full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), expedited, or any other mode you may need. 

Reduced Risk

At Trinity, we meticulously verify all carrier relationships that we work with, not just during the initial setup but for every shipment. We’re also proud to share that less than one percent of all shipments coordinated with Trinity Logistics end up in a claim. If something does happen, we have a Cargo Claims Department at the ready to assist you in navigating any issues.

24/7/365 Support

No matter what happens, we’re ready to support you around the clock. We have a dedicated After-Hours Team to continue the monitoring of your freight and are ready to quickly resolve potential challenges, no matter the time of night, holidays, and every weekend.

Trustworthy Carrier Relationships

We treat and respect our carrier relationships just as much as our shipper ones. We aim to build a strong partnership with each one to help their businesses be successful. Because of that, we’ve built strong and trusted partnerships with those in our carrier network, providing you further confidence that your freight will arrive safely.

Managed Transportation

Whether you solely need a TMS for your transportation management, you’re looking for a fully outsourced solution, or something in between, we can help. We understand companies don’t come one-size-fits-all, and neither should the services you need to optimize your logistics. Our Managed Transportation services cater to businesses of all sizes and needs, capable of growing right alongside your brewing venture.

Partnering with Trinity Logistics offers you more than just transportation services. We’re a trusted, strategic ally that’s invested in seeing your business succeed. Leave the logistics to the seasoned experts, so you can focus on creatively and passionately brewing while we ensure your craft brews reach your consumers right when they want it.