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.

Are you a Freight Agent that stumbled across this article?

It’s produce season. That time of the year when produce shipments are at their peak and so are produce shipment rejections. According to DAT, up to 12 percent of shipments are rejected or delayed. Produce shipments are most often rejected because of the complexities of fresh food logistics. Because of their perishability, they are more likely to experience damage in transit due to improper handling, temperature variances, or delays. 

A produce shipment rejection can cause lost time, added fuel and shipping costs, wasted product, and sometimes even a strained relationship with your customer. In addition, these rejections can cause a domino effect of added issues, costs, paperwork, and make everyone’s day longer than it needs to be. Yet, with attention to detail, planning, and effective communication, you can prevent produce shipment rejections and manage your costs. Here’s some advice on preventing shipment refusal during produce season.

REASONS TO REJECT PRODUCE

With fresh produce being on average, 90 percent water, it’s a volatile product to ship. It can develop issues at any stage, during growth, harvest, storage, packing, or shipping. This makes the logistics of shipping produce that much more complicated. As a result, there can be many more reasons for produce shipment rejections to happen. So, what are some reasons for a produce shipment rejection?

Paperwork Errors/Wrong Product

The Bill of Lading (BOL) must match the shipment delivered. When the receiver checks the BOL to verify the purchase order (PO) number, skid, case count, and weight of the freight delivered, and it doesn’t line up, then the shipment may be rejected. This could happen for several reasons. For example, the product could be what they asked for but the wrong amount, or the product could be completely different. However, any discrepancy between what they ordered and what arrived will mean a rejected shipment.

*Important to note: A produce shipment should not be rejected if there is less than 50 percent of the product short or damaged.*

Pallet Configuration

Some customers require that the product arrives according to their specific guidelines for packaging. If their requested guidelines are not followed, or anything shifted, fell, or ripped while in transit, then they may refuse the shipment.

Improper Temperature Range

Maintaining integrity and freshness is serious when it comes to a perishable product like produce. If your produce shipment falls out of its needed temperature range, even by one degree, the receiver may reject your shipment. Unlike other types of freight, the chance for spoilage with produce is too high, so a receiver won’t often take on the liability with any temperature variances.

Delivered Late

Often, retail and grocery distributing centers operate on tight schedules, so a delay could impact their other appointments. Unfortunately, this means they rarely make exceptions when it comes to late shipments and your produce will be rejected.

Equipment Issues

The trailer could have been unable to keep the temperature in the range needed for your produce shipment or perhaps the trailer was not washed thoroughly before loading. Maybe the carrier showed up with a van and you needed a refrigerated trailer. There are several issues in which the trailer your shipment is delivered in can have the receiver refusing your product.

Reasonable Time to Reject

One important thing to know about produce shipment rejections is that there is a reasonable time for the receiver to reject the shipment. When shipping by truck, the receiver must not exceed eight hours to inspect and reject. When shipping by rail, the receiver must not exceed 24 hours to inspect and reject.

AS A SHIPPER, WHAT TO DO WHEN PRODUCE IS REFUSED

Many issues associated with rejected produce shipments can often be resolved quickly with extra communication and planning.

You’ll first need to figure out why the receiver rejected your produce shipment, so start with asking your receiver that. Ask for pictures showing any damage and a copy of the BOL. Next, ask for the report by the USDA inspector or another qualified individual, as it’s required for the receiver to have the shipment inspected, note any issues, and detail what the cause of damage was. Additionally, ask your carrier for a reefer unit download or a temperature recorder download so you can see if there were any temperature fluctuations during transit.

If you’re considering filing a cargo claim, you must know that cargo claims for produce will only be paid for proven physical damage.

Now, if a produce shipment is rejected and not unloaded, there are a couple of options for you to try to recoup the loss. You can reroute the shipment to a different facility that will accept it, donate the shipment, or have the carrier dispose of it. Regardless of which option you choose, you are responsible for handling where the shipment will go next.

What are any secondary markets the produce can go to if messed up? What’s the disposition? You’ll be the best resource for the area’s market. Be familiar with your shipping lanes and the secondary markets within your location to best salvage the produce if refused.

Secondary Facility

As long as your produce is still safe for consumption and solely rejected for the way it looks, you might be able to sell the shipment to a secondary facility. For example, a sauce maker or a french fry company might be willing to buy a shipment of tomatoes or potatoes that are still edible but visually unappealing.

Donation

It can be possible to reuse a rejected produce shipment through local donation, though there are still high standards for products if donated. Any food and beverage products donated must be safe enough to consume. Donations can be optimal as your produce can still be used, and you can receive tax credits for your donation.

Disposal

If your produce shipment is rejected due to a temperature violation or clear spoilage during transit, disposal may be your solution. When your produce is determined to be unsalvageable, it may be best to dispose of it. Although the other two options are better for the environment and your bottom line, it’s sometimes a necessary evil to dispose of the product. While recycling and reusing are ideal, they may not be workable due to compliance and safety standards. One of the benefits of disposal is that scheduling disposals are often quicker than scheduling to another facility.

Maintaining a Good Customer Relationship

Shipment rejections can stress even the best relationships. It’s best to keep in mind that you are in it for the long haul and produce shipment rejections that can happen even to the best of shippers due to its complexity.

It’s best to acknowledge the rejection, replace the product as soon as possible, and find the source of the issue to help reduce the chance of another produce rejection happening anytime soon. Take ownership of the problem and control of your shipment so you can manage your money from the salvage. Taking control over the disposition will help you maximize your return, reduce claimed damages, and reduce your risk of customer relationship loss.

While these are all great solutions for handling produce shipment rejections, it’s ideal to prevent them in the first place. For companies looking to focus on their bottom line, it’s important to know all necessary prevention measures for produce shipment rejections and plan for when they do happen.

PRODUCE SHIPMENT REJECTION PREVENTION

Paperwork and Communication

The first step to preventing produce shipment rejections is to have your paperwork and communication in order. Your agreement must be clear on the condition of the produce your buyer will receive. Being able to present your buyer with evidence that your produce is safe and of the quality you stated it’s in before transit will prevent most cases of rejection.

Communication with your buyer and your logistics team on how your produce is being handled before loading, during loading, and during transit must be done effectively and properly. This is especially crucial because of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Be sure to provide photos, diagrams, or any other examples of proper pallet configuration to your warehouse and trucking partners. This kind of communication will help them pack and load your freight correctly from the start.

Carrier Selection

Produce shipments, especially during produce season, often pay a lot. This means you’ll have a lot of carriers bidding to haul for you. Therefore, quality carrier selection and additional insurance requirements, like reefer breakdown, are crucial aspects to prevent rejected produce shipments.

Make sure you confirm with your motor carrier that they are both authorized and experienced to haul your produce.

Additionally, make sure they understand all your shipments requirements, including FSMA. For example, do they need washout receipts? Do they have a good quality truck, updated trailer, or a quality reefer? Do they have or need temperature-monitoring devices or other technology to ensure the temperature is controlled and the cold chain uninterrupted? Can they pull a reefer download if required?

By finding a quality carrier and building a strong relationship with them, you’ll gain a dependable carrier to use regularly. This can help you reduce any transportation-related issues that could later result in a shipment rejection.

Loading

Don’t Overstack

When it comes to produce season, the number one cause of claims that we see comes from over-stacking your boxes or bins of produce when loading them onto the trailer. An example of this would be triple or quadruple stacking your boxes when they need to be double-stacked. While this depends on each shipping location, not all may be aware that each box has a maximum capacity it can withstand and not damage your produce. You need to know the weight-bearing amount of your boxes so you can place no more than that. When you over-stack, it’s will increase the risk of your produce getting squished and damaged. Certain produce can be very fragile, like berries, tomatoes, asparagus, or bananas. They tend to bruise easily, so single-stacking boxes are even more ideal for them.

No Hot Loads

Industry experts say that as much as 32 percent of all cargo is loaded at the wrong temperature.

This is often due to poor loading practices, like loading from a hot field. When it comes to produce, loading from a hot field is a HUGE NO. This causes the driver to start traveling with your produce at the wrong temperature, which puts compliance and financial pressure on carriers, as the load is at a high risk of spoiling. Your produce should be safely brought down to its required transit temperature before loading to prevent any spoilage.

Have the Proper Equipment

While this may seem silly, it still needs to be said: If a motor carrier shows up with a dry van and your produce requires a refrigerated trailer, DO NOT LOAD. While losing some time or causing a bit of a delay is not ideal, it’s better to have the proper trailer needed to keep your risk of shipment rejection from spoilage or damage low. Additionally, make sure your carrier’s refrigerated temperature monitoring system has the proper temperature, date, and time set. If there is a rejection due to temperature variance and the date and time are wrong, you’ll take the blame due to current regulations.

When it comes to your motor carrier and loading, it’s also ideal to allow them to inspect and pulp your product before loading. They have the right to do so, and the opportunity can give your carrier the confidence to haul your product safely. It also helps build a strong and loyal relationship, while helping you gain more insight that your product is okay before it’s in transit.

Keep Clean of Debris

Another way to help prevent produce rejections is to have a shipping platform that can be cleaned without leaving any splinters or debris in vehicles. Food-grade plastic pallets are ideal for solving many hygiene issues while helping reduce product damage during transport. Unlike wooden pallets, they don’t splinter or leave behind debris, and their nonabsorbent surface can be easily cleaned and dried.

Transit and Delivery

As mentioned during loading, make sure you have a way to track temperatures throughout the shipment and be able to receive notifications in real time. By getting early warning signs of issues, temperature variations can be quickly detected and dealt with right away instead of learning about them later at delivery.

Additionally, make sure you have a qualified inspector on-site at delivery. This will help should the receiver decide to reject your produce shipment to determine if your product is salvageable for you to recoup costs.

Before transit, it’s best that you set up the potential for rework facilities to accept your produce should the receiver refuse it. Talk to nearby receiving facilities to establish accounts, processes, and pricing ahead of time. This way, if there has been some visual damage or slight shifting, it can quickly reroute to the other location and be reworked, being proactive rather than reactive. This is especially important when it comes to produce since time is of the essence.

HAVING HELP

Produce shipment rejections can be complex and confusing at times. This is where working with a third-party logistics company (3PL), like Trinity, can come in handy. We have Teams to help you with the prevention of rejections as well as when one does happen.

Carrier Compliance

Our Carrier Compliance Team is here to vet our carrier network and make sure they have what you need to get your shipment delivered safely. Not only do we have a rigorous vetting process, but depending on your shipment requirements, we’ll make checks for extra insurance needs like reefer breakdown and make sure they are FSMA compliant. 

Claims

No matter how prepared one can be, unexpected things can still happen. Shipments may get refused and so that’s why we have a Claims Team here ready to assist you. It can be a real lifesaver to have a Team of certified professionals to help take the stress out of the claims process. Should it be needed, our Claims Team will help you start the process, be there to track progress, and assist until a resolution is met between all involved parties.

DON’T GO THROUGH PRODUCE SEASON ALONE

With proper prevention, compliance, and planning, produce shipment rejections can become less of a thorn in your side during produce season. Even still, they can and will happen at times. Make sure you’re ready and have the support you need by working with an experienced provider such as Trinity.

You’ll have the advantage of working with and trusting our risk departments, who work hard to help mitigate any risk to your shipments. In addition, you can trust that each of our carrier relationships is properly vetted for things like reefer breakdown coverage. Should you need it, you’ll have a whole Claims Team ready to help you sort through any unexpected shipment issues.

Gain the support you need to navigate the complexity of produce season with less stress.

If you haven’t already noticed, cold chain logistics is currently a hot topic. The demand for fresh products and quality supply chain processes are at an all-time high. Recognizing these trends in cold chain and taking action will help you fulfill your customer’s needs. Let’s look at five trends going on in the cold chain industry.

1. An Increased Demand on Quality Products

Big trends in cold chain, specifically the food industry, has been the demand for fresher and higher-quality products. Consumers want their peaches to be juicier and their avocados to be riper. To satisfy the customers’ wants, you need to make sure the carrier that is shipping your product is well versed in cold chain management. They need to know how to avoid changes in the texture and taste of the produce when a shipment fluctuates beyond the required temperature. The focus on quality products means that refrigerated warehouses will need to maintain temperature zones.

Quality products don’t stop at fresh food. With the COVID-19 vaccine being administered, people want to make sure that what they’re getting injected into their bodies is safe. In addition, the amount of biological drugs and gene therapies is growing. Because of this, logistics companies are also widening their capacity for temperature-controlled transportation to meet the demand.

As we’ve stated in our Shipping Pharmaceuticals blog, cold chain logistics play significant role in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Manufacturers of these vaccines and medications need the cold chain to run smoothly to prevent any damage to the expensive drugs. Pharmaceuticals also need to arrive as good as new because medicine that has sat in incorrect temperatures for an extended period can be ineffective or detrimental to a patient’s health.

2. The Global Cold Chain Market is Booming

A recent report by Grand View Research shows that the global cold chain market size is expected to grow 14.8 percent from 2021 to 2028. Many nations have recognized a rising need to avoid food waste and loss of healthcare products due to spoilage. Moreover, the demand for fresher products is on the rise. Nations such as China and India are boosting their global cold chain efforts to meet the demand for their exports. International trade liberalization has also boosted the use of cold chain, globally. Because it is the global cold chain is rising, manufacturers need to become more specialized in their products so they can ship their goods to a wider variety of customers across the globe.

3. Stronger Regulations

Another trend in the cold chain has been stricter regulations on shipped products. Both globalization and the recent rise of food and pharma counterfeit incidences have caused production and cold chain rules to be reevaluated. The beginning of these rules started with the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act. This act requires anyone in the food supply chain to document every step of the process. Certain products like fruit must be traced all the way back to the point of origin.

Being proactive with these firm rules and regulations has also been a common trend across cold chain logistics. Manufacturers are strengthening their processes in-house to help mitigate any issues with their cold chain. Safety should be a top priority for the manufacturer when shipping through cold chain.

4. Innovative Packaging

Specialized packaging has been a trending topic in the cold chain industry. Whether it be for pharmaceuticals or food and beverages, manufacturers have been more specific on how they want their products packaged.

For pharmaceutical companies, there has been a conflict between packaging and transportation costs. For smaller shipments moving through the supply chain, a company can choose either a 24, 48, or 72-hour packaging that will protect the products from becoming ineffective. The more insulated the packaging is, the higher the cost. Globalization is also a major factor in this dilemma. If the U.S. ships cold chain products like pharmaceuticals overseas, it is imperative that the carrier knows to re-ice the shipment if any delays occur.

Companies that specialize in temperature-controlled packaging are making single-use or reusable packaging for all your cold chain needs. There are new refrigerated shipping systems that don’t require gel coolants, and they weigh much less than typical cold chain packages. These systems use evaporative, reactive cooling technology that responds and adjusts to fluctuating temperatures.

Whether it be significant innovations such as evaporative cooling technology or something as simple as adding handles and straps to your packaging, traditional packaging is starting to become a thing of the past. Companies are trying to gain that competitive advantage of being the most innovative packaging company for your cold chain needs.

5. Outsourcing to a Third-Party Logistics Company

Another demand in the cold chain has been for efficiency and visibility throughout the supply chain. Companies don’t like to be left in the dark when it comes to the transportation of their products. That is why a 3PL provides a wide range of technology services to promote transparency within the supply chain.

Consumers today are becoming more conscientious about their needs. No one wants to settle for spoiled milk or ineffective pharmaceuticals. It is imperative that manufacturers stay up to date on these current trends in the cold chain in order to satisfy their customers. Doing research and staying in the know are both imperative ways for your business to be successful. Being proactive and listening to what customers want is the best way to stay on top in the cold chain industry.

Interested in learning more about Trinity’s experience in cold chain?

Food manufacturers have to stay on top of changes, so they don’t fall behind or lose loyal customers. Consumer trends and interests often change, or other market disruptions come out of nowhere. Consumers today care more about health, fast shipping, and the environment. Food safety regulations and unexpected disruptions like the coronavirus have changed the market. Food manufacturers benefit when they choose an experienced 3PL provider who stays informed and can adapt to any changes quickly. This makes for less stress and reduced or no losses in business.

Health Conscious Consumers

Consumers are becoming more health-conscious with their food. They want fewer additives and more natural, organic products. Consumers are buying vegan or plant-based alternatives; food that fits their diet such as Keto, carnivore, or macro-counting. Fewer additives and healthier food mean fresher food with shorter shelf lives. This means quick shipping to keep food fresh and your consumers happy.

Faster Shipping

Due to the Amazon Effect, consumers expect even quicker shipping on everything. Shopping at brick and mortar shops is declining and consumers want to order everything online. According to studies by both Neilson and the Food Market Institute, fifty percent of Americans now buy all of their grocery products online. They want subscription boxes, such as ButcherBox, or meal subscriptions, like HelloFresh, delivered to their doorsteps. Direct to Consumer (D2C) is growing across all industries, especially the food industry.

Environmentally Mindful

With climate change being a hot topic, consumers are more aware of their carbon footprint now more than ever. They want less packaging used for the products they order. They want to know how the brands they shop from stay green and reduce their environmental impact; starting with how the product is made, to the packaging, the shipping, and more. Consumers worry more about how their impact on the environment and that falls back on the manufacturer as well.

Federal Regulations

On top of consumers’ changing demands, there are regulations to keep on top of as well. In recent years, food safety in transportation became a concern, so the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was created. FSMA is still a newer regulation that was put in place April 2017. Food safety in transportation is important, so there could still be changes to the regulation in the future.

Unexpected Disruptions

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) rapidly made an impact on food manufacturers in 2020. Uncertainty from the virus caused consumers to buy out grocery stores, creating a high demand for those products. Restaurants shut down or switched to take-out only, causing a reduction in sales. Food manufacturers and the transportation providers they work with had to adapt fast. Hopefully, a crisis like COVID-19 does not happen again, but it is good to be ready for anything and be able to make changes quickly when needed.

Choosing a 3PL provider who stays on top of consumer trends, regulations, and other changes in the food manufacturing industry is important. Having someone who understands your challenges makes working to meet your customer’s demands an easier task.

Trinity Logistics stays informed about what goes on in the food manufacturing industry to better serve you. Concerning the changes mentioned above, Trinity Logistics;
• Makes use of many modes to arrange timely shipping for your natural and organic products.
• Through our parent company, Burris Logistics, we are able to offer you D2C services for faster shipping.
• Is SmartWay certified and has shipping arrangements that are better for the environment.
• Stays knowledgeable on federal regulations that may change shipping practices.
• Are ready to adapt to any huge industry disruption to keep your freight and supply chain moving.

Arranging the shipment of food has become a specialty of Trinity Logistics. When you come to us with problems, we’ll be there ready to offer you solutions. You can count on us.