“Delivering Temperature-Sensitive Foods to the Consumer’s Porch”

Consumers like the many choices and convenience of online food shopping, and e-commerce for food products is growing by leaps and bounds. But “the last mile” delivery of these web-based orders is challenging for foods that require continuous refrigeration or freezing to prevent warming and melting. Perishable Shipping Solutions of Youngstown, OH specifically addresses the cold chain last-mile delivery challenge. Operating from bicoastal facilities, PSS serves 93% of the US population with 2-day ground shipping through FedEx. PSS’ customers manufacture a wide range of perishable specialty foods that need rigorous handling including meats, seafood, plant-based foods, baked goods, dairy products, healthy bars, refrigerated drinks, chocolates and fresh dog foods.

"Perishable Shipping Solutions has experienced strong growth, driven by the acceleration of new consumer e-commerce shopping behaviors in grocery and specialty foods, including an openness to trying different brands and the convenience of online purchases."

According to Mark Nelson, Perishable Shipping Solutions CEO, digital grocery and specialty food e-commerce purchases are here to stay. “Cold, frozen and foods without preservatives require our specialized operations, from receipt of the order to the consumer’s table,” he stated. “PSS has experienced strong growth driven by the acceleration of consumer e-commerce shopping behaviors in grocery and specialty foods. This includes a new openness to trying different brands and the convenience of online purchases.” The pivot to online direct-to-consumer sales has also been critical for many food business owners during the pandemic, as traditional sales outlets continue to experience reduced traffic or are not available at all.

No Margin for Error

Shipping foods that are frozen or require continuous cold are the hardest to get right – there’s no margin for error. By aggregating internet-based cold food purveyors, Perishable Shipping Solutions offers its customers a one-stop service with reliable high-quality delivery to their consumers plus economies of scale and reduced costs that individual companies could never achieve. Perishable Shipping Solutions solves this critical last mile delivery issue while providing a scalable supply chain solution. Growing e-commerce brands can focus on their food & beverage products, while Perishable Shipping Solutions handles the backend logistics for fast delivery to their customers.

Eco-friendly Packaging

Most e-commerce food shoppers are eco-minded consumers and look to purchase products from environmentally responsible organizations. Many of Perishable Shipping Solutions’ customers are selling “better for you” and healthy food products, so using eco-friendly materials is imperative to support their value proposition and brand message. “Our coolers get high marks for sustainability from customers,” says Mark Nelson. “They are recycled curbside, just like cardboard.”

Solutions for Companies of All Stages and Sizes

For companies that are just starting with e-commerce PSS offers “Ship Yourself,” a program that extends Perishable Shipping Solutions’ economies of scale to those shipping their own packages. “Some customers earlier in their growth cycles are not yet ready to outsource their e-commerce fulfillment operations,” says Mark. “PSS’ Ship Yourself Program is the perfect solution - these customers can leverage our operations to lower their costs.” Customers can purchase eco-friendly coolers in small quantities (e.g. 10 units - 4 pallets) and take advantage of discounted FedEx rates through PSS’ group buying program.

Looking to the Future

As for what’s next, Perishable Shipping Solutions is focused on growing its team, infrastructure, and workflows to meet the growing demand for their services. New fulfillment facilities and personnel will be added in several states, and its multi-channel direct shipping and analytics platform will be further developed and enhanced. “We see this as a win-win-win transformation! Consumers stay safe and enjoy unique food choices, e-commerce businesses are growing, and we are the bridge supporting this important corner of our economy,” adds Mark with a smile. IE