Shipping Frozen Meat - The Safe, Fast, & Low-Cost Way!

How to Ship Frozen Meat Overnight or 2nd Day FedEx, UPS, or USPS Delivery

Whether you're an established meat shipper or just starting as a meat or seafood shipping company, here's what you need to know if you send meat to customers by mail or package delivery carriers. We've included a list of easy-to-get supplies, shipping carriers' advice, guidance on how to ship frozen meat more profitably, and suggestions on how to stay within regulations to avoid penalties and angry customers.

If you're the Business Owner, Shipping Manager, or Shipping Employee who needs to ship frozen meat across town, out of state, or across the country, you can now do it almost effortlessly, far faster, and more profitably than ever.

These easy-to-follow steps will give you reliable, profitable results at lower costs when combined with testing for the best configurations for packing up your insulated items. See the standard way of doing it below, and continue further down to see how individual carriers want your frozen meat package arranged.

Can I ship Frozen Meat?

Yes, shipping frozen meat is easy using modern insulated shipping supplies that include a thick-walled styrofoam shipping cooler, sturdy corrugated outer box, a well-estimated amount of cooling agent, and filler material to take up any extra space.

In special cases as with high-priced cuts, you have the option of tracking meat temperatures in real-time using data loggers that go in with the product.

The following is an easy process for packing and shipping beef, poultry, pork, venison, wild game, or even frozen seafood will give you peace of mind the entire time your package of frozen meat is in transit. First, you need to know why it is absolutely vital to keep meat frozen until it gets to your end-user.

Types of Frozen Meat You Can Send by Mail

1) Seafood Products - not just all manner of fish, but shellfish like clams, oysters, lobsters, and crab.

2) Poultry Products - here there's the ever-popular chicken and turkey with both white and dark meat as well as any variety of parts. This category includes duck,

3) Beef & Other Livestock Products - this broad family of delicious meats includes cow meat, goat meat, lamb, and pork, and covers both red meat and white meat cuts.

4) Wild Game Products - Boar meat, venison, rabbit, elk, bison, pheasant, and other types that bring outdoor hunting to mind.

How to Pack and Ship Frozen Meat - A Standard Approach

Most frozen meat shipments to resellers, retailers, or customers get packaged up similarly to the steps below so that the resulting package is well-Insulated enough to sustain its perishable contents for up to a few days, accounting for unforeseen events along the way, if absolutely necessary.

Once the meat shipping box is out of your hands and at the mercy of delivery services, it's too late to worry, so getting it right before it goes out the door is vital.

Step One - Prepare, Package, and Pre-Cool Your Frozen Meat to Go in Shipping Cooler

For shipping cost estimate accuracy, weigh the frozen meat as it may be slightly heavier than it was when thawed. The frozen weight is the accurate weight. Unwrapped and unpackaged meat doesn't have added weight of those materials.

If you got the meat unpackaged, any added at your location gets weighed with the meat at the shipping office and should be included in your cost estimates prior. Real-world shipping tests can narrow these numbers down with precise accuracy.

If your frozen meat has not already been wrapped or put into some form of logo-branded packaging to protect the meat surface, then whoever is in charge of its shipping must take care of that part to prevent the cooling source from touching the meat. Of course, if the meat has to be packaged on the spot, it needs to be re-weighed to account for added materials.

If you are required to 'Pre-Cool' your frozen meat in a temperature-controlled room to prevent thawing, place all supplies in that same space for temperature consistency and have them handy to avoid wasting time leaving the space to go fetch them. Time is money, and TEMPERATURE is money, Time affects Temperature, so time affects profits.

Step Two - Ready Your Shipping Cooler & Corrugated Outer Box You'll Use to Ship Frozen Meat

Make sure your cooler has a lid with it and is clear of any unrelated items, dirt, or anything that can impact food quality and preparation environment standards. This especially applies if you are re-using styrofoam shipping coolers, cooling agents, or related items.

Step Three - Ready Your Cooling Source: Gel Ice Packs, Dry Ice, or the combination of Both

Hopefully, you've already pre-calculated the expected amount of Dry Ice or Gel Ice Pack refrigerant you plan to use, taking into account the weight of the protected contents, the volume of the fully boxed up package to-be-completed package, and the expected transit time.

You can do this using the Shipping calculators located on USPS, FedEx, and UPS websites. If you send out the same types of packages consistently, this is a predictable factor.

FedEx requests Priority Overnight service only for Wet Ice shipments used, for example, by some seafood shipping companies to keep their products super-fresh for maximum customer satisfaction. You should assume the same level of consideration when shipping Wet Ice-cooled frozen meat through USPS and UPS.

Step Four - Gather Shipping Supply and Packaging Materials - these are the items necessary to assemble your frozen meat package securely, and with maximum integrity. These insulated shipping accessories are the same across all major shipping carriers.

- 2mm-Thick Heavy-duty Plastic or Plastic Bag Wrapping

- Filler Paper (dunnage) or Packing Peanuts

- Heavy-duty Packaging Tape

- Rubber Bands, Zip Ties, or Clips as Needed for Securing and Tying

- Absorbent Padding or other Moisture-soaking Material

- Temperature Tracker or Data Logger

- Any necessary Shipping Labels from the Carrier or Regulatory Labels

• Perishable Label (if desired, but it is recommended)
• Carrier Shipping Label
• Hazardous Material Label (Dry Ice is a dangerous good if not properly handled)

UN1845 Dry Ice Shipping Label (for such cases) as shown here.******URL INSERT******* You'll need permanent markings on the outer packaging including:

• "Dry Ice" or "Carbon Dioxide Solid."

• "UN 1845."

• Net weight of dry ice in kilograms.

• Name and address of the shipper.

• Name and address of the recipient

Step Five - Wrap your meat product in two layers of 2mm Heavy-duty Plastic

Sheet plastic, plastic bag, or similar to protect from touching the cooling sources as well as serve as a moisture barrier, as long as it meets the 2mm minimum.

For some, this also serves as the official' meat packaging,' as wth mail order cuts just wrapped in wax paper then put into plastic for delivery to a customer.

If your meat is being delivered without any branded packaging, and you're using the 2mm plastic as your meat's 'unbranded' packaging, you may wish to wrap that in an extra 2mm layer or two, as your competitors may have their meat pre-wrapped, branded, and are still asked to put their already-wrapped, finished product in a 2mm plastic bag.

Twist out any excess air and use rubber bands, zip ties, clips, or whatever else will tightly secure it so that it does not start to come undone after tying, zipping, or clipping.

Step Six - Place Absorbent Padding as needed

Add absorbent materials to the mix by either wrapping your already plastic-protected, tied, and secured meat in an absorbent layer, or placing the moisture-soaking material on the surface area you expect the product to occupy in the shipping cooler, and then you can set your product on top of the padding, which serves a secondary function of cushioning.

Step Seven - arrange the first and then any additional layers of your Cooling Source(s)

Place your Dry Ice, Gel Ice Packs (or Cold Packs), or a combination of both within the Styrofoam Shipping Cooler in such a way that you can thereafter place your meat on top for a good fit without too much moving around the room. If there is leftover space, fill the gaps with the dunnage paper, packing peanuts, etc.

After the meat is secure, you can add more Cooling Sources to fit around its sides and on top before putting in any more filler to take up the remaining empty cubic footage.

If you are in the process of 'package shipment testing' to optimize costs for more profit, keep track of exactly how much Dry Ice or Gel Ice Packs get the job done at the lowest cost to the farthest distances that still end in complete customer satisfaction.

For example, do you really need enough cold sources to last a four-day trip when you mostly ship frozen meat overnight or 2-Day? In such cases, you can save money by test shipping to determine how much to reduce the number and weight of necessary supplies, keeping in mind your business and customer service goals.

Step Eight - Set up any Temperature Tracking Data Loggers

Whether you use thermal tracking devices for testing purposes, or as a normal part of your meat shipping Quality Assurance Program, set them up prior to putting on and tape-sealing the shipping cooler lid.

Step Nine - Use a 2" (or wider) Heavy-duty Packaging Tape

Strong adhesive box tape is to effectively secure the container lid on all sides. Doing this makes the cooler airtight to prevent warmer outside air from seeping in.

Step Ten - Insert the Styrofoam Shipping Cooler into the Corrugated Cold Shipping Box Liner.

The heavy-duty corrugated box should be Size-compatible with the foam cooler so that it fits snuggly without wiggle room unless you are dealing with an extra-large box wherein you plan to fit multiple packages. If so, you should still use something to fill any leftover space within the larger box after its contents are loaded.

Step Eleven - Seal Your Frozen Meat shipping package with the same 2" (or wider) Heavy-duty Tape

Taping the exterior cardboard box should be done in an 'H Pattern' for extra security to ensure nothing comes undone.

Step Twelve - Apply Required Outer Box Markings, Shipping Labels, etc. and Send

This is the final step before turning the package over to your chosen package delivery carrier. Verify beforehand so that there are no issues after you've left the package with them.

Always ask your shipping representative about cost-saving shipping options that would allow you to increase your profits while keeping customer satisfaction the same.

For example, do you really need to send everything overnight or can you get the frozen meat there with 2-Day Shipping and keep your buyers happy?

Now that you see the general way frozen meat gets packaged for shipment and delivery, you need to know why using these kinds of supplies in this way is so important, and how to prevent your package from being rejected by the carrier or, worse, ruining the customer experience by losing thermal integrity during transit due to improper assembly, cooling sources, or shipping schedule.

Why Freeze Meat for Insulated Shipping by Mail?

All meat is classified as a perishable product, which means it has a short shelf life and a looming expiration date, both of which means every shipment of meat that you send out is 'on the clock,' to use a popular phrase, with its marketability and useability (as well as your reputation) at risk unless kept at freezing temperatures.

You extend both shelf life and expiration date by freezing your meat products beforehand and then keeping them in that state until the end-user takes delivery.

Once they do, their sensory experience and internal reaction upon opening and preparing to use the item are essential to whether you're going to get a complaining phone call and refund demand or whether the User Experience will net you a 5-Star Review and many recommendations.

By taking every necessary measure to ensure a positive User Experience, you help them enjoy the product with the full range of their senses including the look, smell, texture, and taste. If any of those sensory experiences is poor, it can ruin the whole User Experience.

When a frozen meat package loses quality in any of those areas it results from neglecting to keep the contents out of 'The Danger Zone' for perishable foods.

The Danger Zone for Frozen Meat:

Why Shipping Frozen Meat Requires Following Strict Rules to Keep Meat Frozen During Transit!

The main reason companies invest in the best-insulated shipping supplies they can get for their money is so customers can enjoy a pleasant time opening, cooking, and eating their goods.

Worldwide, the meat Industry is always concerned about the "User Experience" of every product. Stakeholders and customers at every stop along the journey to the end user's possession want a positive outcome for 100% of their buyers, or as close to 100% as can be had.

When businesses succeed at pleasing the great majority of their clients they can expect higher demand, sales, and profits for themselves as well as everyone involved in the marketplace that provided and delivered items.

In today's globally-interconnected social environment, a bad customer experience caused by shoddy meat packaging or poorly-insulated meat shipping boxes can set flames to your reputation, ruin your online social media integrity, and turn thousands of people all over the country against your brand.

The way to prevent that from happening is to keep perishable foods out of the 'Danger Zone.'

What do the food industry and USDA mean when referring to the Danger Zone for meat? Well, meat is highly perishable, which means that when left out too long it accumulates nasty microscopic colonies, becoming home to harmful bacteria (like Salmonella, E. Coli, Staphylococcus, and others), and can begin losing the characteristics that make it appealing and marketable, and even begin to smell, spoil, rot, and cause serious sickness.

"According to the USDA, these kinds of bacteria grow prodigiously between 40 °F and 140 °F with a rapid doubling of microbial numbers in less than half an hour."

Perishable foods are those likely to lose quality, suffer degraded integrity, spoil, decay, or become inedible and unsafe to consume if not kept refrigerated at 40° F (4.4° C) or below, or frozen at to 0° F (-17.8° C) or below.

The food industry, wisened after decades of lawsuits and billions in lost revenue because of poorly-protected products, refers to this thermal limit as the "Danger Zone" for perishable food because many thousands of people get sick annually, or even die from foodborne illnesses resulting from poor temperature control.

That means your job is to keep your customer healthy, happy, and alive so that you get repeat business.

Food-related perishable shipping programs have two main types of bacteria to do war against, which are Spoilage Bacteria and Pathogenic Bacteria.

Spoilage Bacteria is the kind responsible for spoiling the food, resulting in loss of taste, texture, and aroma.

Pathogenic Bacteria, on the other hand, are microorganisms that make humans ill if ingested.

If the temperature gets too high, microorganisms increase growth and spread, putting product safety at risk. If the temperature is too low, the product can become significantly damaged.

Official Government recommendations (also insisted upon by shipping carriers) suggest keeping raw meat products below 40 degrees, and strict penalties encourage every meat company to keep their shipments cold for the full transit time.

How Does The Food' Danger Zone' Apply When Shipping Meat?

There is nothing more important for a meat shipper to keep an eye on. For many meat shipping scenarios, being anywhere near 40 °F is much too hot during shipping.

In those cases, as with, say, large slabs of meat, you would want to be extra careful to maintain the desired shelf life during what could be an extended time in transit, for a number of reasons.

You may commerce in meat products that must be kept deep-frozen during transit because of extended frozen storage requirements after delivery.

Your cargo may need to endure a trek across the hottest states in the USA, Texas during summer, for example. In all those situations you'd have to compensate with either thicker insulation or more coolant to cover all contingencies.

Since insulation and cooling agents are the two main factors in determining your level of thermal protection, you will adjust one or both as the risk to your package rises along with temperatures and distance across geographical delivery zones.

Let's talk a moment about what kind of perishable meats are legal for insulated shipping.

The Vital Importance of Pre-Cooling Your Frozen Meat Shipping Contents!

Experienced meat shipping operations (especially those in hot-temperature states) have learned hard lessons over the years about controlling the temperature of perishable products taken out of cold storage for packing up in insulated shipping box kits.

Once you are ready to fetch your inventory and get it packaged, every space outside of its controlled temperature storage is an enemy to its shelf life.

Never package your frozen meat products in workspaces or out on warehouse docks where the ambient temperature can transfer to the inventory and begin the melting, warming, bacteria growth, and spoiling process.

You will save money, problems, and headaches by assembling all perishable packages in spaces that are cool or cold enough to prevent warming, thawing, or exposure to unhealthy conditions. Ice Cream shippers and seafood stores often use a special 'Cold Room' or walk-in freezer designed just for that purpose.

Can I Pack and Ship Frozen Meat and Fresh Meat Together?

You may need to deliver mail-order meat shipments mixed with both frozen and fresh items arranged in varying configurations to keep both types protected as needed.

In that case, you'd package in such a way to keep frozen meat from thawing and fresh meat from freezing. Let's take a look at one example of how companies mix their shipments without risking the thermal integrity of either.

The image above shows a LoBoy' Super-Ice' Cube Extra-large Styrofoam Shipping Cooler made to keep compartmentalized boxes of frozen and refrigerated meats on the same pallet.

The dry-ice cooled frozen meat boxes are in the same bulk container as the fresh fish fillets deep-chilled using Gel Ice Pack refrigerants. Independent lab tests show both the frozen meat shipping boxes and fresh meat shipping boxes performed excellently with neither having a negative thermal impact on the other.

Some compies do mix it up in smaller packages, but it runs a higher thermal threat because of the warmer refrigerated meat being in too close proximity to the frozen product.

Perishable food companies who use this convenience should still do real-world shipping tests considering the various types of and combinations of products that will fit into a super-sized shipping box like the Super-Ice.

How Long Should the styrofoam Cold Shipping Box Kit Keep Frozen Meat Cold?

Your package's thermal protection will depend on several factors such as Styrofoam Cooler quality construction, the volume amount of frozen meat (including any product packaging like boxed hams or other cuts), as well as the type and amount of cooling agent, sealed within the shipping cooler kit with its outer corrugated box.

Shipping Cooler Quality - Cheap Styrofoam Shipping Coolers have lower cubic density, and shorter molding cycles with less complete fusing, giving them weak bonding that makes them flimsy and breakable even under normal frozen meat shipping conditions.

A high-quality insulated shipping box has a more balanced cubic density that traps air without adding costly weight, is completely molded rather than rushed, and has stronger durability that helps for a pleasing visual experience when the package is opened.

A well-sealed, good-quality cold shipping box will give you at least three full days of reliable thermal protection with the right amount of coolant placed inside, although pushing a meat delivery past overnight or 2-day is testing the limits when it comes to risk.

One turn of bad weather and a 2-day package could sit for an extra day or two. All these factors have to be considered, especially when shipping meat across multiple states and postal zones. Going cheap can be expensive in the end.

Volume, Shape, and Type of Meat - Larger cuts of beef, pork, sport fish, uncut deli products, as well as bulk loads can be so deeply frozen that their radiating cold helps the insulating shipping box work less. Lighter and smaller loads of meat may require extra cooling sources unless shipped overnight.

Basic industry averages for foam cooler reliability aside, smart shippers make sure to go just a bit beyond minimum requirements (even if the package is going clear across the United States) to account for the package sitting somewhere waiting for pick-up.

This level of customer-focused attention to detail is now the standard expectation for 100% of customers in all 50 states, and Social Media is waiting with bated breath to pounce on any company that fails to meet it.

Amount and Type of Freezing or Cooling Source - Water Ice (hardly ever recommended), Dry Ice, and Gel-Ice Packs all come in different sizes, shapes, and weight configurations so their final amounts and packing arrangements within your meat shipping box should be determined by using product shipping tests to learn exactly how much of either three works best with your standard shipping set-ups.

Some of your package arrangements will require less cold source, others more, and only real-world shipping scenario testing can provide a predictable sense of certainty and clarity as to how much profit remains from each purchase.

Travel Method & Distance - Whether as overnight parcels or 3-to-4-day deliveries, insulated perishable cargo must stay within its predetermined cold or frozen range for the duration of travel plus any waiting time involved during transit or immediately after arrival at the destination.

Insulated packaging should be of a high enough quality to easily surpass the minimum thermal protection necessary. Again, conduct shipping tests for optimum distance, delivery speed, packaging setup, client cost, profitability, and other concerns. Factors to consider under travel method and distance include…

Zone to Zone Weather Conditions & Temperatures– USPS calculates 'Postal Zones' by measuring the distance from the package starting point to its destination point.

A Zone 1 delivery is a short one, between 1 and 50 miles, whereas a Zone 8 delivery would be a long 1800 miles distant.

Those zones can pass through areas of the country where the weather and temperature will be different than the starting point, perhaps radially colder or hotter, so planning perishable packaging set-ups to account for weather variations in transit across numerous postal zones is smart logistics. You can find a Domestic Postal Zone Chart on the USPS website.

Destination Type & Waiting Time, Temperatures – When shipping managers and employees know ahead of time what environment through which the insulated package will travel and spend time waiting, they can better calculate the right amount of cooling source versus cargo space, to compensate for predicted warmer vehicle interiors, warmer cargo holds, warmer warehouse settings, or temperatures expected when the package is sitting on a doorstep or an outdoor mailbox for pick-up.

There is a temptation to ignore package waiting time when calculating the amount of insulation and cooling source, but this runs a risk of causing dissatisfied customers and bad online reviews, so erring on the side of caution with a bit of extra protection has its benefits.

Supplies You'll Need to Ship Frozen Meat by Mail or Package Delivery Carrier

To pack frozen meat for insulated shipping delivery, you will need Insulated Shipping Supplies designed to weather the weather throughout your package's journey into receiving hands.

Although the top competing mail and package carriers have a few rules individual to their operation, they all agree on the following basic list of items needed to secure your perishable food reliably and at the lowest cost:

Insulated Shipping Box Kit - Most frozen meats (as well as 'refrigerated or fresh meat) distributed by mail or delivery carrier get placed securely in a Styrofoam Cooler (shipping cooler) specially made in both thickness and material density to prevent radical temperature fluctuations while maintaining a specific cold range to protect perishable cargo.

That cooler of frozen meat is sealed and placed inside a heavy-duty cardboard box corrugated for extra strength. Let's take a look at your two main shipping kit components:

Styrofoam Cooler - Styrofoam Shipping Coolers are actually made from EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) Foam, the best and most affordable insulating material to come out of the Space Age, but everybody uses the term regardless.

With a proven track record that includes billions of insulated packages sent all over the world decade after decade, the number one most-chosen resource used for shipping perishable products in insulated packaging is EPS Foam.

EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) Foam – commonly (but inaccurately) referred to by the general public as 'Styrofoam' - is the centerpiece and most popular method for small, medium, and large-sized businesses as an insulated shipping solution. Five big reasons for its overwhelming success are:

1.   Proven Technology – hundreds of millions of satisfactory perishable shipments over the past few decades provide inarguable proof of its effectiveness, usefulness, and unmatched market success as the number one insulated shipping tool for perishables worldwide.

2.   Lower Costs - it is far less expensive than other thermal solutions, EPS Foam's space-age material components are less expensive to manufacture which means lower purchasing costs, lower cost per package, and higher profit margins per sale.

These lower costs are not just about profit but help businesses stay competitive in markets where margins are already tight, to begin with, and expenses can eat away at their ability to deliver top-quality service that builds a loyal customer base.

3.   Lower Shipping Charges - reduces shipping costs thanks to its lightweight, which makes thermally protected packages less heavy at weighing time, resulting in a lower shipping price when optimally set up to balance maximum thermal protection against expected shipping time and expected external temperatures across plotted geographical zones.

4.   Superior Insulation – pound for pound, its superior insulating qualities versus other materials such as heavier hard plastics, metal containers, mylars, and other materials simply can't be beat, especially when considered in relation to its lower costs factored into the business equation.

For example, EPS Foam Coolers do not have to be pre-cooled to prevent their transferring added heat to the items stored inside, unlike hard-shell plastic and metal containers the surface of which can become so hot that they quickly begin to melt ice.

5.   Reusable, Recyclable Materials – With the right conditions and use, EPS Foam Coolers can be safely reused for years if no serious damage is done to the container.

Even better, once an EPS Cooler reaches the end of its business or recreational use, there's no difficulty in converting EPS Foam for making other valuable products such as architectural molding, hangers for clothes, pots for plants, children's toys, hobby models, office supplies, aeration particles used in bags of fertilizer, and frames for photographs.

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) allows businesses to ship more, cheaper, with better insulation for the money and, at the end of its useful life cycle, can be recycled into material for making other useful goods.

USPS, FedEx, and UPS all recommend against using cheap foam coolers you buy at a retailer and instead suggest using a higher quality shipping cooler with a thicker size wall such as LoBoy Shipping Coolers to reduce heat transfer and make the package more secure against costly damage.

Thanks to FedEx, UPS, and USPS suggestions for best practice rules, choosing the perfect foam cooler is easy. Here are a few great tips to get the best results:

Optimum Shipping Cooler Configuration - Many millions of shipments of frozen meat have been delivered since the advent of mail-order meat companies, and the best supplies and configurations for shipping products like yours have been narrowed down to a few inexpensive favorites used industry-wide.

Greg, a master Plastics Engineer at Magna MFG in Florida who has been designing and testing industry-leading top-quality shipping coolers for more than three decades, states that the most foolproof way to insulate frozen meat in mail-order shipments is by using a "Styrofoam Cooler built like a tank but as light as a feather to stop the exchange of heat." With millions of coolers around the country designed by his own talents, Greg further explains,

"The 1 1/2" thick-wall shipping cooler is generally preferred over the 2" and higher. Meat shipping companies have to strike a balance between the volume, thickness, and weight of protection against the business' goals and desired bottom-line profits. The thicker the cooler, the more material is required, but we make sure the 1 1/2" has the perfect optimized density to keep costs low while maximizing meat protection."

Priority #1: Thick-wall Construction - your insulated shipping box must be a MINIMUM of 1 1/2 Inches in Thickness and have enough material density so that heat doesn't seep into the sealed insulated shipping box to affect the thermally-protect cargo. You can purchase the practical wall thickness necessary for the type of cargo whether it is 1 1/2" or 2" thickness or greater, but a thick-walled shipping cooler with cheap per-inch cubic density in its manufacture will seep like a sieve and lower the shelf life of your shipment. Even with something so commonplace as a shipping cooler, quality counts!

Outer Corrugated Box - The Styrofoam Shipping Cooler may be the heat-proof shield you use, but it needs a layer of protection itself to avoid scuffing, scraping, denting, or ugly dirt from being moved about on delivery trucks and warehouse floors. By securing your shipment in a sturdy cardboard box made for just this purpose, you also add slightly more insulation in addition to safeguarding it physically. Having the word, 'PERISHABLE' printed on the box or on a label adhered to it notifies package handlers of the sensitive nature of its contents.

There is no such thing as a standard box that is 'one size fits all,' instead, there are many different sizes of boxes to fit any number of cooler sizes (small, medium, large, and extra-large) and shapes whether square, rectangular, or curved. Typically, the outer box fits the insulated container snuggly like an outer skin.

Heavy-duty Adhesive Shipping Tape - Most meat shipping companies like using a wide 2-inch or 3-inch heavy-duty adhesive tape applied all around the lid of the cooler to fix it firmly to the bucket (bottom part) then adding it in an 'H' pattern on the outside of the corrugated box that keeps all sides well-secured.

Choose packing tape from reputable manufacturers like 3-M or worthy competitors made to handle a broad range of temperatures whether it's hot or cold.

Quality packing tape will actually strengthen its bond with time, giving it an increasingly strong grip while your package journey's long distances.

Absorbent Padding, Plastic Wrapping & Any Padded Cushioning - Keeping moisture contained and compartmentalized is a good way to keep trouble away from insulated cargo.

One way to do this is by using a thick, tough, watertight mylar plastic bag or wrapping (2-mil minimum) as an outer layer for perishable products that can melt or thaw, or shipments that contain liquid. Every shipping carrier asks this.

Wrap all items in a way that protects them from naturally occurring condensation that can occur even within the best-made and well-prepared insulated packaging.

Padding or cushioning is up to your discretion keeping in mind that you don't want water everywhere when the package is opened. Meat shippers use materials like butcher paper, newspaper, soaking pads, cellulose wadding, and paper towels.

Dunnage & Filler - Some shipments end up with excess left-over space that can be used to add even greater protection by filling that space with cushioning, padding, or stabilizing material that restricts movement and provides a form of padding against hard knocks.

Foam packing peanuts, shredded newspapers, or crumpled butcher paper are common examples of dunnage used for insulated perishables shipping. Dunning can add not just cushioning but serve as an added thermal protection layer as well as provide moisture control benefits.

Temperature Trackers & Data Loggers - Some frozen meat cargos have so much riding on maintaining the longest shelf life possible that managers make use of digital temperature data loggers and other temperature tracking devices, often enclosed to monitor the temperature inside the container for its entire shipment.

Modern technology allows insulated package temperatures to be accurately monitored no matter where the package is located. Information provided can be passively tracked, intermittently broadcast, or set to provide continuous alerts during travel.

The readings provide details on temperature variations at locations along the transit route, swings in temperature that violate the required range for the vulnerable cargo, time sitting at storage or warehouse locations, and reveal poorly managed cold chain obstacle points.

Cooling Source - Sometimes referred to as a 'Cooling Engine, Coolant, or Refrigerant)

Although some perishable products can be safely shipped with only an insulated container to maintain thermal integrity during transport, many require a trustworthy cooling agent – a means of protecting the tightly controlled thermal conditions inside from any external environment it passes through.

To accomplish this, the package sender places a portable cooling source within before sealing it.

Regardless of the type and amount of the cooling source, it must be able to reliably maintain strict temperature ranges protecting a specific amount of internal cargo for a pre-determined range for a time.

The cooling effect must last across an estimated distance that covers a particular number of postal zones each with its own changing, seasonal weather.

All these considerations combined to determine how much of a given cold source to include and how to position it within the confines of the package prior to sealing it to get maximum thermal protection for the entire duration of the journey to the end-user.

The two most widely used types of cold sources for insulated perishables packaging are Gel Ice Packs and Dry Ice (frozen Carbon Dioxide CO2). In some cases, as with overnight shipping of seafood, there are companies who prefer to use Water Ice, although no shipping carrier likes it because of the potential mess, thus they recommend against it, but won't stop you.

 

Cost to Ship Meat - How Much Does Shipping Frozen Meat Cost?

Each carrier has its own rates and account arrangements with individual businesses, offering discounts that increase with the amount of business over time for high-volume customers. Since there are so many lower-volume clients, negotiating your shipping rates with your shipping carrier representative is not merely expected, but vital to your bottom line. Shipping costs don't get passed on to the customer without affecting your business.

Package Weight & Size – Dimensional Weight (DIM)

One factor that will matter is the package's size (volume) and weight. With millions of shipping packages always in transit and untold thousands of companies all competing to get their packages to their destination as efficiently as possible, every square inch of space on shipping carrier vans, trucks, aircraft, and warehouse floors is considered precious real estate. Because of this, providers no longer charge companies only for the weight of their package, but also consider the size volume (how much space it takes up).

A lightweight shipment of down pillows may weigh the same as one of a small package of collector coins, but the box the pillows come in would be larger and take up more space, and thus the shipping carriers lose out if they don't charge for the room being occupied by the bigger container.

To compensate for differences in box sizes and weights of packages carriers now charge by calculating both size and weight, or "Dimensional Weight" (DIM). As a result, shippers pay the Dim Weight rate for packages whose measured bulk and weight are more than charging for weight alone.