If you’re taking your farm or meat market online, it’s time to enter the wonderful (but confusing) world of cold chain logistics!
Keeping your perishable food items cold from the time they leave your business until the moment they reach the customer’s door is essential for maintaining high customer satisfaction and staying in legal compliance.
However, there are several cold packing options available. Two of the most popular for meat and fresh food are dry ice and gel packs. So, which one is right for you?
Generally speaking, we recommend most businesses use gel packs because they’re cheaper, require less special care, and have fewer restrictions with cold shipping partners. But, depending on what you ship and how long it’s in transit, gel packs might not be a good fit.
This article covers everything you need to know about dry ice and ice packs, the benefits of each, and which one is best for your needs.
Let’s start with the basics.
We’ll say this upfront: Gel packs are generally the best option for small businesses shipping perishable goods. However, each option has unique benefits and drawbacks.
Here’s what to consider.
Dry ice can be fairly costly upfront and is perishable, making it the least cost-effective of the two options. Ice packs, on the other hand, are fairly inexpensive (generally running under a dollar per pack). They can also be bought in bulk and potentially reused (if used for local deliveries).
When shipping food locally, it’s important to factor the price of your packaging materials into the shipping costs. This helps you better set pricing and understand your potential profit margins when you take your business online.
Related Read: Selling Food by Weight: 5 Things You Need To Know
One of the key advantages of dry ice is that it lasts a long time. In an insulated container, the sublimation rate of dry ice is about 10 lbs. per 24 hours (this can be even slower depending on how it’s packed). Dry ice also does not produce liquid when it melts, which ensures all packed items stay dry.
Ice packs, on the other hand, only stay frozen for up to six hours if packed with ice in an insulated container. Gel packs also melt and can cause packed items to get wet if you’re not careful.
Temperature is where the consideration of dry ice vs. ice packs matters most. Dry ice gets extremely cold — well below freezing — and can stay that way for a long time. This makes it ideal for shipping frozen items since they’ll remain completely frozen, and why dry ice is often used to ship items like ice cream or frozen meats for long distances.
Ice packs generally keep items at about the same temperature as the inside of a refrigerator (approximately 35–45 degrees Fahrenheit). This is ideal for products that shouldn’t be completely frozen and to avoid freezer burn. They can be used for frozen goods, too, given they’re only traveling short distances.
Dry ice is more dangerous to handle than an ice pack. It can cause burns if handled without protective gear, and when packed incorrectly, can even explode. If you choose to use dry ice, you need to take extra time and care when preparing packages for shipment.
Many shipping companies have strict requirements for shipping with dry ice, so be sure to check each company’s policies, as they can vary.
Just one example from FedEx’s shipping requirements for dry ice.
While the safety requirements for shipping with ice packs are not nearly as strict, there are still some risks. Improper insulation can cause ice packs to melt faster and food to spoil quicker. Understanding best practices for storing and shipping perishable food is a must if using ice packs.
Now that you understand the key differences between the two, you hopefully have a better idea of which is right for you. These are the main things to consider when choosing which to use.
Here are the biggest benefits of each and the use cases that work best.
Ideal use case: Ice or gel packs are an inexpensive option but warm up more quickly, making them ideal for one-day ground shipments, local deliveries, or items that don’t need to remain fully frozen.
That said, following perishable shipping best practices or using a perishable shipping partner like Shipfare can help extend the shipment’s longevity by using airtight and/or vacuum-sealed packaging.
Ideal use case: Dry ice is great for items that must remain frozen and/or are being shipped for more than two days. This makes it an ideal option for frozen meats, especially if they’re traveling nationwide.
How you cool items is important — but it’s not the only aspect of successful food shipments. In addition to using the right cooling material, make sure not to neglect the following.
So, dry ice vs. ice packs: Which will you use? We generally recommend using gel packs, as they’re the most cost-effective option. That doesn’t mean you should rule dry ice out completely, but for the most common food shipping needs, gel packs work great as long as they’re not in transit for too long.
Whether you’re going online for the first time or expanding your existing business, you need a knowledgeable e-commerce partner for successful online sales.
GrazeCart was built specifically to help small farms and meat markets stay efficient and competitive in the digital age. With powerful inventory management tools, a website builder, and e-commerce functionality that integrates with perishable food shippers, GrazeCart is an ideal partner for shipping perishable items locally or nationally.
Get in touch with one of our e-commerce experts today to find out how GrazeCart can simplify the way you prepare orders and shipments.