All foodstuff is very sensitive to time and temperature. These items decompose fast in the heat and over some time. This is why special attention is paid to food storage at the third party warehouses. Food grade shipments also get special attention when they are being transported. Most companies like to benefit from the low-cost trucking services that haul your goods on the highways. It is a lot cheaper to send the shipments one place to another using the refrigerated trucks as compared to rails or by air.
Most of the time the shipment has to go on another leg and in the meantime, it is stored at the warehouse which has the right equipment to take care of it. Many distributors import foodstuffs for supply to the local markets. Many companies distribute their produce and other perishables across the country. Since these are time-sensitive items one has to find a reliable warehouse and a dependable trucking company to take care of it. At the food-grade warehouses, there are freezers and refrigerators that keep the entire shipment fresh or frozen.
Many restaurants across the country use a commissary. These companies pick and drop food items for the local restaurant chains from various parts of the country. The lobsters you eat for dinner may have traveled from Alaska to get to your plate. The Mahi Mahi fish comes from Hawaii and the New York Steaks are flown in from Australia for many local restaurants. Most of the potatoes served in the restaurants in California are trucked all the way from Idaho. The cost of trucking is added to the end price of what the buyers pay for it.
There are also smaller establishments that use the local foodstuff to make their cost of sales lower. They pick up all they need to prepare their menu from the grocery store around the corner. The choice depends on the quality you offer. Most high-end establishments want to offer their customers the best. They select the better tasting and the more famous items from around the globe to get a lead on their rivals.
Warehousing involves a storage structure that is specially designed for protecting the quantity and quality of the items stored in it. Soon as the perishables are ready for distribution they can be stored in a storage facility where they can be sorted out. You can take a bulk shipment of strawberries to the warehouse and have their staff pack it for you in small packages for delivery to the local grocery stores or those located in other states. Order fulfillment services offered by the food-grade warehouses make it easy for one to conduct business successfully without any risk of spoilage.
Food grade warehousing is now more affordable with advancements in technology. You can find just the right temperatures for your perishable to prevent decomposition. These days all items are delivered to buyers fresh at all times.
A warehouse stores and preserves food items till the time of their being dispatched to the buyers. It allows you to bridge the gap between production and consumption. Many distributing companies store the frozen food items in a warehouse and soon as an order comes in it is dispatched to the buyer. The freezers at the warehouse are large enough for big shipments. You can use the warehouse to store frozen meats and frozen dinners. Tinned items can be stored in the warehouse as well. These do not require a cool temperature for storage.
If you plan to hire the services of a warehouse first check their standards.
You are looking for a neat and clean facility with modern equipment and software. The inventory management system has to be modern. The latest software allows you to check your inventory levels while on the go. Use the laptops, computers or the cell phone to check on the stored items. There also has to be ample staff to take care of your shipments and fulfillment.
Some warehouses also have a trucking company and these will be an ideal choice for you. They can pick up the food containers from the shipping yard for the rails and then bring them into their warehouse where it can be picked and packed.
Use the public warehouses that have an expert business establishment to make a profit from your food distribution business. They have charges that you may compare to select the one that is most suitable to your company budget. A warehouse that has friendly staff and is flexible to the needs of its clients is a better choice. It is a good idea to pay a visit first to ensure the facility meets your standards.
With food grade warehousing cleanliness and hygiene matter a lot. You want a storage space that is sanitized regularly. If you are into importing, choose a bonded warehouse that has its trucking. These are licensed by the Government to admit imported items for storage until the custom duties are paid. You can find these facilities near the ports.