How to Ship Cold Beverages: A Step-by-Step Guide 🚛❄️ Shipping cold beverages—especially alcoholic ones—comes with a complex logistics process. Whether you’re sending out craft cocktails, energy drinks, or kombucha, ensuring quality, compliance, and cost efficiency is key. Here’s how it’s done: 🔹 Step 1: Sleeving & Labeling Before shipping, cans go through a quality check and packaging process to ensure durability and shelf appeal: ✅ Rinse Tunnel – Cleans excess product from the can. ✅ Warmer & Pasteurizers – Sanitizes and prevents spoilage. ✅ Blowers – Removes water spots to avoid corrosion. ✅ Shrink Sleeving & Labeling – Applies high-quality branding. 🎯 Pro Tip: Opt for pasteurization if your beverage has live cultures (e.g., kombucha) to extend shelf life. 🔹 Step 2: Packing & Palletizing Proper packing prevents damage, spoilage, and unnecessary costs: 📦 PakTech Carriers – Keep cans stable for transport. 📦 Case Trays – Stack-friendly recyclable trays hold up to 24 cans. 📦 Shrink-Wrapping – Protects cases & pallets during transit. 📦 Corner Boards & Pallet Protectors – Adds strength & temperature control. 🎯 Pro Tip: Stack efficiently to reduce freight class costs and minimize handling fees. 🔹 Step 3: Shipping & Logistics 📍 Freight Options: 🚚 Truckload (TL) – Best for 10+ pallets; direct delivery with fewer stops. 🚚 Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) – More affordable for 1-6 pallets, but slower. 🚆 Intermodal Freight – Uses rail, air, or cargo ships for long distances. 🛳️ FOB (Free on Board) – Buyer handles all shipping responsibilities. 🎯 Pro Tip: Work with a freight broker to negotiate better rates and optimize delivery schedules. 🔹 Step 4: Freight Classification Most canned beverages ship under CLASS 65, NMFC 111470, which means: ❌ Carriers may charge higher rates due to weight & potential spoilage. ✅ Established partnerships with carriers can lower costs. 🎯 Pro Tip: If your product requires refrigeration, consider reefer trucks or insulated pallet protectors.