Promising a home-cooked meal in less than half the time, meal kit delivery services have enjoyed a quick rise in market share in recent years. Luring in everyone from busy professionals to soccer moms with their appealing blend of no-shopping, quick prepping, and clean eating goodness, these companies have placed an increased demand for innovation in the cold chain packaging market.

 

As companies flood this new market, they must learn to differentiate themselves from their competition. Maintaining a high level of quality and customer service is equally as important as keeping shipping costs reasonable and preventing losses due to inadequate packaging of highly perishable food items. After all, these companies hang their hats on the “fresh factor” of their meals.

 

Several packaging options are available to meal kit delivery companies, some more appealing than others. Traditional coolers are effective, yet heavy to ship and bulky to store. Specialized refrigerated vans may have a place in premium delivery markets. However, many meal kit delivery services have found the sweet spot of cold chain shipping to be a cost-effective insulated box liner with a cold gel pack that can be shipped via traditional couriers. This allows them to keep food fresh and costs manageable for a larger market share.

 

Further complicating the meal delivery packaging process are the varying climates, weather patterns and transit times that affect various regions of the country. Successful meal-delivery companies will need to stay nimble and keep a variety of reliable cold-chain packaging methods ready for different markets and conditions.

 

Given this surge of demand for healthy, fresh, ready-to-prepare food delivered to a doorstep, meal kit delivery service providers can do well by sourcing high-quality, trusted and innovative partners who specialize in packaging. In this competitive market, using the right packaging could mean the difference between a successful business model or leaving them feeling rotten.

 

For more information on cold chain packaging, check out our CoolPAC insulated box liners, insulated mailers, and insulated roll stock.