D2C Cold Chain Fulfillment Strategy
Situation
A U.S. direct-to-consumer (D2C) confectionery startup was facing quality challenges in storage and the shipping of their temperature sensitive products.
Challenge
The D2C confectionery client had complaints from customers that the products arrived melted. It seemed that their current packaging solution didn’t adequately protect the products from warmer temperatures.
The client tasked LogiChain Solutions with the design for new packaging, D2C storage, and shipping solutions that offered temperature protection. The solutions had to be scalable and take sustainability aspects into consideration.
Action Steps
Rene was able to assist the client by benchmarking packaging solutions other confectionary brands were using to ship D2C orders. He used the benchmark study to recommend short-term packaging solutions until a more permanent packaging concept had been implemented.
The client was then given an assessment and recommendations of a more longer term design for sustainable packaging solutions to provide temperature protection and maintain the quality of the products.
Rene also provided the client with an evaluation and recommendation of shipping solutions in terms of scalability, shipping methods, fulfillment strategy, pricing, and temperature control.
Results
The client implemented a re-designed packaging solution for both colder and warmer seasons that protected the products and maintained the quality. The packaging solution consisted of different types of insulation materials and PCM packs (phase-change-material), while using environmentally friendly materials.
The client was also provided a strategy for what shipping services to use based on region and season in order to better maintain the quality of the shipped products and to keep the shipping costs low.