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The grocery ecommerce sector has seen a boom during the last few months. Many delivery companies saw their orders switching from electronics, clothing and footwear to daily groceries. And they had to rethink their entire business strategy, including the reusable delivery containers they use to move goods from producer to warehouse and then to the end customers.
Online Grocery Shopping – a Trend that Will Stay with Us
Even though lockdown rules are slowly relaxing all over the world, consumers still prefer ordering products online and waiting for home delivery. They want to stay safe and avoid crowding into supermarkets to buy groceries and other daily use products. Thus, a large part of the retail business will have to adapt to the ecommerce model.
This business model has specific characteristics, such as:
- A faster supply chain determined by the customers’ demand for speedy deliveries;
- A well structured network of central warehouses and local delivery hubs;
- Specific types of reusable delivery containers for each step of the delivery cycle.
The Role of Reusable Delivery Containers in Grocery Ecommerce
The experts at Logistic Packaging know that moving processed foods, fresh produce and dry foods efficiently from the place of origin to the customer’s fridge and pantry is a complex operation. Some items have to be delivered as soon as possible after harvesting. Others need to be kept in cold storage and delivered in refrigerated trailers.
For the delivery company it takes a lot of work to coordinate all its internal supply chains so that each client receives their order on time and containing all the products they need. The only solution to coordinate such a complex delivery cycle is using professional reusable delivery containers.
Why Are Returnable Plastic Boxes the Ideal Choice for Grocery Deliveries?
Reusable delivery containers range from large pallet boxes to small crates for bakery products or for fruit and vegetables. Each of these professional packaging solutions is designed and manufactured to meet specific requirements, such as:
- Safe for food contact
- Sturdy build for long term use
- Ergonomic handling
- Space saving capabilities.
Some of these returnable delivery containers have specific features required by the type of product they carry. Thus, plastic fish containers have a spillway, drainage holes and a compartment for packing ice. Plastic crates for fruit and vegetables have perforated walls and bottom to facilitate ventilation and smooth inner walls to protect the produce from marking and denting.
What Are the Specific Benefits of these Packages for Grocery Ecommerce?
Grocery deliveries at home follow this typical cycle:
- The retailer delivers large quantity of products from a central warehouse to local hubs;
- The delivery company goes to delivery hubs to collect orders for specific areas;
- The delivery company splits orders among couriers depending on the route.
For each step of the journey there is a specific type of reusable delivery container. Deliveries from large warehouses are usually made in large pallet boxes. These packaging solutions are also adequate for use in cold storage as they resist to low temperature.
The delivery company will split the orders into smaller containers, such as:
- Foldable small containers
- Crates for bread and bakery products
- Fish containers
- Plastic crates for fruit and vegetables.
End-to-End Efficiency and Reliability
The packaging specialists at Logistic Packaging know the time and space constraints for ecommerce deliveries. Each courier must make as many deliveries as possible on a single trip. This means that they need to be able to pack as many orders in their van as possible.
This is why many of our reusable delivery containers have space saving features. They are:
- Foldable or collapsible
- Stackable
- Nestable.
This means that delivery companies can maximize the useful space in their vans. And once an order is delivered, the courier can fold, stack or nest the empty containers and, if necessary, take on more orders to deliver on the way.
At Logistic Packaging we are working hard to help our customers adapt their business model to the new realities and demands of the market. Get in touch with our consultants by email or Skype video call to find how we can help your business stay strong!
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