Shipping meal boxes chilled: what do you need?
Chilled shipping for meal boxes: what do you need?
Meal kit companies and meal box providers are a fast-growing sector. Fresh ingredients, meat, fish, dairy — everything needs to arrive at the customer perfectly fresh, often after 24 to 48 hours in transit.
The challenge
You are shipping a complete meal box with various temperature-sensitive components:
- Fresh meat or fish (0-4 °C)
- Dairy products (4-7 °C)
- Fresh herbs and vegetables
- Sometimes also dry ingredients at room temperature
Everything in one package, for at least 24 hours in transit, often in summer conditions. This requires a well-planned approach.
The ideal combination
1. Outer packaging: Polystyrene Box or honeycomb insulated box
For an average meal kit, we recommend an EPS or honeycomb box of 30-45 litres. Honeycomb has an attractive eco-friendly look that suits many meal kit brands.
2. Coolants: gel packs in the right place
- Fresh fish/meat: gel packs directly on top (cold air sinks)
- Dairy: gel pack alongside
- Vegetables/herbs: not directly against cold packs (freezing damage)
3. Absorbent mat on the bottom
Any meltwater or liquid is absorbed — preventing wet products and leaking boxes.
4. Separating materials
Use cardboard or plastic dividers to separate sensitive products from the cooling elements.
Cost optimisation
Meal kit margins are often tight. Tips for saving costs:
- Order packaging by the pallet for economies of scale
- Standardise on 1-2 box sizes instead of 5
- Reuse gel packs (some providers do this with a returns system)
- Request a quote for an annual contract
For meal kit companies, Cooled Solutions offers:
- Fixed price agreements for volume orders
- Mixed pallets with various products
- Purchase on account (Net 30)
- Custom printing of insulated boxes available
- Fast delivery from stock
Request a tailored quote for your meal kit business.
Order now
Need the right packaging straight away? View our EPS boxes, gel packs, insulated envelopes and cold chain packaging for e-commerce.
