Simplifying Food and Beverage Order Fulfillment with a2b
FDA and GMP Compliant Fulfillment
Food & Beverage Fulfillment: The Recipe for Success
The food and beverage industry has witnessed a significant surge in ecommerce sales. Consumers increasingly rely on ecommerce businesses to have their food and drinks delivered to their doorsteps. This shift in consumer behavior has created a massive opportunity for direct-to-consumer (DTC) food and beverage brands.
However, fulfilling and shipping shelf-stable food and beverage products can be challenging. To overcome these challenges, ecommerce brands need reliable fulfillment solutions. a2b Fulfillment excels at food and beverage fulfillment.
Our facilities are FDA-registered, ensuring your food and beverage products are warehoused according to FDA regulations. By partnering with a2b Fulfillment, food and beverage brands can ensure safe, quick, and efficient fulfillment, enabling them to meet the growing consumer demand.
The Rise of Food and Beverage Fulfillment
More and more food and beverage businesses are expanding from traditional brick-and-mortar stores into online marketplaces. By leveraging ecommerce channels, brands can reach a wider audience and establish a strong online presence. Success in this industry is built on a robust fulfillment logistics strategy.
Fortunately, advancements in technology and the availability of fulfillment infrastructure have made shipping food and beverages more straightforward for ecommerce companies. This has opened new opportunities for food and beverage brands to thrive in the online space. By focusing on optimizing the supply chain, brands can achieve remarkable success in the ecommerce industry.
Challenges in Food and Beverage Fulfillment
Food and beverage fulfillment comes with unique challenges. These challenges include ensuring timely shipping, preventing product spoilage, avoiding damaged orders, and complying with FDA regulations.
Timely Shipping
In today's fast-paced world, consumers expect quick shipping times. Amazon Prime and other fast delivery options have set the standard for ecommerce fulfillment. This is especially true for food and beverage orders, where freshness is a top priority. Brands that fail to meet these expectations risk losing consumers to competitors who can offer faster shipping options.
Product Spoilage
Food and beverage products require proper inventory management to prevent spoilage. Without effective tracking and control systems, these products can quickly go bad. Additionally, accurate forecasting and fulfillment processes are crucial to ensure that consumers receive products with ample shelf life. Failing to account for expiration dates can result in dissatisfied consumers and wasted inventory.
a2b Fulfillment’s WMS system is capable of handling both FEFO and FIFO requirements.
- FEFO – First-Expired, First-Out allows items with a shorter or nearest expiration date to ship first, while those with a longer shelf life are held near the back. When new inventory arrives, the furthest expiration dated product is moved to the back of the shelf.
- FIFO – First-In, First-Out is a method of managing inventory where the products that are picked and packed are the first to arrive in the warehouse. When new inventory is put away, older products are moved to the front of the shelf. This means the first goods purchased are the first goods sold.
- Expiry Tracking - a2b's WMS system handles all expiry tracking, eliminating the need for manual spreadsheets. Inventory that nears expiration (customizable at the SKU level) is automatically put on hold.
- Lot Control - a2b’s WMS keeps track of product lots and tracks them from inbound to customer shipment.
Damaged Orders
Food and beverage products are delicate and require special handling to prevent damage during transit. Whether it's fragile glass bottles or easily crushable food items, proper packaging, and dunnage are essential to protect these products. Without adequate protection, orders can arrive damaged, leading to dissatisfied customers and potential losses for the brand.
FDA Compliance
Shipping food and beverage products involves complying with FDA regulations. Fulfillment centers are subject to inspections by the FDA, and failing to meet their requirements can result in fines and recalls. To avoid these issues, it is essential to work with FDA-registered warehouses that meet the standards for storing and handling food and beverage inventory. From potato chips to infant formula, a2b has done it all.
Enhancing Food and Beverage Fulfillment with a2b Fulfillment
a2b Fulfillment offers a range of solutions to help food and beverage businesses overcome the challenges of fulfillment. By partnering with a2b Fulfillment, brands can enhance their order fulfillment process and optimize their supply chain.
Key Benefits of Working with a2b Fulfillment
Top of the Line Inventory Management
a2b Fulfillment provides best-in-class inventory management tools to help brands stay on top of their stock levels. With features like lot management and automatic reorder points, brands can efficiently track expiration dates and avoid stockouts. a2b Fulfillment's centralized inventory management system allows brands to manage their inventory from any device.
FDA-Registered Facilities
Outsourcing fulfillment to a2b Fulfillment means working with a 3PL company that operates FDA-registered warehouses. This registration ensures that the warehouses meet the necessary standards for storing and handling food and beverage products. And with facilities across the country, brands can reduce shipping costs and transit times, providing better service to their consumers.
Fulfillment Closer to Consumers
Shipping from a single location can limit a brand's reach and lead to higher shipping costs. a2b's fulfillment centers allow brands to split their inventory across multiple locations, ensuring faster and more cost-effective shipping. By strategically placing inventory closer to consumers, brands can reduce shipping zones and transit times, resulting in happier consumers and improved bottom line.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Fulfillment
Non-alcoholic beverage brands are making waves in the ecommerce industry, offering refreshing beverages like iced matcha and non-alcoholic spirits. a2b Fulfillment has extensive experience working with a variety of non-alcoholic beverage brands, providing efficient order picking and packing services to ensure quick and safe delivery to consumers.
Why Choose a2b Fulfillment for your Food and Beverage Fulfillment
Food and beverage businesses are thriving, and optimizing their supply chain is crucial for success. By partnering with a reliable fulfillment provider like a2b Fulfillment, brands can overcome the challenges of food and beverage fulfillment. a2b Fulfillment offers top-notch inventory management, FDA-certified warehouses, and fulfillment centers strategically located to reduce shipping costs and improve delivery times. With a2b Fulfillment as a growth partner, food and beverage brands can focus on expanding their business while enjoying industry-leading fulfillment services.
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