Half the battle is planning ahead

Maybe this situation sounds familiar -

You're scheduled to brew your next Tangerine IPA in three weeks. You just realized you're short on fruit concentrate, so you place your order and confirm the shipping arrangements. Everything should arrive the day before you need it, so now you're feeling prepared.

But your carrier is delayed, and now the perishable concentrate is sitting in a hot truckyard over the weekend. Even if you decide to move forward with using the product, it won't arrive until days after you are scheduled to use it.

We may not have control over the shipping world in these times of COVID complications and a labor shortage. But here at Old Orchard, we can at least share some insider insight into what we're learning along the way. So here are the ins and outs of managing your concentrate shipments . . .

 

1. STAY FLEXIBLE

If you have an initial delivery estimate for your fruit concentrate delivery, plan to leave a few days between day of delivery and day of usage. If the ingredient doesn't arrive in time, you'll be thankful you allowed for some wiggle room. In an ideal world, your freshly-blended fruit concentrate would arrive at the exact moment you're ready to mix it in. But the reality is that ingredient deliveries are much more challenging to align with production and canning schedules.

 

2. WAIT FOR MONDAY

Is your concentrate order scheduled to be ready on a Thursday or a Friday? Think twice before scheduling your shipment for that same week. Here at Old Orchard, we recommend shipping early in the week so as to reduce the risk of carrier delays over the weekend. This guideline is especially relevant for our customers who are located outside of the Midwest—as far west as California or as far south as Florida.

If you select a refrigerated transit option (recommended!), and if you have extra time to spare, then maybe the timing isn't a huge concern for you. But why wait longer than necessary to get started on that next fruit brew?

 

3. REMEMBER HOLIDAYS

As you get closer to any standard holidays, keep in mind that Old Orchard offices will likely be closed on that day.

What's more important to remember, though, is that carrier delays are more likely (and more messy) in the week before and week after a major holiday. If you can, try to order and schedule your concentrate shipments in a way that avoids those weeks surrounding major holidays.

 

4. PASS ON PARCEL

If your order is just one or two pails, and if you opt for parcel shipping arrangements instead of freight, that means your pails will ship separately in boxes instead of being wrapped together on a pallet. Your shipping costs might appear cheaper that way, but the risks are greater. What if the boxes become separated during transit, delivering at separate times? Or what if the pails become lost or damaged from mishandling since they were not securely wrapped on a pallet? Yes, these things do happen, so considering ordering 2+ pails or 1+ drum at a time to qualify for freight quotes instead.

 

5. PAY FOR PREMIUM

Still set on shipping your pail or two with FedEx parcel? If you're willing to accept the risk, there's good news: we've noticed that FedEx tends to handle Priority or Overnight shipments much more carefully than Ground or other parcel options. Not a guarantee, but worth noting, and worth investing in the premium pricing.

In the unlikely scenario that anything were to happen to a priority shipment, there's even more good news. As of April 6th, 2021—but keep an eye on this in case it changes in the future—FedEx reinstated a money-back guarantee for premium shipments:

Effective April 6, 2021, Money-Back Guarantee will be reinstated for select FedEx Express services for US domestic and US import/export shipments for shipments originating on or after April 6th. Services include: FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx International First, FedEx International Priority, FedEx International Priority Freight. Money-Back Guarantee remains suspended for all other FedEx Express services and operating companies worldwide. Its status is being evaluated on an ongoing basis, and our focus remains on continuing to provide the best possible service to our customers during this period of uncertainty.

Note that Ground and 2-Day are not on the money-back guarantee list, so the chances are low that FedEx would reimburse a claim for products shipped with those methods.

 

6. FOCUS ON FREIGHT

If your order is 2+ pails or 1+ drums, then freight will likely be the most cost-effective option to ship your concentrates. We recommend freight anyway! Most of our customers partner with Brew Movers to handle their freight, with good reason:

  • Brew Movers knows the ins and outs of handling freight for the craft beverage supply chain
  • They can find the best rates for you
  • They can keep you updated on the status of your shipment
  • If there are ever any carrier issues to warrant a claim, Brew Movers can assist with the process

 

7. PICK UP IN PERSON

This option isn't for everyone, but it's worth considering. Most of our Michigan customers pick up in person, but we also have customers throughout the Midwest and East coast who make a day trip of it or stay in our area for the weekend. After all, our backyard is Beer City, USA—in the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—and also home to GLINTCAP, the world's largest cider judging competition. We are known for our beer, cider, and a growing scene of wineries and distilleries. If anyone would enjoy a road trip here, it would be a beverage maker.

This option works best if your order is large enough to last you a while but small enough to fit in your vehicle. And it's a good way to take control of your order during transit to reduce risk of any delays. Just don't forget to follow the pickup instructions in your order confirmation email; you'll need to secure the pickup number from our Transportation team for reference at our gate. 

 

 

NEXT STEPS

The world of shipping and supply chains will likely stay upended for months or years to come. We can't control everything, but we can take control of what we can. If you'd like to discuss your shipping options with Old Orchard or Brew Movers, feel free to reach out through one of the links below. We look forward to supplying your fruit concentrate needs!

Syrah "Sy" Linsley is the manager of Old Orchard's bulk supply program, which primarily serves the craft beverage industry with craft juice concentrates. Her passion for fruit-forward beverage evolved from the three years she spent as a fruitarian (only eating fruit) as well as the few years she worked in product development and fermentation. The highlight of Sy's day is to connect with craft beverage makers, so don't be shy: schedule a "Taproom Chat" or hear back from her through our contact form.

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