PhD in shipping

Posted by Sena Wheeler on December 31, 2021

I have a degree in nutrition and a master's degree in food science...

but I feel like for the last seven years I've been earning a PhD in shipping- the hard way.

We know how to catch fish, handle it carefully, cut with precision, vacuum seal and freeze for premium sushimi quality. We've got that part pretty dialed. We control every single step, and no one does it better.

Our fish is world-class.

However, the most challenging part of what we do is handing over our perfectly packed boxes to UPS every Monday. I hold them in our freezer van as long as I can and deliver them myself just before the shipping deadline.

I'm not a worrier...but I worry about those boxes. I send them off to UPS with best wishes and positive thoughts. They're like teenage drivers (I have one now!) and I think about them until I see each one make it to its destination on time.

Shipping is a hot topic right now.

We are all hearing about supply shortages and increased shipping times.

At first, I naively thought it wouldn't affect us.

After all, we catch our own fish. We don't have to order it or wait for a re-supply. We don't receive anything from overseas. Even our packaging is American-made and we are all stocked up.

But it's the increased shipping times that got us. Delayed packages are NOT ok when you ship premium frozen seafood.

If we ship a box overnight and it arrives late, UPS will (through a very cumbersome process) refund the shipping cost. But for what we do, that just doesn't cut it. What about the cost of the ruined fish? What about the waste?

So here's what we are doing about it:

Route insurance is offered at checkout and I HIGHLY recommend it. Route was created just for perishable shipping. They will replace any box that defrosts for any reason (including late arrival) or is damaged or lost in transit. Plus, the claim process is super fast and easy.
Double the dry ice. Although we ship overnight, we have just increased our coolant to last up to 2-3 days. That way a box can be delivered late and still arrive frozen solid.
Moisture barrier. Our sustainable foam is biodegradable and therefore dissolves in water. A moisture barrier will help it hold up better under undesirable conditions.

Pricing Changes

Free Shipping threshold increased from $100 to $150
We are offering larger box sizes that incorporate savings of 10% to 45% as amounts increase. We want to ship you more fish less often!

Did you know that shipping more fish at a time actually helps it stay cold longer?

It's all about mass and surface area - more mass and less surface area are better for keeping cold things cold.

Check out our new 25 and 35 pound offerings. You receive the exact same fish individually vacuum-sealed, but we weigh it out rather than counting out a particular number of portions. 25 lbs is a great choice if you'd like to add a few other products, and 35 lbs is our max box size.

Perfect for stocking up for winter...