The Midwest is a major hub for food companies and food processors — driven by the region’s rich agricultural resources, central location and infrastructure. The nation’s heartland is experiencing strong growth in 3PL food logistics services due to the need to support a number of food companies and food ingredient companies that operate manufacturing and processing facilities. These food companies include major brands, mill producers and global producers of agricultural products.
Food-grade 3PLs specialize in the storage, handling and transportation of food products, ensuring they meet stringent safety and quality standards throughout the supply chain. As food-grade logistics providers, it’s critical for the 3PLs that serve these companies to maintain the highest standards of safety, cleanliness and efficiency.
The capabilities that a food producer seeks in a food-grade 3PL will of course vary depending on the specifications required as to the specific scope of services, operational goals, KPIs and deliverables.
Stepping back from key specifics, here are a few basic elements that a food company should consider when selecting a Midwest 3PL for their food logistics and warehousing needs:
Food safety certifications and regulatory compliance
Food-grade warehousing 3PL service providers offering specialized storage and distribution services for food products and food ingredients should always be compliant to federal, state and local regulations. In particular, they need to comply with the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a broad set of laws which focus on preventing food safety issues through a number of required controls for those in the food supply chain.
Food-grade logistics providers should also have regular third-party audits by independent certifying organizations to verify adherence to food safety protocols which go above and beyond regulations such as FSMA. Look for certifications such as the SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification. Recognized globally by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), SQF certification verifies that a facility meets stringent food safety and quality management standards for storage and distribution.
Another global audit organization which is focused on food safety and related services is the American Institute of Baking (AIB), now known as AIB International. Certification by AIB International demonstrates that a food-grade logistics facility is committed to the highest standards of food safety and quality management through enhanced food safety practices and process-driven operations, ensuring quality management. [NOTE: We can add link later to upcoming AIB certification blog.]
Cold chain capabilities
Other basic requirements for a food-grade logistics provider include reliable temperature-control and cold chain capabilities to handle a range of food types, including perishable, frozen, refrigerated and climate-sensitive food products and ingredients. These capabilities are often essential—and sometimes mandatory—for maintaining the safety and quality of certain products.
Specialized handling and packaging
Of course before packaging, food products must meet important food safety and quality assurance criteria. Next, depending on the need and type of food product or commodity, some food shippers may also require a 3PL with demonstrated expertise in contract packaging. Not all food-grade 3PLs provide contract packaging services to their customers.
The packaging used for food products has a large impact on shipping costs, food quality and method of transportation. A certified food-grade 3PL will have quality management processes in place and should be able to provide cost-effective pricing for on-site packaging services.
Faster shipping for e-commerce fulfillment
More and more food and beverage companies and retailers are turning to e-commerce and requiring direct-to-consumer shipping capabilities from their 3PL. Speed is a competitive advantage to meet the consumer’s growing expectation for two-day and next-day shipping.
A Midwest-based food-grade 3PL with e-commerce capabilities provides a central location with strong infrastructure the transportation options to reduce transit times and keep shipping costs down, supporting customer satisfaction.
Why Worley Warehousing?
Located in the heart of the Midwest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Worley Warehousing is your 3PL partner for food logistics. The eastern Iowa corridor offers robust access to interstate highways, rail and air. Many U.S. cities are within two-day truck transit from our facilities which not only addresses the need for speed but lowers logistics costs.
With a total of eight distribution centers across nearly 2 million square feet, we provide food-grade storage, handling and transportation solutions for many leading food companies and food ingredient suppliers. We operate with the utmost cleanliness and sanitation standards and safety and quality control processes. Our facilities have been audited by AIB International for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) inspections, earning superior ratings.
At Worley, our certified food-grade warehouses practice inventory control measures such as FIFO (first in, first out) and, and for products with expiration dates, FEFO (first expired, first out), along with other inventory rotation practices specific to food safety standards and regulatory compliance.
Each Worley facility offers a full range of warehousing services including fulfillment services, contract packaging and other on-site packaging solutions as well as ambient and temperature-controlled space. Transportation services include short-haul trucking on our fleet of trucks, including drayage services and intermodal container loading.