The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: catomell on May 27, 2009, 01:14:13 pm

Title: Transporting Frozen Meat.
Post by: catomell on May 27, 2009, 01:14:13 pm

Hi There,
Hope I am in the right place to post this query. Some time ago, I had a request for some of my meat to be delivered from our farm in North Devon to an address in Wiltshire. I spent the best part of a day on the phone trawling through the Yellow Pages trying to find a courier to deliver the meat, but the quotes were all in excess of £100, which for £80 of meat is ridiculous. In the end, we ended up driving it there ourselves.
However, more and more people keep asking me if I can send them meat. As we only have fresh meat shortly after slaughter, when we do quarterly markets and special event, most of our meat is frozen.
Does anybody know of a tried and tested, and reasonably inexpensive method of transporting frozen meat?? I have been told that it can go by overnight courier if the meat is packed with dry ice in one of our polystyrene boxes....where do I get the dry ice from???? Which is the best courier service??? Any / All input gratefully received.
Looking forward to hearing what others do.....

Title: Re: Transporting Frozen Meat.
Post by: gavo on May 28, 2009, 08:16:10 pm

Hello,
   We use Hydropac (www.hydropac.co.uk) insulated boxes & freezer bags for our mail order service. With the insulated boxes - if we want to ensure that the goods stay frozen we insert freezer packs that are designed to stay frozen (provided they're in the insulated boxes) for 24 hrs (these have to be frozen at at least -24c beforehand, -24c is typically the "super" setting on a freezer).
We then use a guaranteed next day delivery service to post them (ensuring we drop them off at the post office just before last collection).


Cheers

Gavin

Title: Re: Transporting Frozen Meat.
Post by: catomell on May 28, 2009, 10:06:54 pm

Hi Gavin,
Thanks for that - am I being blonde or are you actually sending your meat out via Royal Mail rather than a courier company?? If so, what are the costs like?? Sorry to ask so many questions, but I really would like to know, and everyone on this forum is so incredibly helpful.....

Thanks
Catherine.

Title: Re: Transporting Frozen Meat.
Post by: gavo on May 29, 2009, 08:45:45 pm

Catherine,

Here are the costs :- http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400026&mediaId=22700554

We charge all our P&P at cost.

Cheers

Gavin

Title: Re: Transporting Frozen Meat.
Post by: catomell on May 30, 2009, 12:59:34 am

Thank you so very much for your help - wish I had known about this forum a few months ago - would have saved me a lot of time and hassle - I am really very grateful.
Thanks Gavin.