The Best Packaging Supplies for the Beverage Industry

For those that work in the beverage industry, selecting the best packaging supplies to ship your liquids can sometimes be tough, which is why we’re here to help. While you obviously need glass or plastic containers to hold the drinks themselves, determining what exactly you need to send them to customers or friends who live far away might be a headscratcher. We understand that there are a myriad of beverage companies around the United States both small and large. Whether you run a local small-batch craft brewery in Nebraska or a full-scale soda bottling company in New York, there will come a time when you need to send your goods in the mail or via freight. Let’s take a look at the packaging supplies that are essential to shipping water, soda, beer, wine, and any other beverage you can think of. Stretch Film For large scale beverage operations, stretch film is a necessity. Once your products are palletized, you’ll then need to bundle and unitize them to keep everything safely in place. Stretch wrap film provides an excellent security layer. There are multiple methods of application, including by hand or machine, and you can choose from different types of stretch film to suit your individual needs. Many plastic stretch wraps offer high clarity, allowing your customers and others to see your branding information or products underneath. Stretch wrap film is highly durable, puncture and tear resistant, and can block out moisture and dust to protect your beverages. Dunnage Air Bags Dunnage air bags are another essential shipping tool for larger beverage companies or anyone who uses freight to send their drinks around the country. These versatile air bags are placed between pallets after they are loaded into a trailer and provide cushioning, bracing, and protection each time your products hit the road. This minimizes the likelihood of damage while in transit by reducing chances of shifting as your products travel America’s roads and railways. Better yet, when taken care of correctly, Dunnage air bags can be reused about two or three times before you move on to a new set. Edge Protectors Palletized loads should always be equipped with edge protectors, sometimes called corner board or angle board, for protection against dents, scratches, and more. As you can likely guess, these tools are placed at the edges and the corners of a pallet, which are often subject to harsh and damaging impacts during the shipping process. Chipboard or Corrugated Sheets If you’re stacking your pallets on top of one another like many do, it’s smart to place a barrier layer in between each pallet. This helps to even out the weight of each pallet and protect them from any sort of damage that may come from strapping, forklifts, and other warehouse tools. Corrugated sheets, also called corrugated pads or corrugated sheeting, and chipboard are both excellent options for this. They provide the durable barrier layer you need to maximize the security of your beverages. Tape Beverage companies small and large will benefit from using tape. This one may seem pretty obvious, but having the right kind of tape is essential to packaging your goods securely. As a beverage supplier, you face shipping concerns that many other industries won’t ever need to think about. Tape helps the cartons in which you store your liquids stay securely closed, minimizing the risk of spillage. Small or home-based operations may also consider using tape to cover their bottle caps. This reduces the chances of any liquids leaking out of their primary containers. Poly Bags Another product that small companies or home breweries should consider are poly bags, especially zipper plastic bags. When you ship small batches of beverages inside corrugated boxes, wrap each individual bottle inside of a plastic bag. Squeeze all the air out and then seal the bag with either the zipper top closure or with tape. In the event that the bottle breaks or the cap comes off, this will help contain the liquid within the bag itself and therefore maintain the box’s structure. This protects your packaging material, like void fill, as well other products you may have included in your shipment. Shipping in the Beverage Industry Whether you’re a brewer, bottler, retailer, or anything else in the beverage industry, you understand that your products present unique challenges for shipping. This is why it is so important to utilize the best packaging supplies to keep everything secure and in its container. Protecting your goods as well as possible minimizes damage, saves you time, and benefits your bottom line.