How a dairy-free manufacturer used Bulk Dedicated transportation for food and beverage shipping

• Dedicated food-grade tankers protect product integrity. Tanks are used only for the manufacturer’s product, removing the risk of cross-contamination.

• Trained drivers act as an extension of the business. Schneider drivers learn the product’s handling rules, temperature needs and paperwork.
• A dedicated model scales with demand. Schneider grew from 10 drivers and tankers to 20 as the manufacturer’s volume increased.

Getting your product across the country and even over the border safely is a lot of pressure. That is especially true for companies that ship in the food and beverage vertical. With every load, the integrity of the product and the company’s reputation is on the line. 

A manufacturer of dairy-free foods experienced this situation when it needed to ship the product base used in its non-dairy milks from its manufacturing plant in the northeastern United States to co-packaging plants in eastern Canada and the Midwest.  

The manufacturer was having trouble finding enough drivers to meet demand; its segment of the dairy alternative industry was growing quickly, so the manufacturer needed to be able to scale up its transportation solutions as demand for its non-dairy milks increases. Plus, it needed to ensure that its transportation processes met Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance. 

The manufacturer reached out to see how Schneider could help. 

Schneider stepped in with a Bulk Dedicated food-grade service and began moving the manufacturer’s product with 10 dedicated drivers and tankers. A dedicated solution gave the manufacturer confidence that its product would be protected throughout transport. 

Dedicated food-grade tankers meant the tanks were used only for the manufacturer’s product; which greatly reduced the risk of other types of food or chemicals coming into contact with the product. Dedicated drivers acted as an extension of the manufacturer’s business, becoming experts on its products and processes. 

Because Schneider Dedicated drivers receive extensive training on bulk transportation and maintaining FSMA compliance, those working on the manufacturer’s business were prepared to transport the product base.  

Following the standard Schneider process:  

• Drivers were responsible for keeping the product at the correct temperature and confirming the tanks were properly washed. 
• All tanks went through a two-hour cleaning process to help keep them bacteria-free.
• After the wash, all tanks would be loaded within 72 hours or be cleaned again.

Drivers were also trained on any specific needs of the customer’s product. In this case, the manufacturer required that its product be delivered within five days of loading. By learning the manufacturer’s needs, drivers were better equipped to spot potential issues and became experts at filling out necessary paperwork. 

The manufacturer received support from a dedicated customer service team that knows its business well. Throughout the transportation process, the manufacturer could trust that its products were properly handled. 

As the manufacturer’s business grew, so did its freight capacity needs. Schneider later scaled to 20 drivers and trailers to ship the manufacturer’s food and beverage product. Because Schneider has a large network and buying power, it could scale up to find the needed capacity. In addition to eastern Canada and the Midwest, Schneider also helps the manufacturer support new facilities in the western U.S. and deliver its product base to co-packing plants across the West and western Canada. 

Plus, Schneider Dedicated drivers have helped protect the manufacturer’s brand, building relationships with production and co-packing facilities to support smooth and consistent product delivery and safety procedures. 

As it manages a surge in demand for its product, the manufacturer no longer needs to spend time and energy finding its own drivers. The manufacturer has been able to safely move its dedicated freight across North America thanks to a Bulk Dedicated solution from Schneider.

Find out more about how Schneider can help your business navigate food and beverage logistics.