Preserving Chocolate Perfection with High-Performance Thermal Packaging

CLIENT BACKGROUND

One of the largest and most iconic confectionery brands in the United States, this company operates hundreds of retail stores nationwide and has a fast-growing direct-to-consumer (DTC) business. They ship over 300,000 boxes of premium chocolates every month - even during the peak of summer. As a premium brand, they are committed to delivering their products in perfect condition, without compromise.

CLIENT REQUIREMENTS

The client faced a critical challenge: shipping premium chocolates without any risk of melting, even during extreme summer temperatures. Their specific requirements included:

• ‍High Performing Packaging – Prevent chocolate melt across all U.S. states, regardless of summer heat.‍
• Cold Chain Reliability – Enable shipping without relying on pre-conditioned (refrigerated) product.‍
• Website & Fulfilment Flexibility – Enable 7-day shipping option and extend online trading hours (generate more revenue)‍
• Consistent, Plastic-Free Packouts – Eliminate mixed materials and standardise packaging with a paper-based solution.

UNIQUE PROJECT CHALLENGES

Several constraints made shipping candy particularly complex:

• ‍Shipping Restrictions – Orders had to be cut off by Thursday midday, with no Friday dispatches, as extended weekend transit would exceed acceptable delivery times for their overnight shipping model.‍
• Weather-Dependent Logistics – Orders couldn’t be shipped to certain states during periods of extreme heat.‍
• Unconditioned Product – Chocolates weren’t refrigerated prior to packing, creating a 33°F (18°C) temperature delta between product and gel packs.‍
• Condensation Issues – Condensation on gel packs had caused damage to the product packaging and presentation.‍
• Mixed Materials – Existing packouts included a mix of paper and plastic, lacking material consistency and causing disposal to be less straight-forward.

THERMOGARD SOLUTION

To address each of these concerns, Thermogard designed a custom packaging solution featuring high-density PaperShield Ultra, custom dividers, and a unique packaging configuration that minimized the risk of product damage while maintaining exceptional product temperature stability. The final packout included:

• ‍PaperShield Ultra Insulation– An ultra high-density paper-based liner delivering reliable cold chain performance for 2-day and 5-day transit times.‍
• Paper Fill & Cardboard Dividers– Eliminated all remaining plastics for a fully paper-based, recyclable solution, while also providing additional impact protection to preserve the product integrity. ‍
• No-Sweat Gel Packs– Removing any chance of condensation damaging the chocolates’ packaging without compromising on any thermal performance.

END RESULT

Thermogard’s solution enabled the client to move from an overnight-only freight model to a split model including 2-day and 5-day options - a major logistics breakthrough.

This shift unlocked over $1 million in annual freight savings, dramatically improving cost-efficiency without compromising product quality.

Additionally, the 5-day shipper allowed the extension of the online order window by two full days increasing availability in more locations, even during the hottest parts of the year, creating new sales opportunities and greater annual revenue.

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