Using 3pls to fulfill orders

Key Points

Research suggests distributors can fulfill perishable items in kits via third-party logistics (3PL) services.
It seems likely that fulfillment services, not distributors directly, assemble kits with perishables.
The evidence leans toward sellers using 3PLs to handle perishable integration, ensuring freshness and compliance.

Direct Answer

Overview
If you sell a sauce kit with a perishable item, such as cheese, the distributor typically does not directly add it to your package for fulfillment. Instead, you can work with a third-party logistics (3PL) fulfillment service that specializes in perishables. These services can receive the perishable item from the distributor and add it to your kit before shipping to customers, ensuring proper handling and freshness.

Distributor Shipping to You
Usually, the distributor ships the perishable item, like cheese, to you or directly to the fulfillment service. You would then package it with other kit components and ship to customers, but handling perishables yourself can be complex due to storage and temperature needs.

Shipping Your Package to Distributor for Fulfillment
It’s less common, but possible, to send your non-perishable kit components to the distributor, and they could add the perishable item and ship the complete kit. However, this is typically managed through a 3PL, not the distributor directly, to ensure proper cold chain logistics and compliance with food safety regulations.

Recommended Approach
The best option is using a 3PL like ShipBots or Green Rabbit, which can coordinate with the distributor to add perishables to your kits, simplifying logistics and reducing risks.

Survey Note: Logistics for Selling Sauce Kits with Perishable Items

This comprehensive analysis, conducted on May 13, 2025, explores the logistics of selling a sauce kit that includes a perishable item, such as cheese, and addresses whether the distributor of the perishable item ships it to the seller for packaging or if the seller can send their package to the distributor for fulfillment. The findings integrate market trends, consumer preferences, and practical fulfillment strategies to provide a detailed roadmap for e-commerce businesses.

Market Overview and Product Context

The broader sauces market is experiencing significant growth, valued at USD 58.14 billion in 2023 and projected to reach USD 81.60 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.96% (Sauces Market). Within this, DIY sauce kits with perishable components, like cheese for cheese sauce kits, cater to a niche but growing market of food enthusiasts and gift buyers. The inclusion of perishables, such as cheese, adds complexity due to the need for temperature-controlled storage and shipping, which impacts fulfillment strategies.

Fulfillment Options for Perishable Items in Kits

Research suggests that handling perishable items in e-commerce kits involves specialized logistics to ensure freshness and compliance with food safety regulations. The evidence leans toward two primary approaches: the distributor shipping the perishable item to the seller for packaging, or using a third-party logistics (3PL) fulfillment service to manage the entire process, including adding perishables to kits.

Distributor Shipping to Seller for Packaging

Typically, the distributor of the perishable item, such as cheese, ships it to the seller. The seller then packages it with non-perishable items (e.g., flour, seasonings) to create the complete kit and ships it to customers. This approach requires the seller to have the infrastructure for storing perishables, such as refrigerated storage, and to manage temperature-controlled shipping, which can be challenging for small businesses. For example, pages like What Are Perishable Foods? highlight that perishable foods, defined by the USDA as items likely to spoil if not kept refrigerated at 40°F or below, need careful handling to prevent spoilage.

This method is common for businesses starting out, but it increases operational complexity, especially for maintaining the cold chain. The seller must ensure compliance with food safety regulations, such as FDA guidelines for interstate sales (How to Start a Sauce Business), and may face higher costs for refrigerated shipping, as noted in Shipping Perishable Goods.

Seller Shipping Package to Distributor for Fulfillment

It is less common, but possible, for the seller to send their package (containing non-perishable items) to the distributor, and the distributor adds the perishable item and ships the complete kit to the customer. However, research suggests this is typically facilitated through a 3PL rather than the distributor directly handling fulfillment. Distributors are primarily focused on supplying the perishable item, not on assembling and shipping kits, which requires specialized fulfillment capabilities.

For instance, pages like Ecommerce for Distributors discuss distributors’ roles in B2B e-commerce, focusing on inventory and pricing access, but not on kit assembly. Instead, fulfillment services like ShipBots offer kitting and assembly services, including protective packaging for fragile and perishable items, such as bubble wrap or thermopore sheets, ensuring safety during shipping.

Role of Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Fulfillment Services

The evidence leans strongly toward using 3PL fulfillment services to manage the integration of perishable items into kits, especially for e-commerce businesses. These services, such as Green Rabbit and eGourmet Solutions, specialize in perishable fulfillment, offering temperature-controlled warehouses and expertise in cold chain logistics. They can receive non-perishable items from the seller and perishable items from the distributor, assemble the kit, and ship it to customers, ensuring freshness and compliance.

For example, Green Rabbit works with over 150 eCommerce brands and ships millions of orders annually, with facilities in California, Indiana, and Massachusetts, enabling reach to 95% of the U.S. population in two days or fewer. This approach simplifies logistics for the seller, as the 3PL handles storage, assembly, and shipping, reducing the risk of spoilage and ensuring efficient order fulfillment.

Practical Implementation and Logistics

To implement this, the seller can choose one of the following strategies:

Direct Receipt and Packaging: The distributor ships the perishable item (e.g., cheese) to the seller, who stores it in a refrigerated environment and packages it with other kit components. The seller then ships the complete kit, using insulated packaging and coolants like gel packs, as recommended by How to Ship Perishable Food. This requires the seller to invest in cold storage and manage shipping logistics, which can be costly and complex.
3PL-Mediated Fulfillment: The seller sends non-perishable items to a 3PL like ShipBots, which coordinates with the distributor to receive the perishable item and assemble the kit. The 3PL then ships the kit to customers, leveraging their temperature-controlled facilities and shipping expertise. This is ideal for scaling operations and minimizing risk, as seen in Perishable Fulfillment.
Distributor-to-3PL Coordination: The seller works with a 3PL that has a partnership with the distributor, so the distributor ships the perishable item directly to the 3PL, which adds it to the kit. This reduces handling by the seller and ensures seamless integration, as noted in discussions on Kitting and Assembly.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

Selling kits with perishable items requires compliance with food safety regulations, such as FDA guidelines for interstate sales and local cottage food laws (Cottage Food Laws). If operating from home, check state regulations, as some may require commercial kitchen use for perishable items. Fulfillment services often handle these compliance aspects, ensuring labels include ingredient lists, allergens, and nutritional information, as required by How to Bottle and Sell Sauces.

Comparative Analysis of Fulfillment Options

To provide context, here is a table comparing the two main approaches based on available data:AspectDistributor Ships to Seller3PL Handles Fulfillment with Distributor Handling Complexity High (requires cold storage, packaging expertise) Low (3PL manages all perishable logistics) Cost Higher (refrigerated shipping, storage costs) Potentially lower (economies of scale with 3PL) Scalability Limited by seller’s infrastructure High (3PL can handle large volumes) Risk of Spoilage Higher (seller manages cold chain) Lower (3PL specializes in perishables) Compliance Seller responsible for food safety 3PL often ensures compliance Examples Small home-based businesses E-commerce brands using ShipBots, Green Rabbit

This table highlights that using a 3PL is generally more efficient and scalable, especially for businesses looking to grow, while direct handling by the seller is more suitable for small-scale operations with controlled logistics.

Customer Service and Feedback

Regardless of the approach, provide excellent customer service, including clear instructions on how to store and use the kit, especially regarding the perishable item. Offer responsive support for any questions or issues, and encourage customers to leave reviews, which can boost credibility and attract new buyers. Use feedback to improve logistics, such as addressing shipping delays or freshness concerns, as seen in Selling Perishable Items Online.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for selling a sauce kit with a perishable item, the distributor typically ships the perishable item to the seller for packaging, but this can be complex due to storage and shipping needs. Alternatively, the seller can send their package to a 3PL, which coordinates with the distributor to add the perishable item and fulfill the order, ensuring freshness and compliance. This 3PL-mediated approach is recommended for efficiency and scalability, leveraging services like ShipBots and Green Rabbit to handle the integration of perishables into kits.