Frozen Meat Distributor - Southern California

Achieving Reliable 3-Day Frozen Shipping with a Fully Recyclable Cold Chain System

Client background

A family-owned meat company based in Southern California, this brand ships 100% grass-fed, sustainably raised frozen meat to customers across the U.S. Known for their dedication to product quality and environmental responsibility, they sought a cold chain packaging solution that could maintain frozen conditions during transit—while eliminating legacy Styrofoam packaging and upgrading to a more sustainable, recyclable alternative.

Client requirements

The client needed to overhaul their packaging system to align with two core goals:

• Maintain Frozen Temperatures – Ship meat below 0°C for up to72 hours across the country.
• Sustainability Upgrade – Eliminate Styrofoam and move to a solution that was kerbside recyclable and environmentally responsible.

Unique project challenges

Limitations with Gel Pack Performance – Their existing 0°C gel pack solution struggled to maintain the frozen temperature range needed for extended transit times, putting product quality at risk.

Thermogard solution

Thermogard delivered a robust, sustainable cold chain system purpose-built for long-distance frozen shipping:

• EnviroShield 1.5” Insulation – A recyclable insulation solution with high-performance thermal retention, optimized for frozen goods.
• Dry Ice Integration – Leveraged dry ice as the coolant to maintain sub-zero conditions for up to 72 hours.
• Thermal Validation – Comprehensive thermal modelling and chamber testing using the ISTA 7D profile to ensure performance reliability across a range of transit conditions.

End result

The client received a fully recyclable, dry ice-compatible packaging system that reduced product loss, cut freight costs, and improved the customer experience.

• Increased Shipping Reliability – Consistently maintained frozen temperatures across 3-day transits.
• Reduced Packaging Claims – Fewer customer complaints and returns due to packaging failures.
• Lower Freight Costs – Enabled use of slower, more economical shipping methods.
• Improved Consumer Experience – Compact format with easier disposal and no Styrofoam.
• Sustainability Gains – Successfully replaced legacy Styrofoam packaging with a kerbside recyclable alternative, reducing environmental impact.

This sustainable packaging upgrade empowered the client to scale their nationwide frozen shipments without compromising product integrity - or the planet.