Chilled, frozen and shelf-stable freight from one platform
Food and beverage shipping usually means calling around for a reefer carrier, a broker for full reefer loads, and carrier websites for dry product, all while working to warehouse appointment times. GetShippingRates prices reefer LTL, reefer truckload and dry freight from one screen, with temperature and food-grade needs set on each quote.
Using multiple carriers, portals or transportation providers? See how you can simplify quoting, booking, tracking and shipping management through one platform.
Short answer: Food and beverage shippers usually move refrigerated and frozen product by reefer LTL or reefer truckload and shelf-stable product by dry LTL or dry van. In the GetShippingRates platform you choose chilled, frozen or ambient on each quote, get instant reefer LTL and truckload prices that Armstrong's team confirms and books, rate 50+ dry LTL carriers and book online, and track every load with alerts for late or missed pickups.
How food and beverage shippers ship
LTL rates 50+ carriers and books online. Every other mode is priced instantly in the platform, and Armstrong’s team confirms the carrier and books it.
Reefer LTL
Pallets of chilled, frozen or ambient product. Rates from reefer carriers side by side, with food-grade and stackable options.
Reefer LTL quotes →Truckload
Full reefer or dry van loads to distribution centers and co-packers, priced all-in with fuel included and confirmed by Armstrong's team.
Truckload rates →LTL
Shelf-stable product, packaging and supplies. Rate 50+ carriers at once and book online.
LTL shipping →Where food and beverage shipping breaks down
Calling around for reefer LTL
Fewer carriers run temperature-controlled LTL, so finding one for a few pallets usually means phone calls and emails before you have a price.
With the platform: Reefer LTL rates come back in seconds from reefer carriers side by side, and Armstrong's team confirms the carrier and books it.
Temperature details lost between emails
The temperature range, commodity and food-grade requirement get passed along by email, and a detail missed there is a risk to the load.
With the platform: Choose chilled, frozen or ambient on the quote and set food-grade, stackable, liftgate and driver unload options, so the requirements travel with the shipment.
Warehouse appointments
Grocery and foodservice warehouses work by appointment, and a late or missed pickup can push delivery past the window.
With the platform: Optional alerts tell you when a pickup is missed or a load is running late, and Armstrong's team handles delivery appointments for you.
Refrigerated and dry product in separate systems
Reefer loads go through one broker and shelf-stable product through carrier websites, so total freight cost and every open load never show up together.
With the platform: Reefer LTL, reefer truckload and dry LTL quote from the same screen, and the Control Tower shows every open load across modes.
Seasonal and promotional volume
When a promotion or season pushes volume from a few pallets to full trucks, the shipment moves to a different provider and a different process.
With the platform: Price the same lane as reefer LTL or reefer truckload in the platform and move between them as volume changes, without opening another account.
Shipping in several modes? The Control Tower shows every open load across all of them on one screen.
One login for every mode you ship
Get a quote for your next shipment, see how the platform handles quoting, booking and tracking across modes, or send us a look at how you ship today and Armstrong’s team will show you what one platform would consolidate. There’s no separate software fee: the platform comes with your shipping account.
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Questions from food and beverage shippers
Can we ship chilled, frozen and dry freight from one account?
Yes. Each reefer quote takes a temperature setting of chilled, frozen or ambient, and dry LTL and dry van quote from the same screen. Every shipment, refrigerated or not, shows up in the same shipment list and on the Control Tower.
Does reefer LTL book online?
Reefer LTL and reefer truckload are priced instantly in the platform, and your Armstrong team confirms the carrier and books the shipment. Dry LTL books online from 50+ carriers.
Who handles warehouse delivery appointments?
Armstrong's team handles delivery appointments for you. Optional alerts tell you when a pickup is missed or a shipment is behind, so you hear about it before the appointment window.
Is there a software fee for the platform?
No separate software fee. The platform comes with your shipping account, and you pay for the freight you move. Accounts are opened after a quick credit check, and there is nothing to install.