The Paper Mart Guide to Packaging and Shipping Baked Goods

Shipping cookies, cupcakes, or chocolate? Make sure your baked creations come out of their packaging just as they came out of the oven – perfect! Just because you sell tasty baked goods doesn’t mean shipping your products isn’t serious business. Ensuring that delicious creations arrive in mint condition can get a little tricky, especially if you’re shipping perishables that require temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower during shipment. After all, who wants to open a box of crumbled cookies or melted chocolate?

 

To help keep your customers happy — and their sweet tooth satisfied – we put together some essential tips to ensure that your baked goods are delivered in prime condition.

 

1) Bake for Shipping

While delicious, not all baked goods ship equally. Sturdy treats such as cookies, breads, muffins, and bars can withstand the commute slightly better than an intricately frosted cake. If you can focus your delivery business on confectionary creations that are less fragile and don’t require as much handling, you’ll be making your life a little easier and saving money along the way — but if your heart’s set on the more grandiose treats, we recommend using a sturdy new corrugated cardboard box and protecting your items with foam cushioning. 

 

2) Wrap It Up

Wrap individual treats with parchment paper, cello bags, or food liners to keep them intact. Plus, if an order contains multiple goodies in the same package or shipment, individual wrappings will prevent your baked goods from sticking to one another during transit.

 

3) Presentation is Key

While individual packaging can protect treats and prevent them from melting into one another, don’t forget that presentation is everything. After tasting your baked goods, we know your customers will want to order again, so go the extra mile to create an unboxing experience that is fun and memorable. A stackable candy tin, pretty bakery box, or cute candy container wrapped with bakers twine make for beautiful decorative packaging options that let your customers know you care about their experience.

 

4) Choose the Right Packaging Supplies

When it’s finally time to put your baked goods into a durable corrugated box, cushion them with bubble wrap or foam filler for an extra layer of protection. And don’t forget to pack the treats as snugly as possible! The more they shift around during transit, the more likely they are to crumble.

 

5) How to Ship

You want your baked goods to arrive quickly so that your customers can enjoy them fresh. Although ground services are cheaper, air delivery services are ideal — especially when shipping to far-flung locales. With overnight, next-day, or two-day shipping, you can make sure your perishables arrive in a timely fashion. If customers are deterred by the higher cost of shipping, communicate that expedited service is necessary to deliver their baked goods in the best condition possible. To help ensure your package will arrive, remember to ask for a tracking number for the baked goods and label the exterior of your box appropriately. When labeling the box, clearly indicate a return address (just in case!) as well as your customer’s name and full address on the box exterior.

 

6) When to Ship

When it comes to shipping, timing is everything,  so be sure to choose the right day to ship your baked goods. Send off your goodies at the beginning of the week if possible, and definitely avoid shipping right before the weekend. If you ship on a Friday, you run the risk of your treats going stale in a sorting facility over the weekend. 

 

7) Let the Recipient Know a Package is Coming

While a surprise box of cookies would brighten anyone’s day, it’s better to give your customer a heads up when their baked goods are near. Help your customer out by keeping them up to date on the status of their sweet treats with a tracking number. This can help them keep an eye out for any packages, and get goodies into the fridge as soon as possible after delivery.

With these tips at the ready, you’ll be sending off your tasty treats in no time! What types of treats are you shipping to your customers? Let us know! Tag us on social media with #MyPaperMart. If you were interested in other affordable packaging for your baked goods, check out our website or reach out to us about your packaging needs.