Hi!  New to TCL, but have been digging through the forums for burried treasure for several months.  I'm weeks away from "opening the doors" to a confectionary, with intentions of selling online and to local shops wholesale... for now.

The first retailer I'll be working with owns a candy store, and keeps some chocolates and many novelty candies.  My concern is that while she knows to keep her shop from boiling in the summer, she's also trying to avoid an astronomical electric bill.  This is fine for candies that will be eaten immediately, but I've literally walked a block from store to car and experienced chocolate smudges on the package. No bueno for gifts or savoring, and if I weren't trying to get my foot in the door, I'd say it's inhospitable for my products.

On my side, they'll will be kept at about 55-60 F until I personally deliver them to her shop, weekly.  My question is this:  What can I personally do to give my products the best chance during transport and storage at the retail destination?

I'm thinking of transporting in a cooler with dry ice or similar, and wrapping the kraft boxes in bags to avoid contact.  Inside the kraft box may be a layer with silica packs to help with humidity, and care instructions label outside.  Any other/better ideas on how to keep my precious works from turning into gloop?

Thanks!

 

Our chocolates are shipped in to us from everywhere.  (Passing through some very hot days).  We like them to come in a styrofoam lined box (1.25-1.5" seems to be good).  Gel packs frozen to 30 degrees work really well - that slowly lowers the internal temperature of the package to the low 60's and holds it below 70 for 2 days worth of shipping (the box is lined with gel packs).  

Does that help?

updated by @bartbasi: 07/11/16 23:58:14

Thanks, @bartbasi, it does help some.  I'm thinking I might try to find/make a styrofoam cooler that fits the kraft boxes I use that I can leave with the retailer, and take one back each time I deliver.  She's a pretty cool lady, so I think she'd appreciate the extra care and it'd work fine as long as it doesn't take up much space.

Check Uline.com they should have what you're looking for (If the standard size does not fit, they may have custom size as well).

http://www.uline.com/Grp_93/Insulated-Shippers-and-Supplies?pricode=WF712&AdKeyword=styrofoam%20cooler&AdMatchtype=p&gclid=CPPXp_qM_8UCFREoaQodLSkA8g&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

We've had great luck with Polar-Tech.com - they'll actually talk you through which products in terms of thicknesses and ice pack volumes will work for your need. Also, for our local deliveries we use large styrofoam boxes with ice packs that we immediately take back with us. Good luck!