In the Grinder - Our Daily Coffee Weblog

A Note from the Shipping Guru

I’ve managed to find flat pallet rates to the West Coast (from Café Imports’ warehouse in Saint Paul) as well as pallet rates from Continental Terminals in NJ to several East Coast states. Also, as many freight companies are vying for my attention our business, several have dropped their rates and given incentives in order to get us to ship with them.

Pallet rating is especially helpful for our customers ordering 5 or more bags of coffee*. Where most shipping companies would charge, for example, $230 for 800 pounds of coffee to Seattle, a pallet rate would be the same, and sometimes lower, for up to 1600 pounds (sorry, we can only put so many bags on one pallet).

Some of our carriers have lowered fees, or waived the charges altogether, for accessories such as hydraulic lift gates, residential deliveries, and notifications (call-before-delivery); these can be substantial charges, so this is a great incentive. Below are some of our pallet rates; a standard Fuel Service Charge (FSC) still applies.