Frozen food shipping: Can you ship frozen food internationally?

Have you been wondering, “how do you ship frozen food?” Shipping frozen food is one of the most rewarding but complex areas of logistics. Frozen meals, seafood, and meats are in high demand worldwide, yet transporting them safely across borders requires far more planning than standard consumer products.

The challenge lies in keeping items below freezing at every step, from initial packaging all the way through to delivery at the customer’s door. Any break in that process can result in spoilage, wasted inventory, or disappointed buyers.

For retailers and food businesses, this presents a great opportunity: with the right cold-chain setup, it’s entirely possible to ship frozen food both domestically and internationally while still protecting quality.

Table of contents

• ​Can you ship frozen food?
• ​How to ship frozen food
  • Packaging frozen food for shipping
  • ​Choosing refrigerants: dry ice or gel packs
  • ​Provide customs documentation for international shipping
  • Maintain the cold chain in transit
  • Keep customers in the loop with real-time delivery updates
• ​Which carriers ship frozen food?
  • ​Frozen food shipping with DHL
  • ​​Frozen food shipping with FedEx
  • ​Frozen food shipping with UPS
• ​Retailer spotlight – St. Jean’s Cannery & Smokehouse
• ​Next steps: Keeping frozen food cold from oven to doorstep

Both regulators and carriers have placed frozen shipments in their own highly controlled category. According to DHL, packaging must be compliant with food transport standards, temperatures must remain consistent throughout transit, and every order requires detailed documentation.

Without those measures in place, the risks are immediate: shipments can spoil, face rejection at borders, or even be destroyed by authorities. On top of that, delays caused by incorrect paperwork or frozen food shipping packaging failures are costly and can damage a brand’s reputation with customers who expect reliable delivery.

For businesses looking to serve international markets, compliance is less about red tape and more about protecting the integrity of the product and the trust of the consumer.

The good news is that when companies adopt the right packaging, refrigerants, and paperwork processes, shipping frozen food becomes not just possible but profitable, with satisfied customers receiving products in the same condition they were when they left the warehouse.

Packaging frozen food for shipping

Let’s start with how to package frozen food for shipping. The right packaging creates the foundation for safe frozen food delivery. Insulation must be strong enough to resist external heat during the journey.

Foam coolers, insulated liners, or fibreboard barriers are widely used because they provide a consistent buffer for items. Many businesses take it a step further by double-boxing, placing an insulated container inside a sturdy outer carton for added protection against impacts or temperature fluctuations.

Sealing is equally important. Vacuum-sealed or tightly wrapped items protect against leaks, air exposure, and freezer burn. Each product should be in a leak-proof bag, reducing the risk of cross-contamination if condensation occurs. Once packed, the outer carton must be taped with strong, water-resistant tape along every seam to guard against tampering or accidental openings.

When dry ice is used, remember that safe handling practices require proper venting. Dry ice releases carbon dioxide gas as it sublimates, so containers can’t be fully airtight; a vented lid or small punched holes prevent dangerous pressure buildup.

Taken together, insulation, sealing, and venting give your shipment the best chance of staying frozen from end to end.

Carriers often cap quantities at 2.5 to 5.5 kg per package, and IATA Packing Instruction 954 sets strict rules on how it must be handled. All labels reading “Dry Ice” or “Carbon Dioxide Solid” with the exact weight in kilograms are mandatory.

Gel packs are an alternative that avoids hazardous goods restrictions, plus they’re simple to prepare, safe to handle, and work well for goods that need to stay cold or partially frozen. The trade-off is that gel packs rarely achieve the deep-freezing power of dry ice, but they’re also heavier and may leak liquid if the seal breaks.

Many shippers combine the two: dry ice keeps items frozen, while gel packs extend cooling after the dry ice sublimates or help prevent certain foods from freezing too hard.

Deciding between dry ice, gel packs, or a combination depends on product type, shipment distance, and expected transit duration. A short domestic delivery may only require gel packs, while an international shipment of frozen meat almost always calls for dry ice plus supplemental gel packs.

For animal-based products, many countries require government-issued health certificates. Without these, shipments may be delayed or rejected.

Regional rules vary considerably. In the European Union, frozen food of animal origin must pass veterinary inspections at approved border control posts. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires prior notice of food shipments, facility registration under the Food Safety Modernization Act, and compliance with labelling laws.

Australia and New Zealand enforce some of the strictest biosecurity measures in the world, demanding accurate labelling of ingredients and clear “Keep Frozen” or “Perishable – Frozen Food” markings.

Labels must also account for refrigerants. Packages containing dry ice must carry hazard warnings such as “Contains Dry Ice (Carbon Dioxide Solid), X kg.” Any missing documentation often results in goods being held idle in customs warehouses, where temperatures are uncontrolled.

Working with a customs broker or consulting your carrier’s guidelines reduces the chance of these costly disruptions.

Some retailers may be wondering how to ship cold food overnight. For small parcels, overnight or two-day services provide the best balance of speed and product safety. Larger commercial shipments can benefit from refrigerated trucks or cold chain freight services, while small-package retailers should assume that the frozen food packaging for shipping will handle the majority of the work.

Monitoring adds another layer of confidence. Carriers provide tracking updates, but temperature-sensitive shipments benefit from data loggers inside the insulated shipping boxes for frozen food.

Some loggers simply record data for later review, while advanced GPS-enabled options transmit real-time temperature and location updates, as used by companies like HelloFresh. These devices give you proof that the product stayed within safe temperature ranges, which is especially valuable when dealing with high-value or perishable goods.

Contingency planning also matters, so refrigerants should be packed to last 24 to 48 hours beyond the expected delivery window to cover unexpected delays. Weather events, customs checks, or operational hiccups can add time, and a little extra dry ice or additional gel packs can make the difference between a safe delivery and a spoiled shipment.

Proactive communication also helps reduce pressure on your support team. Customers who can see live updates are far less likely to contact you with “Where is my order?” questions. That translates into time saved and a smoother customer experience.

Starshipit tip: Branded tracking pages and automated notifications make delivery communication seamless. Instead of relying on generic carrier updates, you can send personalised messages that remind customers that a frozen order is on the way while reinforcing your brand at the same time.

Which carriers ship frozen food?

Not every carrier provides services for frozen shipments, yet the largest international players do offer solutions under strict conditions. DHL, FedEx, and UPS each have established programmes in place for handling frozen products, though their requirements vary and can change over time.

Businesses need to confirm the latest carrier rules before sending shipments to avoid delays or refusals.

Documentation is a central part of the process, as DHL requires permits, health certificates, and any other paperwork demanded by the destination country. Retailers often choose DHL for international frozen shipments due to its extensive global reach and expertise in handling time-sensitive deliveries.

FedEx also offers value-added solutions such as SenseAware, which provides real-time sensor data on temperature, location, and handling, and Cold Chain Centers, where packages can be stored in climate-controlled facilities if delays occur.

These services are particularly valuable for businesses that need greater visibility and peace of mind when sending temperature-sensitive products.

Retailers working with UPS can access the company’s Temperature True® services, which cover frozen and ultra-frozen ranges and provide specialised handling. Many meal kit providers rely on UPS Next Day Air® to deliver frozen products quickly to customers across the United States.

While UPS places responsibility on the shipper to package goods properly, its network and temperature-focused services make it a strong option for retailers needing to ship frozen food consistently.

Customers in Europe, for example, receive shipments consolidated into batches of 15–20 orders, flown to Frankfurt for customs clearance, and then couriered overnight to a business address. Australia and New Zealand are handled differently: import permits must be arranged by the consignee, and orders are picked up directly from the nearest international airport after clearance.

For direct-to-consumer orders in Canada and the United States, St. Jean’s follows a straightforward but effective cold-pack system. Frozen seafood is vacuum-sealed, placed in a styrofoam cooler, and packed with gel packs before being overboxed in corrugated cardboard.

What stands out in St. Jean’s international model is the emphasis on compliance and timing. Shipments to the EU include a Canadian government export health certificate, with associated fees included in the quoted rate.

For Australia and New Zealand, customers must obtain the required import permits prior to shipping, and clearance is managed upon arrival. Their public guidance makes it clear that incomplete paperwork can lead to delays or even product loss, reinforcing the importance of documentation and advance coordination in protecting perishable shipments.

Retailers aiming to replicate this model can automate the paperwork and customer experience much more easily than they think.

Starshipit can automatically attach health certificates and import documents to shipments, display destination-specific requirements during label printing, and activate branded tracking pages immediately after an order is processed. Orders can be routed to appropriate carriers and days of the week to avoid weekend delays, while EU-bound or airport-pickup orders can be flagged for additional steps.

Taken together, this approach mirrors the St. Jean’s playbook at scale, helping other businesses expand internationally without sacrificing compliance or customer trust.

Next steps: Keeping frozen food cold from oven to doorstep

Shipping frozen food successfully requires careful preparation, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Businesses that commit to strong processes are able to reach new markets and deliver products with confidence.

Customer communication ties everything together. Proactive tracking updates, SMS alerts, and branded notifications build trust while helping recipients prepare for quick retrieval. Starshipit makes it simple to put these steps into practice by automating customs forms, applying carrier rules, and creating branded tracking experiences.

Ready to take the next step? Download Starshipit’s Food & Beverage Shipping Guide to learn more about packaging strategies, carrier options, and tools that can help you scale frozen food shipping without added stress. Try Starshipit free for 30 days and experience how automation transforms cold-chain shipping or book a demo and see it in action for yourself.