When most people think of refrigerated freight, they think of full truckload (and full truckload pricing). But for confectionery shippers, where shipments are often smaller and more frequent, refrigerated LTL (less-than-truckload) might be the best-kept secret in logistics.
We spoke with Gary Kendle, VP Transportation at Weber Logistics, to understand why refrigerated LTL is such a critical, yet misunderstood, service for brands shipping temperature-sensitive confections.
“Most of what’s moving on the road today is dry LTL,” Gary explains. “But the stuff that’s going into grocery warehouses or regional distribution centers, like candy, requires some form of temperature control”.
Weber’s refrigerated LTL network is built for these exact conditions — a service tailored for confectionery shippers who need precise climate control to avoid melting, texture changes, or shortened shelf life.
Weber’s dedicated confectionery distribution services are designed to protect delicate, temperature-sensitive products throughout every step of the journey, from the warehouse to the final mile.
“There just aren’t many carriers who offer refrigerated LTL,” Gary says. “Capacity is limited, and that drives up rates — but it also raises the risk of service failures if you’re working with someone who doesn’t do this every day”.
Because temperature-controlled LTL is such a small niche, shippers often have trouble finding reliable carriers that consistently check all the right boxes:
Cold chain integrity. Reefer LTL providers must ensure an unbroken cold chain as product moves from trailer to warehouse dock to trailer.
Compatible products. Temperature requirements for shipping candy products are often similar. But temperature control isn’t the only criterion for compatibility. For example, certain products, like mint-flavored items, have an odor that makes it more difficult to combine with other products, like chocolates.
Systems to automate the process. It’s important that you or your refrigerated transportation provider have systems that can automate the load building process, combining like shipments that are going to the same place in the same timeframe at the same temperature range.
In-transit visibility. Your LTL provider should give you 24/7 visibility and control of freight in transit, with up-to-date delivery data available through a single web portal. maintain proper temperature, provide correct handling, and understand what not to do.
As important as the equipment is in temp-controlled shipping, it’s your provider’s expertise that truly makes the difference.
“You can go online and get a rate from anyone claiming to haul refrigerated LTL,” says Gary Kendle, VP of Transportation. “But if this is not their specialty, you’re rolling the dice. Drivers may not be trained. Operations may not know how to flag risk. And with temp-sensitive product, that’s a recipe for spoilage”.
That risk only grows when your cold chain is managed by multiple, disconnected providers. In such a fragmented model, each leg of the journey introduces new people, new systems, and new opportunities for failure.
An integrated cold chain 3PL like Weber Logistics keeps control over the entire process — from warehousing to final-mile delivery — reducing the chance of breakdowns at critical handoffs.
Each provider transition introduces a new opportunity for:
Not all providers follow the same protocols for:
Lack of standardization leads to uneven performance and increased compliance risks.
Without a unified system, it becomes difficult to track temperature logs, shipment status, and custody chain across providers. This makes it harder to respond quickly when something goes wrong and harder to prove compliance during audits.
When a reefer fails or a delivery is delayed, it’s not always clear who’s accountable. That slows down response times and increases the chance of product loss or customer dissatisfaction.
Much of the confectionery freight that Weber Logistics handles originates in our own temperature-controlled warehouses, gets picked up by Weber drivers, and is delivered using Weber-managed trucks. “Even with longer-haul LTL that involves a partner, we’re still orchestrating the entire move,” Gary says.
That’s a major advantage. Weber’s confectionery warehouse capabilities include temp-controlled storage, batch tracking, and inventory control — which makes it easy to stage, ship, and replenish inventory seamlessly across the West Coast.
Many shippers still assume that refrigerated = truckload, and that’s costing them. “We had a large freight forwarder paying truckload rates to move five pallets,” Gary recalls. “They didn’t realize reefer LTL was even an option. That’s a lot of wasted spend”.
Reefer LTL offers flexibility, cost-efficiency, and speed, especially for shippers that don’t need to move full truckloads every time. But success depends on working with a provider that knows how to manage the cold chain and has the network to do it right.
If you're in the confectionery business and still relying on dry LTL or overpaying for truckload, it’s time to rethink your transportation strategy. With Weber’s refrigerated LTL expertise, you can:
So, contact Weber today to learn how we’re helping candy brands deliver sweet results — from the West Coast and beyond.