How a meal kit delivery company transformed their logistics strategy with ShipScience.

Purple Carrot, a leading plant-based meal kit delivery service, faced significant challenges in managing their shipping operations. With a complex supply chain and the need to deliver fresh produce and meals to customers nationwide, they needed a partner who could help optimize costs, automate tedious processes, and provide actionable business intelligence. ShipScience emerged as the perfect solution, transforming their logistics strategy and yielding impressive results.

Challenges

Perishable Goods Management

• Ensuring the freshest produce and meals are delivered within a limited timeframe.
• Maintaining cost-effectiveness while delivering high-quality products.

Lack of Data Clarity

• Difficulty in understanding shipping rates, surcharges, and claims processes.
• Limited insights into competitive market rates and industry best practices.

Seasonal Fluctuations

• Navigating the seasonal slow periods and gearing up for busy periods.

Solution

Purple Carrot partnered with ShipScience, a parcel shipping data platform, to address these challenges. The collaboration focused on optimizing shipping costs, improving operational efficiencies, and gaining critical business intelligence.

Implementation Process

• The process was smooth and required minimal effort from Purple Carrot. Within 30 days, ShipScience had collected sufficient data to begin live negotiations with carriers.
• ShipScience provided continuous guidance throughout the negotiation process, ensuring that Purple Carrot’s positions were well-supported by data and industry insights.

Results

1. Cost Savings:
   • Purple Carrot achieved an average reduction of 25-30% in shipping costs per parcel.
   • These savings are not one-time but carry forward, providing long-term financial benefits.
2. Enhanced Business Intelligence:
   • ShipScience’s comprehensive reporting dashboard provided valuable insights into shipping costs, delivery times, and other critical metrics.
   • Access to real-time data and visual analytics enabled Purple Carrot to make informed decisions and optimize their logistics strategy.
   • The dashboard aggregates all billing and invoicing data from various carriers, simplifying the claims process and improving overall efficiency.
3. Improved Negotiation Power:
   • Armed with robust data and market insights, Purple Carrot could confidently negotiate better rates and terms with carriers.
   • This approach ensured a win-win scenario for both Purple Carrot and their carriers, fostering long-term positive relationships.

"For the amount of work required on our end, which was very low, the impact was really high. The aha moment was, why didn't we do this four years ago?" — Nihal Raval, Purple Carrot

Key Benefits

• Data-Driven Decisions: ShipScience turned raw data into actionable insights, allowing Purple Carrot to optimize their shipping strategy and achieve substantial cost savings.
• Expert Guidance: ShipScience’s team provided invaluable support and industry knowledge, empowering Purple Carrot to negotiate effectively with carriers.
• Long-Term Savings: The financial benefits of the partnership extend beyond immediate cost reductions, contributing to sustained profitability and operational efficiency.

Future Partnership

Purple Carrot is excited about upcoming features and capabilities from ShipScience, including enhanced AI-driven insights and expanded carrier integrations. These advancements promise to further optimize their logistics operations and drive even greater efficiencies.

Final Thoughts

Purple Carrot’s partnership with ShipScience has been a game-changer, delivering significant cost savings, operational improvements, and strategic insights. This case study showcases the power of data-driven decision-making and expert guidance in transforming logistics strategies.

For more information on how ShipScience can help your business achieve similar results, book a demo today!