Shipping Dry Food from Surabaya to Chicago via Ocean Freight

Moisture-sensitive shelf-stable food necessitates moisture-resistant inner packaging such as Foil pouches inside sturdy outer cartons. Our team suggests adding silica gel and using “Keep Dry” labels on all Packaged groceries shipments, especially when moving through humid or coastal routes.

You are allowed to ship shelf-stable food with drinks together if all items are Individually protected and bottled drinks are placed at the bottom of the carton. Our logistics team recommends using Dividers for Bottled drinks so that any leak does not contaminate surrounding packaged groceries.

Most international shipments of packaged groceries typically need detailed invoices listing full product descriptions, HS codes, and values. Depending on the destination and type of Food, you might also need manufacturer declarations and Proof of origin, especially for Bottled drinks.

For shelf-stable food with medium fragility and mixed ambient food and drinks, insurance providers typically recommend All-risk cargo insurance that includes spoilage and contamination. Be sure to accurately declare values of your Packaged groceries and Document packaging standards, as insurers may evaluate packaging quality when processing claims.

Most processed food and standard snacks are shipped in Ambient conditions as long as you protect from temperature extremes. Our team recommends checking manufacturer guidelines on Maximum storage temperature, especially for Chocolate snacks, and scheduling moves to minimize exposure to very hot or very cold environments.

Packaged food must be properly sealed and stored in a temperature-controlled environment during transit to prevent spoilage. Additionally, it should be protected from moisture and physical damage, and appropriate labeling is necessary to indicate contents and handling instructions.

Required documentation includes a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and any necessary health certificates or import permits as mandated by U.S. regulations for food products. Compliance with both Indonesian export and U.S. import regulations is essential.

Shippers can submit details via our Request a Quote form or talk to our team through the Contact Us page on our website.

Our operations are fully compliant with CBP, TSA, IATA, and NMFTA standards to ensure secure, lawful, and efficient cross-border operations.

Yes, one example is CE North America, where we built a custom EDI feed that pushes real-time shipment updates, documentation, and exception alerts directly into their ERP, eliminating dozens of manual tasks and improving cross-department visibility.