Perishable Product Shipping & Handling

Review the following information before shipping perishable product to the show.
View shipping labels

Shipping Perishable Product/Floral

Perishable product and floral shipments (or combinations perishable/booth material shipments) may NOT be sent to the advance warehouse , and all shipments must have the appropriate labels with booth numbers visible to avoid getting lost.
Perishable product will be accepted at the show site beginning Monday, October 16 at 7:00 a.m. If you need to ship products to arrive before October 16, please arrange with our recommended produce supplier. 
If you need assistance with domestic perishable product shipping, contact our recommended Perishable Shipping Provider.
If you need assistance with international shipping, contact our recommended Customs Freight Forwarder.
All deliveries need to check in at the marshalling yard. Shipments will be unloaded there and then brought to on-site cold storage. Review the exhibitor schedule for specific dates and times for move-in and move-out.
Provide your on-site booth contact with all shipment tracking information and drivers’ cell phone number.

Labeling and Shipment Packing Tips

Pack perishable products separate from booth materials and include a bill of lading (BOL) with a separate weight certificate to take advantage of the 25% GES discount on material handling rates (listed below).
- Each shipment must be manifested on a separate bill of lading or receipt indicating number of pieces, and total weight.
- Company name and booth number must be clearly marked on EACH container.
View Perishable Products Shipping, Storage and Handling.
Label your refrigerated product with the appropriate color-coded refrigerated storage labels to indicate the day you want that product taken out of refrigerated storage for delivery to your booth. Wednesday labels are only available for floral product.
Are you sending product to the caterer for food sampling preparation? DO NOT mix it with products that need to go to your booth – additional labor charges will apply, and the caterer may not be able to access it in time to create your recipe. Do NOT use refrigerated storage labels on product being sent to caterer for booth sample preparation.
Use the "do not refrigerate direct" label for product being sent directly to your booth.
Use the "refrigerated direct" or "frozen direct" label if you need refrigerated storage.
DO NOT use refrigerated storage labels on any crated/boxed dry booth material.
Place labels directly on the product boxes and then shrink wrap. Be sure that the labels are clearly visible on each side of the pallet.
NEVER mix booth freight and perishable product on the same skid.

Refrigerated/Frozen Storage 

The storage chart for products in frozen or refrigerated storage includes delivery of the product to/from storage and your booth one time per day. Deliveries will take place before and after show hours. You do not need to schedule labor or equipment for these deliveries.

Refrigerated/frozen product storage will be available between October 19 and noon on October 21. Reserve storage ahead of time.
The minimum charge for product handling is $1.01 per pound. Your invoice will be based on actual usage.
Storage space may be limited. Twenty-four-hour watchman service will be provided. However, all goods are stored at your own risk.

*Please note: The IFPA Booth Package for 10ft x 10ft booths includes complimentary storage. The 10ft x 20ft package includes a discounted storage rate of 25% off the listed storage rate. 

On-Site Perishable Product Delivery 

All product delivery and pick-up between refrigerated storage and your booth is provided by GES at NO CHARGE.

Check your email for a product arrival notification from GES. The notification will be sent to the expo contact you have provided to IFPA.  
- You may provide a different preferred email address for notification by  submitting this form. You may also contact the GES Servicenter to verify your shipment has been received. 
All products will automatically be delivered - no forms required! Be sure to use the color-coded labels to show which day specific product is needed, and don't forget to mark your booth number on all sides of the crates. 
Communicate to your team the timeframe in which your product will be delivered and picked up from your booth each morning (see below).  
Upon delivery of product each morning, re-label all remaining product with either Trash, Food Bank, or the appropriate daily color coded labels for GES pickup (labels will be provided onsite).

Thursday Product Delivery 

Use only the color-coded delivery labels to indicate when your product is needed - delivery forms are no longer required! 
If your product arrives at the marshalling yard on Thursday, delivery will be based on the timing of when your truck unloads. 
When you are ready, please schedule the pick-up of any remaining product to return to refrigerated storage at the GES Servicenter.

Friday/Saturday Product Delivery 

Use only the color-coded delivery labels to indicate when your product is needed - delivery forms are no longer required. 
Product deliveries between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.  
Product going back to storage will be picked up from your booth starting at 8:00 a.m.
To open the show on time, product will be picked up promptly. Please be sure to arrive prior to these published pick-up times or you could be charged handling fees to have them brought back out.

Importing Produce to the United States 

Review the state and federal regulations to ensure compliance if you are importing produce, plants, or floral product into the United States. Apply for any necessary permits early as processing time may be significant. Note that many states have different regulations.  

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) regulates the importation of plants and plant products under the authority of the Plant Protection Act. PPQ maintains its import program to safeguard U.S. agriculture and natural resources from the risks associated with the entry, establishment, or spread of animal and plant pests and noxious weeds. 

You may be required to submit a permit application to the USDA for in order to import certain items, so please review this information early so that you have any necessary permits in advance of the show. For more details, please read this APHIS fact sheet: Importing Food and Agricultural Products into the United States. 

Food and Drug Administration 
All food importers involved in the manufacturing, processing, packaging, or distribution of food and beverage products must register with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). If exhibitors are not registered, their goods may be held until they come into compliance with FDA regulations.  
 
Food facility registration helps the FDA to determine the location and source of a potential bioterrorism incident or an outbreak of food-borne illness and quickly notify facilities that may be affected. There is no cost to register or to make updates to your registration.