Pallets for grocery and food distribution

01 Two food economies

In New Stanton, SuperValu's Pittsburgh grocery distribution center is 724,000 square feet and employs more than 500 people. It supplies stores in the Shop 'n Save, Save-A-Lot and County Market banners. In the Strip District, produce, meat and specialty food wholesalers still operate, though more than 80% of the produce trade is estimated to have left for sites with better highway access.

02 What food docks avoid

• Stained or wet pallets.
• Pallets with unknown spills.
• Mould, which clings to damp lumber.
• Foreign marks that signal rented pallets.

03 Spec

04 Rotation

A grocery DC with a high turnover needs a steady stream of clean pallets. A standing spec on the truckloads page covers that rhythm.

05 Details worth stating

• Grade A or B, and whether a repaired pallet is acceptable.
• Open or closed decks.
• Whether the pallet goes into a cold room, where moisture is likely.
• A pallet count and a delivery window.

06 Why the footprint is fixed

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, now the Consumer Brands Association, promoted a single 48 x 40 footprint in the 1960s to unify logistics, which is why Millwood still lists grocery, retail, food and beverage as its main users. Nine 16 x 12 inch boxes fit a layer on the deck. Pallets may carry pesticides and fungicides, and 2,4,6-tribromophenol likely caused the January 2010 Tylenol recall through a musty odor.

07 Footprints in food

PHS lists 36 x 36 inches (beverage), 40 x 40 inches (dairy) and 48 x 36 inches (beverage, shingles, packaged paper) among the ranked North American sizes, besides the grocery footprint at the top. Dairy therefore runs on a 40 x 40 square, a different pallet from the 48 x 40 grocery standard.