Client Background
Curating balanced and locally made meals and plans to fit all fitness goals & lifestyles to those in Canberra, Australia, Gym Meals Direct provides convenience, nutrition, and great customer service, but needs reliable refrigerated packaging to do so.
Client Need
A valued client of Thermogard’s, Gym Meals Direct was purchasing Thermogard Gel Ice Packs but used another long-term supplier for their insulation material – wool liners. However, when let down by their existing supplier and left without stock, Thermogard was the first point of contact for a solution with a quick turnaround. Gym Meals Direct needed an interim solution to ensure their operation ran undisrupted, due to their supplier’s sudden broken supply chain, however, this evolved into a re-evaluation of their cool-chain supplier and their desired service levels.
Thermogard Solution
For the immediate issue, Thermogard provided a custom sized EnviroFoil pouch within the week, to carry Gym Meals Direct through the lack of stock during this period. Once the situation had resolved, Gym Meals Direct agreed to Thermogard's Listen, Design, Deliver methodology process to identify the best fit for their product and business needs, without assumption that the solution should be wool liners.
Throughout this process, Thermogard showcased a range of customisable product that would meet food temperature parameters, with relevant testing data, that Gym Meals Direct could go forward with. Gym Meals Direct had identified their needs for their insulation material to have a strong thermal performance, high structural integrity and be able to be sanitised for reuse, due to their return rate of cool-chain packaging from customers. Custom sized MDPE encased wool liners were then recognised as the appropriate solution.
Within 4 weeks, Thermogard had a custom product sized and designed, had relevant artwork created and manufacturing ready to begin. Despite a lead time of three months, Thermogard managed to secure the custom sized Wool Liners a month earlier than expected. The capability to secure a robust supply chain, through Thermogard's in-house Supply Chain Coordinator, made manufacturing and procuring a custom solution easy for Gym Meal Direct. Thermogard continually reassesses Gym Meals Direct volumes to ensure not only is product on order for them, but that there is capacity to grow with their volumes and product needs.
End Result
As a result of this opportunity to prove depth of service, Thermogard now supplies Gym Meals Direct with a full custom cool-chain solution. Thermogard distributes this product range in an standing weekly order to Gym Meals Direct, with preferred delivery dates and times. This situation has established a great relationship, built on loyalty and trust, between Gym Meals Direct and Thermogard, as they know they can rely on Thermogard to deliver for both them and their customers.