Fish transport: what is the best way to ship fresh herring?

The 15th of June, also known as Vlaggetjesdag (Flag Day), was the arrival of the Hollandse Nieuwe (fresh Dutch herring). In the past, the fishing boats were decorated with flags in the harbour before the first ships went out to catch the herring. Nowadays it is not the ships leaving teh harbor, but the arrival of the new herring that is celebrated. How to transport this fish without losing its quality is explained in this article.

What is a Hollandse Nieuwe?

A herring is only a Hollandse Nieuwe if it was caught between 1 May and 31 August. In addition, the herring must contain enough fat and have been salted and matured in the traditional Dutch way.

In addition, the herring must be deep-frozen, where it may not exceed -20 degrees for 24 hours. It is therefore essential that the herring remains well chilled, even during transport. But what is the best way to transport fish?

Fish transport

During fish transport from the shop to the customer’s home, proper cooling is essential to ensure quality. This is because the cooling prevents loss of quality in the final phase from the shop to the end customer.

You can keep the fish cool by using the right cooling elements. However, it is important that the fish does not come into direct contact with the cooling element to prevent freezing damage. There are several cooling elements you can use. However, gel packs are perfect for shipping fish because of their disposable character. Moreover, they are inexpensive and of high quality. Because gel packs are available from 100x90mm, there is a suitable gel pack available for every shipment.

The Hollandse Nieuwe is packaged in paper and surrounded by plastic. It is best to place a gel pack between the paper and the plastic. The herring can then be sent in an EPS box or given to the end customer in a refrigerated bag.

This constant cooling means that the fish retains its quality until it reaches the plate. This is good for the customer, but also for you! You can also have the gel packs printed, which is a nice extra marketing tool. You increase the brand awareness among the customers because everyone sees your logo. In addition, more gel packs are returned by regular customers, making it more sustainable.

Tips for fish transport:

• Freeze the gel packs well
• The fish must not come into direct contact with the cooling element
• Use the right amount of gel packs: take into account the content and duration of transport
• When you use the right insulation it stays cool even longer

Gel packs of Coolpack

Our high-quality Original Gel packs are printed in a small quantity with an inkjet printer (color blue or black) and for larger print runs we have special printable foil (full color). We also supply total solutions, such as gel packs in combination with EPS boxes.