Pictured above: Hayley Smith, Oakland's marketing assistant, holding the cool new-look Nippy

Delivery of precious chilled food product samples to potential customers can tend to be problematic and costly, but UK multi temperature supply chain specialist Oakland International, has changed all that thanks to their innovative 'Nippy' parcel delivery service.

Originally launched as an add-on service for Oakland's clients two years ago, the Nippy chilled parcel service has grown and expanded, with the company now capable of servicing the UK as well as Ireland via Oakland's Co. Meath depot.

Peter Vaughan, Oakland's Business Development Manager and Project Coordinator for the Nippy commented: "Originally the Nippy was developed in response to client feedback with many looking for an easy and cost effective sample delivery solution, capable of maintaining chilled temperatures for up to 48 hours. In response we came up with the Nippy and two years on it's still going strong, with a redesign and updated logo, the Nippy delivers a flexible solution for a range of businesses requiring delivery of sample chilled product.

"The popularity of Oakland's Nippy parcel service has encouraged us to develop new options and distribution routes within the UK, and more recently into Ireland, with forward transportation undertaken via our new Ashbourne hub."

Oakland's UK depots at Beoley and Alcester are conveniently located, with access to Birmingham International Airport only a few miles away, offering Oakland customers and the Nippy parcel service with enhanced potential for expansion into any number of major European airfreight destinations.

"We are in the process of looking at a number of different air freight options to support our customers that will be beneficial and deliver additional value to the current Nippy service. Our focus is firmly set on bringing online a number of new European destinations by the end of the summer."

The Oakland Nippy provides a protective atmosphere, with a redesigned purpose made internal casing. Products transported using the Nippy parcel solution, are fully traceable to give Oakland customers total peace of mind, with the benefits of the 'Nippy' service including next day timed UK delivery options, competitive rates and flexibility to accommodate the dispatch of regular stock items, samples or emergency orders to business or domestic addresses.

Oakland is BRC accredited and offers supply chain solutions to suppliers of retail, foodservice, wholesale and manufacturing, bringing together storage, picking and distribution of ambient, frozen and chilled product. Through the use of case and pallet consolidation schemes Oakland provides a cost effective route to market, ideal for smaller volume suppliers and local producers.  Facilities include contract packing, distressed load management and quality assurance, presenting clients with a single source solution all under one umbrella.

Said Pete: "Oakland's enhanced 'Nippy' opens up fresh opportunities as it makes it financially viable for businesses to send small perishable sample products to potential customers."