I was on my way back from the gym that evening, aching from the muscle soreness from the intense cardio; It was leg day and it was brutal. I stopped in front of the gate when I heard an angry voice on the phone to someone, “Madam, is my business a joke to you?”
The voice was cranky and almost teary. I parked the car, turned off the ignition, and came down to grab my bag from the back seat when I couldn’t help but overhear everything he said on the phone as he paced from pillar to pole wiping the sweat on his forehead which could either be as a result of the tension from the call or the scorching heat from the sun.
“Madam, I trusted you with my shipment and this is what I get in return? The entire consignment has gone bad,” He continued shouting, almost in tears.
“Oh God, what do I do? Imagine buying goods worth millions of naira only to receive more than half of the items shipped were spoiled and completely damaged.”
“My God.” I gasped in shock and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“I wanted to restock our store with foodstuffs that would last our restaurant business in the United States of America for an entire year, and I spent all I had to purchase these goods. Both my profit and income are all gone!” He wailed painfully.
He became silent as the other person spoke.
“I trusted your logistics company to export my shipment, and I got the opposite. How do I recover from this?” He ended the call as the phone slipped from his hand.
“That was disheartening. I could not imagine what the man must be going through. This kind of loss can lead people to depression.” I thought to myself, shaking my head in sympathy.
This is the story of millions of businesses in Nigeria. Most business owners have lost foodstuffs worth millions due to poor freight management, the logistics company they used lacked experience in International shipping, or their foodstuffs were mishandled, leading to spillage, damages, and spoilage. This is a challenge most businesses in Nigeria will face 90% of the time until they find a lasting solution.
These inefficiencies are crippling a large number of Nigerian food exporters and e-commerce businesses in 2025.
To figure out how BoxnPick is solving this depressing challenge, we must first address reasons why foodstuffs spoil during exportation.
Reasons Why Foodstuffs Spoil during Export.
Spoiled foodstuffs during exportation can occur due to a variety of factors that involve improper handling, and packaging issues. A lot of businesses have exported bags of fish, vegetables, grains and a lot more, only to be met with pressed, battered food items with mucor that are no longer edible. Here are some common causes:
- Delays in Shipping time
If there are unforeseen delays, food may remain in unsuitable conditions for an extended period, causing it to spoil. Like the CEO of Boxnpick once said, “When foodstuffs are left at ports, they face devastating risks.” This is particularly problematic in international shipments, where customs procedures or logistical issues can cause hold-ups. Extended waiting times at ports can also result in spoilage, especially for perishable goods that require prompt unloading.
- Inadequate Packaging
When special care is not taken in the packaging of foodstuffs, they are bound to spill and get ruined during transit. Packaging that lacks proper air-tight seals, moisture resistance, or insulation can allow food to be exposed to air, humidity, or temperature changes, leading to spoilage. If the packaging gets damaged, such as through crushed or punctured boxes, the food inside may be exposed to contaminants or conditions that promote spoilage.
- Improper Handling
Improper or reckless handling of food containers during loading and unloading may lead to damage of the packaging or the food itself, increasing the risk of contamination or early spoilage. Inadequate separation of food items or poor adherence to hygiene practices can also allow bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to spread, ultimately causing contamination and spoilage.
- Poor Warehousing
Inadequate storage conditions by some logistics companies can lead to food spoilage. For instance, if these facilities lack proper maintenance, such as insufficient refrigeration or poor moisture regulation, the quality of the food can degrade.
- Incorrect Labeling & documents
Mistakes like labelling a food item as a perishable food item can lead to serious damage. When food products need to be kept within a certain temperature range, incorrect labelling can result in improper handling, which may cause them to spoil. Mistakes in paperwork or delays during customs clearance can also lead to extended hold times or unsuitable handling, increasing the risk of spoilage. In some cases, spoilage occurs because the shipment does not meet the health and safety regulations or certification standards of the destination country, which can lead to delays, rejection, or mishandling during inspection.
How BoxnPick is Giving the Ultimate Shipping Experience to Nigerian Food Exporters and Businesses.
Exporting your foodstuff items to the US, UK, China and other international countries from Nigeria is handled with exceptional care and effort with BoxnPick. Nigeria’s food exporters and businesses no longer have to worry about frustrated customers, angry customers, or customers quitting on them. The BoxnPick experience allows Business owners to experience smooth shipping and delivery solutions without breaking a sweat, damaged goods, shipping delays and high shipping costs. Here’s how?
- Quality Packaging
Packaging with BoxnPick ensures foodstuffs are packed according to their form and texture. Liquids like palm oil are packed separately from grains and solids. We also take special care of our packaging by packing each food item in an airtight bag and not over-stuffing them. We fill the bottom of each box with packing peanuts and wrap them carefully in bubble wrap while taping them appropriately to ensure their safety during transportation. Partnering with a trusted logistics expert in international shipping will ensure your packages reach the final destination in excellent condition.
- Smooth Shipping Process:
BoxnPick ensures that exporting various food items like garri, fish, palm oil, and vegetables is done in record time without delays and uncertainties. BoxnPick has an extensive shipping network and a long list of satisfied businesses in our portfolio who have enjoyed our smooth exportation and importation process. Also, our expertise in handling and packaging shipments ensures reduced shipping costs for your goods.
- Expertise in International Shipping:
Navigating compliance that comes with exports and imports has proven to be a headache for businesses, causing these businesses to spend more on steering these compliance challenges. With BoxnPick, handling complex regulations and customs procedures is a piece of cake with our global network and expertise. This can lead to international partnerships for your business and lower customs duties.
- Fulfilment and Warehousing solutions
Store, pick, pack, and ship seamlessly with BoxnPick. Many Nigerian food exporters and even online and e-commerce businesses don’t have the space for their products, while many e-commerce startups are working from their rooms and garages. This can result in packing and delivery errors due to unorganized inventory caused by a lack of space, leading to disappointed customers. We will help you store and export your shipment seamlessly.
- Export Training
With over 1000 businesses trained in Exportation and Importation via our academy, you can be assured that you are equipped with the necessary knowledge to send and receive items regardless of weather fluctuations, uncertain market trends, and export changes in Nigerian ports. Nigeria’s food exporters can use this knowledge to their advantage when running their businesses.
BoxnPick has Everything you need.
In 2025, the number of online shoppers is 2.77 billion and it will continue to rise. That’s a quarter of the world’s population shopping online. As an online and e-commerce business, having understood the impact of using inexperienced logistics brands and wrong packaging in destroying your business, now is the time to leverage all the solutions BoxnPick has to offer to avoid running your business down due to logistics challenges.
With Boxnpick, running into a loss due to receiving points or destroyed goods or foodstuffs can never be the case. You can trust us to oversee all your logistics and fulfilment needs with great professionalism, transparency and speed. From storing, packaging, and exporting, we’ve got everything you need.
We handle the order processing of storing your items, packing, sorting out orders, delivering, exporting, and tracking your items till they get to the customer no matter where they are in the world. This will prevent logistics issues, delivery delays, and stock-outs, and help you focus on running your business.
Avoid losses and elevate your business to the next level. Contact us today!
