What We Supply
- Dry ice
- Pellets & blocks
- CO₂ grades
- Food-grade & industrial
- Delivery
- Scheduled or on-demand
- Storage
- Insulated containers provided
- Coverage
- Nationwide through distribution partners
Cold chain is a scheduling problem disguised as a sourcing problem. Dry ice sublimates from the moment it is produced, so the question is never just how much you need — it is how much you need given how long the shipment sits, how well it is insulated, and how many times someone opens the box.
Sizing Dry Ice for Shipping
Published guidance converges on roughly 5 to 10 pounds of sublimation per 24 hours in a properly insulated container, though the real figure moves with insulation quality, ambient temperature, package size, and how often the container is opened. Block sublimates more slowly than pellets because it has less surface area per pound.
That range is why one-to-two day transit is the practical ceiling for a standard insulated shipper. Past that, you are buying dry ice to cool dry ice.
Two things people underestimate. First, multi-day requirements do not scale linearly — three days typically needs more than three times the one-day quantity, because the container warms as the charge depletes. Second, pre-chilling the product matters: dry ice spent dropping a room-temperature item to frozen is dry ice not available for transit.
Food-Grade CO₂ Is a Different Specification
Beverage-grade CO₂ is held to the International Society of Beverage Technologists specification, which is materially tighter than industrial grade: 99.9% minimum purity, moisture no more than 20 ppm, oxygen no more than 30 ppm, and total sulfur no more than 0.1 ppm, among other limits.
Those limits exist because CO₂ dissolves into the product. Sulfur compounds at single-digit ppm are detectable as off-flavor in a finished beverage, and oxygen drives staling. Industrial-grade CO₂, typically specified around 98%, is appropriate for welding shield gas and not for anything a customer drinks.
We supply both grades. Tell our team what the gas is feeding and we will match the specification to the application rather than defaulting to whichever is cheaper.
Shipping Dry Ice Is Regulated — Know Which Rules Apply
Dry ice ships as UN1845, Carbon dioxide solid, Class 9. The rules differ sharply by mode, and this catches people out.
Domestic ground transport within the contiguous states is effectively unregulated for dry ice provided minimum packaging requirements are met — principally that the packaging vents, since a sealed container will rupture as the CO₂ gasses off.
Air is fully regulated regardless of quantity. Packages must be marked with the words "Dry Ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid," the UN1845 number, the net weight in kilograms, and a Class 9 label. The per-package limit is 200 kg on both passenger and cargo aircraft. There is a limited exception for 2.5 kg or less used to refrigerate the package contents.
Our distribution partners handle fulfillment and the compliance that goes with it. If you are shipping onward yourself, those rules become yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much dry ice do I need for a two-day shipment?
- Plan on roughly 5 to 10 pounds of sublimation per 24 hours in a properly insulated shipper, then add for pre-chilling the product and a buffer for transit delay. Multi-day needs do not scale linearly — three days typically requires more than three times the one-day quantity.
- What is the difference between food-grade and industrial CO₂?
- Beverage-grade CO₂ follows the ISBT specification: 99.9% minimum purity with tight limits on moisture, oxygen, and total sulfur. Industrial grade is typically around 98% and appropriate for applications like welding shield gas, not for anything that contacts a consumable product.
- Do you supply dry ice in pellets or blocks?
- Both. Blocks sublimate more slowly and suit longer holds; pellets cool faster and pack around product more evenly. Which one fits depends on your container and duration — our team can work through it with you.
- Can dry ice be shipped by air?
- Yes, but it is fully regulated as UN1845 Class 9 regardless of quantity. Packages require specific marking including net weight in kilograms and a Class 9 label, with a 200 kg per-package limit. Ground transport within the contiguous states is far less restricted.