How to Avoid Sending Spoiled or Mouldy Fruits

Customer complaints about spoiled, mouldy, or damaged fruits can lead to order cancellations, return and refund requests, and negative reviews — ultimately affecting your shop's performance.
To help you reduce these issues, here's a guide on how to properly store, pack, and ship fruits to maintain freshness and quality.

1. Check Fruit Quality Before Sending

Before packing, always inspect your fruits for:

• Signs of spoilage: Soft spots, bruising, mould, or leaking
• Correct ripeness: Avoid overripe fruits that may spoil in transit

2. Store Fruits Properly Before Packing

Different fruits have different storage needs:

• Room-temperature fruits (e.g. mango, orange, papaya): Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from sunlight
• Refrigerated fruits (e.g. lychee, grapes, berries): Keep chilled at a consistent low temperature before packing
• Store apples and bananas away from other fruits. They release gas that can cause other fruits to ripen too quickly.

3. Choose the Right Box Size

Always select the smallest box that securely fits the fruit with adequate padding to prevent movement.
Note: Orders shipped using the Fresh Delivery option may not exceed 20kg.

4. Use the Right Packing Materials

Choosing the correct materials prevents damage and spoilage during delivery. Match your packing method to the fruit type, size, and peel softness.

Refrigerated and Delicate Fruits

Examples: Cherry, blueberry, lychee, grape, strawberry
Outer Packaging: Insulated carton or sealed polystyrene box, inside a five-layer paper box
Fruit Packaging: Blister tray or clear vacuum bag
Filler Materials:

• Bubble wrap or EPE foam around sides and base
• At least 2 dry ice & 2 absorbent bags
  

Soft-Peel, Small Fruits

Examples: Longan, mangosteen, rambutan, long kong, plum
Outer Packaging: Five-layer paper box with ventilation holes
Fruit Packaging: Blister tray, clear vacuum bag, netting, foam sleeves, or foam dividers
Filler Materials: Bubble wrap or normal EPE foam to fill gaps

Soft-Peel, Medium or Large Fruits

Examples: Avocado, mango, passion fruit, guava, tamarind, orange, apple, dragon fruit, pomegranate, salak, pomelo, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, papaya
Outer Packaging: Five-layer paper box, size based on weight
Fruit Packaging: Netting, foam sleeves, or foam dividers
Filler Materials: Bubble wrap or normal EPE foam to fill gaps

Hard-Peel Fruits

Examples: Durian, coconut
Outer Packaging: Reinforced five-layer paper box
Fruit Packaging: No individual fruit wrap needed
Filler Materials:

• Thick EPE foam or cardboard bracing to prevent movement.
• Use padding to ensure the durian spikes do not pierce the box or cause collapse.
  

5. Avoid These Common Packing Mistakes

• ❌ Mixing different types of fruits in one parcel
• ❌ Packing more than 4 large fruits in one box
• ❌ Using oversized boxes without proper fillers
• ❌ Missing or incorrect cooling packs for chilled fruits
• ❌ Letting durian spikes damage the box due to poor padding

6. Prepare Fruits for Delivery

Cold chain logistics are highly recommended when shipping refrigerated or delicate fruits, especially during hot or rainy seasons. Without proper temperature control, fruits are likely to arrive spoiled, which could lead to customer complaints and violations.

• Hard boxes to prevent collapse
• Foam wraps for soft-skinned fruits
• Plastic bags, ice packs, and absorbent bags for moisture control

7. Avoid Violations with Better Packing and Delivery

Poorly packed fruits may arrive spoiled, mouldy, or damaged, resulting in customer complaints, refund requests, and negative reviews. This impacts customer experience and may result in enforcement actions on your shop, which may include:

• Product warning or permanent listing deactivation
• Reduced visibility in search results or recommendations
• Livestream restrictions
• Order volume limits
• Shop suspension for repeated or serious violations