Beverage Fulfillment Glossary

Best-by date: The date until which a manufacturer indicates a product will be at its best quality. For most beverages it is a quality date rather than a safety date, but channels and customers often set rules around it.
California Redemption Value (CRV): California's container redemption program, which applies to many beverage containers sold in the state. Covered containers typically carry CRV labeling and participate in the state's recycling program.
Case pack: The number of units packed together in a shipping case, such as a case of 24 cans. Case pack affects receiving, storage, picking and pallet configuration.
Chargeback: A deduction a retailer or distributor takes from a supplier's invoice for not meeting its requirements, such as late delivery, incorrect labels or missing ASNs. Compliant fulfillment helps avoid them.
Co-packer: A contract manufacturer that produces and packages beverages on behalf of a brand. Co-packers usually assign lot numbers and best-by dates and ship finished goods to the fulfillment provider.
Container deposit (bottle bill): A state program in which a refundable deposit is charged on certain beverage containers and returned when they are recycled. Several states have such laws, and labeling requirements can vary by state and container type.
Dimensional weight: A pricing method carriers use that calculates billable weight from a package's size. Carriers charge whichever is greater, actual weight or dimensional weight.
Drop test: A test that drops a packed parcel from set heights and orientations to see whether the contents survive. Procedures such as ISTA 3A, designed for parcel delivery shipments, are widely used as a reference.
EDI 850 (Purchase Order): The electronic data interchange transaction a retailer or distributor uses to send a purchase order. It tells the supplier what to ship, how much and when.
EDI 856 (Advance Ship Notice): The EDI transaction that tells a retailer what is in a shipment before it arrives, including pallets, cases, quantities and often lot details. Missing or inaccurate ASNs commonly lead to chargebacks.
FDA food facility registration: A requirement under U.S. law for most facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for consumption in the United States to register with the FDA. Many warehouses that store beverages fall under this requirement.
FEFO (First-Expired, First-Out): An inventory rotation method that picks the units with the earliest expiration or best-by date first. It is the standard approach for dated products like beverages, because it reduces the amount of stock that expires on the shelf.
FIFO (First-In, First-Out): An inventory rotation method that picks the oldest received stock first. For beverages, FEFO is usually preferred because lots received later can occasionally carry earlier dates.
FSMA 204 (Food Traceability Rule): An FDA rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act that sets additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for foods on the Food Traceability List. Brands should confirm whether any of their products are on the list.
GS1-128 label: A standardized shipping label barcode format used by many retailers and distributors to identify pallets and cases. It typically carries the SSCC and related shipment data.
GTIN / UPC: The Global Trade Item Number is the GS1 identifier for a product, and the UPC is its common 12-digit barcode form in North America. Retailers and marketplaces use GTINs to identify each sellable unit and case.
Inner pack: A smaller retail or handling unit within a master case, such as four 6-packs in a case of 24. Inner packs are often what DTC orders ship as.
Kitting: Assembling multiple products into a single sellable unit, such as a variety pack or gift set. In beverage fulfillment, kitting should preserve the lot information of each component.
Leak-containment liner: A sealed bag or absorbent pad inside a shipper that contains liquid if a container breaks or leaks. It prevents a single failure from damaging the rest of the order and nearby parcels.
Lot number: A code assigned by the manufacturer or co-packer to a production batch. Capturing lot numbers at receiving lets a brand trace which customers received which batch, which is essential for quality issues and recalls.
Minimum remaining shelf life: The minimum time before a product's best-by or expiration date that a channel or customer will accept. Retailers, distributors and marketplaces often set their own thresholds for deliveries.
Molded-pulp insert: A protective tray or cradle formed from recycled paper or plant fiber, shaped to hold cans or bottles in place during shipping. It is a common lower-plastic alternative to foam.
Non-alcoholic (under 0.5% ABV): In the United States, beverages under 0.5% alcohol by volume are generally treated as non-alcoholic under federal rules. Products at or above that threshold typically require alcohol licensing and compliant distribution.
Pack-out: The defined combination of shipping box, inserts, liners and fill used for a specific product or order profile. Standardized pack-outs keep packaging consistent and protective.
Proposition 65: A California law requiring businesses to provide warnings when products may expose consumers to listed chemicals above certain levels. Beverage brands selling into California should assess whether warnings apply to their products.
Quarantine hold: A status that blocks inventory from being picked while it is inspected or investigated, such as damaged receipts or a suspected quality issue. Held stock stays visible but unsellable until released.
Shipping zone: A carrier's measure of distance between origin and destination, used to set parcel rates. Heavier parcels become notably more expensive as zones increase.
SSCC: The Serial Shipping Container Code is an 18-digit GS1 identifier for a logistics unit such as a pallet or case. It is encoded on GS1-128 labels and referenced in advance ship notices.
Ti-Hi: Shorthand for pallet configuration: Ti is the number of cases per layer and Hi is the number of layers. Retailers often specify Ti-Hi to keep pallets stable and consistent.