Shipping Branded Cans Across the Southeast: Planning Guide
A branded can is only useful once it is cold and in someone's hand. Between the production line in Miami and your cooler in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, or Savannah sits a part of the order most buyers think about last: the delivery.
A branded can is only useful once it is cold and in someone's hand. Between the production line in Miami and your cooler in Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, or Savannah sits a part of the order most buyers think about last: the delivery. Pallets, dock hours, liftgates, and who signs for the freight decide whether your cans arrive on time or sit at a terminal.
This guide is for purchasing managers, event producers, and operations teams outside South Florida who order private label canned water from We Can It. It explains how delivery works, what information to prepare, and what affects the freight line on your quote, so there are no surprises on delivery day.
How does branded canned water ship from Miami to the Southeast?
Private label cans are produced in Miami and shipped in cases of 24 cans, stacked on pallets for larger orders. Smaller orders can move as individual cases, while larger ones travel as palletized freight. Production takes about 2 to 3 weeks from artwork approval, and transit time is added on top depending on your city and delivery details.
The key to smooth delivery is planning the receiving side as carefully as the artwork.
What information should you give before your order ships?
Freight goes wrong when the carrier arrives with the wrong expectations. Share these details with your account manager before production finishes.
- Full delivery address, including building, dock number, or suite.
- Receiving hours and days, including whether weekends are possible.
- Dock or no dock. If there is no loading dock, you likely need a liftgate.
- Access limits: height clearance, gate codes, narrow streets, or security check-in.
- On-site contact with a phone number that someone actually answers.
- Event date if the cans are for a specific event, so we can plan backward.
- Storage plan for when the cans arrive early.
What affects the freight line on a private label water quote?
Every quote is built for the real order, so we do not publish freight prices. These are the factors that move the number.
- Order size: number of cases and pallets.
- Distance from Miami to your city.
- Delivery type: commercial dock versus residential or no-dock delivery.
- Extra services: liftgate, inside delivery, appointment scheduling.
- Timing: tighter delivery windows can limit carrier options.
- Multiple drop points: splitting one order across several addresses.
The best way to see the full picture, including freight, is the calculator followed by a quote. Our cost drivers guide explains the production side of the price.
How should you plan delivery windows for events?
Events have fixed dates, so work backward and build in a buffer.
- Event date minus 7 days: target delivery here, not the day before.
- Event date minus 10 to 14 days: cans leave Miami, depending on distance.
- Event date minus about 5 weeks: artwork approved and production starts.
- Event date minus about 6 weeks: artwork submitted and proofs reviewed.
A week of cushion covers weather, carrier schedules, and the time your team needs to receive, count, and chill.
What should happen when the truck arrives?
Receiving is where most freight problems are caught or missed.
- Count cases or pallets against the packing list before signing.
- Look for damage to outer boxes and note it on the delivery receipt.
- Take photos of anything that looks crushed or wet.
- Store cans in a cool, dry place off the floor.
- Chill only what you need for the next day or event.
- Tell your account manager right away if anything is missing or damaged.
Should you ship to one location or many?
Many Southeast buyers run programs across several properties or event sites. You have two main options.
- One central delivery: cheaper per case and simpler to receive, then your team distributes locally.
- Split deliveries: more convenient for each site, but each drop adds cost and coordination.
For hotel groups and multi-location clubs, a central delivery to one storeroom and internal transfers often works best. For events in different cities on different dates, separate orders timed to each event are cleaner.
What sizes and packaging are available?
- Sizes: 12oz Regular, 12oz Sleek, and 16oz.
- Water types: still, sparkling, and alkaline.
- Case pack: 24 cans per case.
- Minimum order: 21 cases, which is 504 cans.
- Print: label from 21 cases, digital print from 100 cases.
Packaging and case details are on Technology · Packaging.
How should you store cans during a Southeast summer?
Summers across Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Alabama are long and humid, and a loading dock in July can feel like an oven. Cans handle travel well, but storage still matters for taste and presentation.
- Move cases indoors the same day. Do not leave pallets on an open dock overnight.
- Pick an interior room away from exterior walls, windows, and roof heat when possible.
- Keep boxes dry. Humidity and condensation can soften cardboard, so avoid damp floors and use pallets or shelving.
- Chill in batches. Put the next day's cans in coolers or refrigerators and leave the rest at room temperature.
- Plan ice for outdoor events. A cooler that starts full of ice at noon needs a refill by mid-afternoon.
If your event is outdoors, schedule a mid-event ice delivery. Cold cans are what guests remember, and warm ones are what they complain about.
What are the most common delivery mistakes, and how do you avoid them?
Most freight problems are not caused by the truck. They come from small gaps in communication on the receiving side.
- The wrong address type. A venue's mailing address is not always where freight is received. Ask the venue for its receiving address.
- No one on site. Carriers often cannot wait. Name a contact and confirm they will be there.
- Weekend or holiday deliveries that were never confirmed with the carrier.
- No liftgate booked for a location without a dock, which can mean a missed delivery.
- Shipping straight to an event venue that does not accept deliveries before load-in day.
- Counting after signing. Always count and inspect before you sign.
A five-minute call with your venue's receiving team, a week before shipment, prevents almost all of these.
Which Southeast orders need extra delivery planning?
Some order types need more lead time and coordination than a standard delivery to an office or hotel storeroom.
- College football weekends and tailgates: venues and roads get busy, so deliver several days early.
- Outdoor festivals and fairs: sites often have strict load-in windows and no permanent receiving dock.
- Convention center shows: many require deliveries to go through a show contractor or an advance warehouse.
- Resort and beach properties: access roads and storage can be limited in peak season.
- Multi-city tours or roadshows: separate orders timed to each stop are easier than one shipment.
For any of these, share the event details with your account manager when you request the quote, not after production.
Questions to ask your venue before cans ship
If your cans are going to a hotel, convention center, or event venue rather than your own building, ask these questions first.
- When can the venue accept deliveries for our event?
- Is there a storage fee for early arrivals?
- Does the venue require a specific label or event name on each box?
- Is there a loading dock, and what are its hours?
- Who on the venue side signs for freight?
Southeast delivery checklist
- Confirm the delivery address, dock, and receiving hours.
- Decide if you need a liftgate or appointment.
- Name one on-site contact.
- Set the target delivery date a week before any event.
- Prepare cool, dry storage space.
- Count, inspect, and photograph on arrival.
- Report issues the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Does We Can It ship private label canned water outside Florida?
Yes. Cans are produced in Miami and shipped to customers across the United States, including the Southeast.
How long does delivery take after production?
Production takes about 2 to 3 weeks from artwork approval. Transit time depends on distance and delivery details, so plan delivery a week before any event.
Why is freight priced separately on each quote?
Freight depends on order size, distance, dock access, and extra services like a liftgate, so each quote is built for the real delivery.
Do I need a loading dock to receive cans?
Not always. Without a dock, you will usually need a liftgate delivery. Tell your account manager in advance.
Can one order ship to several locations?
Yes, but each additional drop adds cost and coordination. A central delivery with local transfers is often simpler.
What should I do if cases arrive damaged?
Note the damage on the delivery receipt, take photos, and contact your account manager the same day.
Get a quote with delivery to your Southeast location
Share your city, delivery details, and date, and a product advisor will include freight in your quote.
