Expect lower facility and labour costs compared to coastal hubs, shorter transit to north‑central customers, options for multi‑temperature storage for agri and FMCG, and simplified cross‑docking for rapid turn. Choose providers with proven carrier contracts and demonstrated last‑mile performance metrics.

Assess road quality to major markets, on‑site loading capacity, dock counts, cold storage capability, and integration with national courier networks. Verify carrier SLAs, average transit times to primary destinations, and the 3PL's ability to scale peak volumes and manage seasonal agricultural inflows.

Focus on clear dimensional and pallet storage rates, pick/pack fees, inbound handling charges, minimums, peak surcharges, and fuel/linehaul pass‑throughs. Include performance KPIs (OTD, inventory accuracy), indemnity terms, and defined notice periods for space or service changes.

Prioritize multi‑temperature racking, batch and lot traceability for produce, omnichannel order management integrations (API/EDI), scalable labour pools for peaks, cross‑dock throughput, and demonstrated last‑mile partnerships to ensure consistent delivery performance.