Assess dock capacity, handling equipment, racking systems, backup power, cold‑chain capability, and WMS/ERP integration. Verify carrier partnerships, frequency of regional trucking and air services, and contingency routing to maintain consistent lead times.

Compare landed cost per order, including transport to/from ports, last‑mile delivery, inventory carrying, labor, and value‑added service fees. Lower facility rents in Mendi may be offset by inland transport — model total landed cost for representative SKUs.

Key SLAs: order accuracy, on‑time fulfillment, pick‑to‑ship time, inventory accuracy, and returns processing windows. Require reporting cadence for OTIF, inventory turns, and exception handling to monitor performance.

Many 3PLs offer refrigerated storage, temperature monitoring, kitting, labeling, and export documentation support. Validate temperature certification, monitoring systems, contingency power, and operator experience with regulated SKUs before onboarding.

Mendi offers reduced inland transit to nearby provincial buyers, consolidated inbound opportunities for agricultural and resource goods, and a centralized point for cross‑docking and regional consolidation that can lower transit time to interior markets.