Breweries and drinks wholesalers move stock faster than almost any other part of the supply chain. Kegs, crates and cases go out on delivery every single day, and the pallets they travel on come straight back in just as quickly. For a site with this kind of turnover, empty pallets can pile up in a matter of days rather than weeks.
That is a different problem to the one most general warehouses face. A typical storage site might build up pallet stock slowly over a month. A busy brewery or drinks wholesaler can end up with a yard full of empties before the week is even out. Without a proper plan in place, that stock takes up space that is needed for loading, turns into a trip hazard, and starts to look untidy to anyone visiting the site.
Why Drinks Businesses Need a Different Approach
Most pallet collection advice is written with slow-moving storage in mind. Breweries and drinks wholesalers need something built around daily or weekly turnover instead. A charged collection service is designed for exactly this kind of demand. Rather than waiting until pallets have piled up into a problem, collections are scheduled to match how quickly your site actually works through stock.
This matters just as much for businesses supplying pubs, bars and retailers across Kent as it does for those working out of a central depot. If you are based further out and need pallets for sale in Kent alongside a collection plan, the two can be arranged together so that new stock arrives and old stock leaves on a schedule that suits you.
The Right Pallet for Drinks Crates and Kegs
Not every pallet is suited to carrying kegs and crates. Drinks stock is heavy, often stacked high, and needs a pallet that can take repeated loading without breaking down. This is where a medium weight Euro pallet tends to be the better choice over a lighter option. It offers a stronger weight-bearing capacity and a sturdier build, which matters when crates are stacked two or three high and moved in and out several times a day.
Choosing the wrong pallet type does not just risk damaged stock. Weak or worn pallets are one of the more common causes of slips, trips and falls in busy loading areas, so getting this right is as much about safety as it is about efficiency.
Keeping Loading Bays Clear
For breweries and drinks wholesalers, the loading bay is the busiest part of the whole site. Full pallets go out, empty pallets come back, and delivery vehicles need space to manoeuvre safely in between. If empty pallets are left to build up around the bay, that space disappears fast.
The table below shows how collection frequency tends to match up with different levels of turnover.
| Business type | Typical pallet turnover | Suggested collection frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Small brewery, local deliveries | Low to moderate | Weekly |
| Regional drinks wholesaler | Moderate to high | Twice weekly |
| High-volume distribution site | High | Scheduled or on-demand |
A scheduled collection service takes the guesswork out of this. Rather than a member of staff having to keep track of stock levels and arrange a one-off pickup when things get out of hand, collections happen on a set pattern that matches your delivery schedule.
There is also a health and safety angle to keeping a loading bay clear. The Health and Safety Executive sets out clear guidance on managing loading areas safely, including the space needed around vehicles and the risks of clutter building up where people and vehicles cross paths. You can read the HSE guidance on loading areas for a fuller breakdown of what a well-managed loading bay should look like.
Why a Scheduled Service Works Better Than Ad-Hoc Collections
Booking a pallet collection every time stock builds up sounds flexible, but in practice it often means someone has to notice the problem before it gets fixed. By the time that happens, pallets may already be blocking access, stacked unsafely, or getting in the way of deliveries.
A regular collection arrangement removes that pressure. It also tends to work out more cost-effective over time, since collections are planned in advance rather than booked reactively at short notice.
Getting Started
If your brewery or drinks wholesale business is dealing with a steady build-up of empty pallets, a scheduled collection service is usually the simplest fix. CM Pallets works with businesses across Essex, Kent, London and the wider South East, arranging collections that match how quickly your site actually moves stock, along with the right pallet types to keep deliveries running smoothly.