Collapsible foam shipping cooler for perishables and method of making

A collapsible foam shipping container for perishables, comprising:

• a linear series of four connected closed cell expanded polystyrene foam side panel sections having opposite free ends, each of the series of side panel sections having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a thickness, ends, bevel cuts through the interior surface at the ends forming a groove between adjacent side panels of the series, the grooves extending partially through the thickness of the series of side panels and leaving a portion of foam material disposed between the exterior surface and the groove defining a foam connection between the adjacent side panels, the series of side panel sections being movable between a collapsed mode and an assembled mode wherein adjacent panels are disposed at angles with respect to each other to form a closed loop sidewall section having a bottom perimeter edge and a top perimeter edge, and the opposite free ends are disposed adjacent to each other;
• a strip of adhesive tape located on the exterior surface opposite each groove;
• a bottom foam panel disposed to contact the bottom perimeter edge and underlie the closed loop sidewall section;
• and
• a top foam panel disposed to contact the top perimeter edge and overlie the closed loop sidewall section.