Transporting flowers and plants requires careful handling due to their delicate nature. Across the global network, cargo handlers are needed to provide comprehensive flower transportation services, with specialized cold storage to maintain strict temperature management and cold chain integrity.
For customer deliveries, Menzies Aviation operates through a number of major flower import and export hubs; Including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) in the Netherlands, and José María Cordova International Airport (MDE) in Colombia.
“Key export markets include Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and South Africa, with the Netherlands, Ecuador, Colombia, Kenya and Ethiopia identified among the top producers of cut flowers. At times of peak demand, our teams are sending flowers,” said Beau Bain, Global Head of Cargo at Menzies Aviation. As far away as Australia!
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Care is in the air
As with any perishable goods, flowers are sensitive to time and temperature. They require fast and safe delivery to maintain their quality. Cut flowers, in particular, have a short shelf life, and while this makes them ideal for transporting air shipments, they require specific transportation conditions from refrigerated coolers, specialized packaging, and more. This makes cold chain maintenance and minimizing loading/unloading during freight deliveries essential.
“Proper packaging not only protects the fragility of the product, but also allows sufficient cold air circulation to maintain quality and freshness,” Payne stressed. “Packaging is also key to meeting the standards expected by the markets we export to, such as the European Union.”
Another global challenge is the economic backdrop. Naturally, the price rise followed an increase in production costs due to inflation, which led to a decline in consumer demand. This, coupled with increased shipping costs caused by capacity challenges on some trade routes, has put pressure on the sector.
“Size and capacity were definitely affected by freight rates,” Payne explained. “High inflation rates and capacity constraints are undoubtedly among the major challenges currently impacting the flower transportation sector.
“As a result of these economic factors, customers prioritize value for money, often pushing airlines to operate on high-yield routes, such as China.
“We have seen a move toward sourcing products from areas that are geographically closer to the market in question, thus lowering the cost of shipping,” Payne continued.
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Competitive market
There have been three notable changes in the flower transportation sector in recent years: First, ocean shipping has grown significantly, and this competition has raised the standards of cargo handling and improved the service they provide to customers. Second, the focus on improving sustainability has had a significant impact on what cargo handlers do, and how they do it. For example, the use of eco-friendly containers has become the norm. Finally, there has been a significant shift from manual to digital solutions across the entire supply chain, with processing times and overall efficiency increasing as a result.
“Air freight will continue to play a major role in the flower transportation sector, with a focus on providing high-quality, safe and sustainable services,” Payne said. “The cut flower industry has grown significantly, as has the need to reduce the environmental impact of transporting perishable goods, at refrigerated temperatures, around the world.
“We operate in a highly competitive market, so achieving the highest standards in our operations is essential to optimize future growth,” Payne added.
