IAG Cargo flies nearly 450 tonnes of flowers from Nairobi

• IAG Cargo specialises in the required cold chain management via its Constant Fresh offering.
  
• Over the past few weeks IAG Cargo has been running flights across its network.

February 15, 2021: IAG Cargo has transported nearly 450 tonnes (approximately 18 million stems) of cut flowers for Valentine’s Day from Nairobi to London Heathrow and the US.

According to IAG Cargo, popular flowers for Valentine’s Day 2021 are proving to be roses, chrysanthemums and carnations.

Over the past few weeks IAG Cargo has been running flights across its network, including four flights a week from Nairobi to London and the US. It’s a busy time of year for flowering farms, cargo operators, freight forwarders and distributors who have all been working hard to ensure consumers worldwide can enjoy floral delights for Valentine’s Day.

Bob Andersen, CEO at The Elgon Collection based in Kenya, currently grows roses on 43 hectares, commented, “During all the challenges of Covid-19, buying flowers for a loved one is a small way of making someone feel special. With the success of our flower farm we have been able to build three schools, a hospital, a vocational training centre, a children’s home and a training centre. We hope our flowers will brighten up your Valentine’s Day this year.”

Valentine’s Day flowers rely on a complex supply chain, with air freight offering a fast and reliable service. The process sees flowers hit shelves within 72 hours of being cut, with temperatures between 0 - 2°C maintained from the farm to shop. IAG Cargo specialises in the required cold chain management via its Constant Fresh offering.

Freddie Overton, regional commercial manager for Europe and Africa at IAG Cargo, commented, “Flowers are the quintessential gift on Valentine’s Day. We have some of the best floral facilities in the world to help get Valentine’s flowers to market, looking as fresh as the day they were cut, for consumers to enjoy during a unique Valentine’s Day this year.”