Fresh-cut flowers last longer if transported via express delivery instead of traditional methods,according to a recent study from a leading Florida university commissioned by FedEx.
The study, The Impact of Floral Transport Techniques on Quality and Longevity of Fresh CutFlowers, revealed that express transportation solutions extend the vase life of fresh-cut flowersby an average of one to six days compared to traditional air freight shipping, FedEx said.
The one-year study, conducted between January 2007 and January 2008, consisted of 12 monthlytrials that observed the effects of three different floral transportation techniques on apredetermined variety of flowers shipped from Colombia flower farm customers to Florida. Theshipping services used were FedEx Express International Priority® (next-business-day), FedExExpress International Priority DirectDistribution® (three-business-day) services and a traditionalair freight solution.
“The Netherlands ship 44 million flowers a day, including 13 million roses. During thebuild-up to Valentines Day, this increases by 50 to 60% per day, making the findings highlyrelevant to the Dutch flower trade, as 85% of the country’s flowers are exported,” said PatrickStienlet, managing director, Operations for FedEx Express, Benelux.
“The spike in shipments in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day stems from the sharp increase inthe number of goods like flowers being dispatched across the region,” said Stienlet. “Ourflower transportation solutions are designed to help our customers deliver the freshest andbest-quality flowers in the industry. In our experience, Valentine’s Day is the mostimportant holiday for flower growers exporting to the United States.”
FedEx said it offers select transportation solutions in the Netherlands, offering customerscost-effective, customised services that meet the special export needs for their cargo andperishable goods. The solutions include options for FedEx International Priority(next-business-day, door-to-door delivery service) and FedEx International PriorityDirectDistribution (delivery time from one to two business days).
