Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s flower flow from Bogotá now also FlowerWatch approved

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo will attend Proflora 2019 in Bogotá, Colombia from 2 to 4 October. It is the largest international trade fair for cut flowers in the Americas.

We will use the opportunity to announce that our flower flow out of Colombia is now FlowerWatch approved. Our unique degree-hour controlled shipping method has been specially designed to handle delicate flowers.
After the successful launch of the first FlowerWatch certification in Kenya last June 2019, we have continued to extend the programme to other flower markets.
Mr. Eric Mauroux, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s Global Head of Perishables Logistics explains: “By implementing the FlowerWatch quality insurance system in the main flower markets, we are not only improving the quality and vase life of fresh-cut flowers but also fostering vertical collaboration amongst all stake holders in the supply chain. We are the first airline to gain the certification, making it a reaffirmation of our commitment to the flower industry”.
Cold-chain management has emerged in recent years as a vital success factor in the post-harvest life of fresh flowers. Temperature exposure during storage and transportation contributes to discolouring, wilting, poor flower opening, and premature ageing. The end result is reduced vase life, often by several days.
FlowerWatch has developed a fail-safe Quality Assurance system. This system does not just identify challenges in the cold chain, it actually helps to permanently fix them. The system's central concept is ‘time temperature exposure’, which is expressed in degree hours. This is the average temperature of your fresh flowers throughout transportation multiplied by the number of hours (1 degree hour = 1 hour x 1 degree Celsius). Every 500 degree hours reduces vase life by one day. The key to successful cold chain performance is to minimise the number of degree hours.
*On a yearly basis, AFKLMP Cargo ships approximately 32,000 tonnes of fresh flowers from Colombia (11,000) and Ecuador (21,000) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.