Flower, Plants and Floral Greens
A wide variety of cut flowers, rooted plant stock, floral greens and trees are handled within many of our locations. Import flowers primarily into our Los Angels, Miami, New York, and Hawaii facilities where we can assist with government clearances while providing refrigerated storage, forced air cooling and the ability for pick-n-pack services as well as final mile. Like minded services are available in Amsterdam and London. Domestic air cargo services allow for movement closer to door within the USA. Through Kuehne + Nagel, cut flowers can be handled from our flower hubs in Kenya, Columbia, and Ecuador.
From the US Pacific Northwest, CFI is the industry leader in air export and sea freight of floral greens into Amsterdam airport or to door in Aalsmeer as well as onforwarding within Europe. With over twenty-five years of experience, we can offer shippers and consignees a complete season-long package of services. With 7,500 square feet of coolers at or below 40F, we can help our customers reduce temperature abuse before and during transit.
Depending on the shipping lane, some varieties should not transit certain countries. Regulations and requirements continuously change, and our staff monitors these changes to be proactive as possible and ensure our client’s products are not refused upon arrival. In essence, Commodity Forwarders is privy to the nuances associated with transporting flowers, plants, cuttings, and greens to ensure there are no issues when the product arrives at its destination. Being aware of these dynamics prior to shipment departure avoids rejection upon arrival, additional costs at the destination, expensive fines and worse yet claims.
Flowers and greens begin their journey being cooled to prevent early blooming. Our goal is to extend vase time, so the final recipient has the longest, freshest, sweetest smelling bouquets possible.
By maintaining our florals and greens in a controlled atmosphere and specially maintained warehouses, we can extend the life of blooms and reduce waste with sensor monitors to ensure even cooling throughout the journey.
Flowers are shipped with a controlled atmosphere to extend the shelf life which translates into fresh blooms and full greens. This is achieved through a reduction of respiration which inhibits the ripening process and reduces susceptibility to chilling injury.
Our ferns come from the timber in the Pacific Northwest and ship all over the globe. CFI protects these precious greens in a controlled atmosphere container for ocean shipments or climate stable trucks for domestic transit. Our goal is to see them reach their destination just as lovely and lush as they ever were transit.
A rootstock is part of a plant or a tree, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. In some cases, such as vines of grapes and other berries, cuttings may be used for rootstocks, the roots being established in nursery conditions before planting them out. Careful consideration of the importing country as it can vary if allow dirt on the roots for smooth government clearances. When shipping rooted plant stock is that it does not get too cold, nor too warm, but just right!