The logistics of Valentine’s Day: transporting flowers for lovers

In Europe, British Airways World Cargo and Iberia Cargo collaborate closely to execute a flawless operation. Through their extensive global network, Valentine’s Day flowers are transported to the United Kingdom and Spain from countries such as Kenya, India, South Africa, the Netherlands, the United States, Colombia, and Ecuador.

The Colombian airline Avianca Cargo, after three weeks of operations to the United States, transported around 18,000 tons from Colombia and Ecuador to the US. This figure represents twice its usual capacity for this product, with approximately 300 flights during the season, as reported by the airline.

Exporting flowers on Valentine’s Day requires total coordination of the entire supply chain, where transportation plays a crucial role in logistics. However, the work begins much earlier. The cultivation process is strenuous: each planting takes approximately six months to reach maturity. After this period, harvesting is done every three months, gradually increasing in frequency until daily cultivation is achieved.

Once ready, the flowers are cut and undergo a post-harvest process that prepares them for the market. At this stage, it is essential to keep them cool and in optimal conditions, with temperatures controlled between 3 and 7 degrees Celsius, as reported by Gabriel Correa, flowers manager of Bojacá in Colombia. Once the flowers leave the farms, they are transported in trucks that preserve the cold chain initiated in the post-harvest stage.