"It enables us to deliver fresher flowers"

"If the temperature of our flowers is too high during transport, we know it", says Isabelle Henin Spindler, Managing Director at Red Lands Roses and user of PakSense labels; a label that can be applied on the transportation boxes that monitors the time and temperature during the trip from supplier to receiver.

Isabelle Henin Spindler. On the left: In the greenhouse. On the right: At the IFTEX 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya.

For many years now Red Lands Roses, the Kenyan cut rose grower who ships 50,000 stems a day, has been using PakSense labels. "It was a large investment and a lot of paperwork to import the product into Kenya, but we are very pleased with the results; it enables us to deliver fresher flowers", says Spindler.

Unlike many other growers, who supply their flowers to the auction, Red Lands Roses supplies roses directly to customers all over the world. So, when the flowers leave the greenhouse, they pass different locations with different environments. Therefore, monitoring the temperature of the flowers during transportation is very important. "The quality of the flowers remains high when they are transported in a cold and dark environment. However, if the temperature requirements are not met, the quality of the flowers decreases during transport", says Spinder. In order to keep the quality high, Red Lands Roses started to use the PakSense labels. "We use it as a control tool", says Spindler. "By using this label, we are able to monitor the temperature and contact the shipper when the temperature was too high at a certain location."

Ultra Contact: Standard temperature monitoring label that digitally records time and temperature data that is downloaded using a PakSense reader and software.

The PakSense label can record the temperature in the box, the product temperature, with an accuracy of ± 1°F (±0.5°C). The data can be downloaded by using a PakSense reader and is presented in different formats via the software of PakSense. At the moment, Red Lands Roses uses the PakSense 6 day Ultra Contact label that monitors time and temperature. "In the future we would like to invest in other products from PakSense that can also measure the level of humidity", says Spindler.

Red Lands Roses
Red Lands Roses was established in 1996 in Ruiru, 35km Northeast of Nairobi, Kenya, in the high lands on the equator. They specialize in growing and exporting T-Hybrid and spray roses of the highest quality in a range of over 100 varieties. The roses are grown in 28 hectares of greenhouses on a 100% hydroponic system with full recycling of water, preventing rejection of phosphates and nitrates in ground water. « Green » labels have been awarded by several organisations such as MPS-A (Highest grade for environment care), KFC (Kenya Flower Council, Silver grade), FFP (Fair Flowers Fair Plants, label for the efficiency of the tracking system), GLOBAL-GAP (Good Agricultural Practice). "These organisations perform audits regularly and Red Lands Roses keeps implementing the best practices for a better world."

For more information
Red Lands Roses
Isabelle Henin Spindler
Email: gm@redlandsroses.co.ke
www.redlandsroses.com