Over the years, more and more Kenyan farmers started to look for direct markets to ensure a fixed price for their cut flowers. Another advantage of supplying direct is the faster shipment period which results in fresher flowers and saves considerable repacking costs in Europe. However, if the flowers are handled several times before arrival, quality will decrease. In order to make the direct sales market more efficiently, Cargolite developed Quarter and Half cartons. "With this new concept, the farm can pack at source the precise quantities of flowers that the direct customer requires and send it with "one touch" to the customer's destination of choice", says John Kowarsky, CEO of Cargolite.
Last year, Cargolite already showed the Quarters and Halves at the IFTF in Vijfhuizen, to gather some feedback. As the feedback was positive and the interest high, they decided to continue and are now ready to launch it at the IFTF 2019.
John Kowarsky and Amnon Zamir of Cargolite™ at the IFTF 2018. Above right, the Quarts & Halves.
Quarters & Halves for direct sales - how does it work?
The idea behind the Quarter and Half cartons is to offer a solution to service the direct sales market efficiently, but how does it work?
Kowarsky: "Using the same plastic frames of the regular Cargolite packaging concept, the farm can pack at source exactly the precise quantities of flowers that the direct customer requires and ordered from the farm. The direct order will then be packed in either a specially designed Quarter Cargolite carton or a Half Cargolite carton and loaded on a Cargolite pallet and send with “one touch” to the customer's destination of choice. On arrival, the plastic frames tied around the Quarter and Half Cargolite cartons can be taken off the cartons and these cartons can be sent in a normal way to the end customer."
Eliminating rough handling
The Cargolite packaging concept offers the “one touch” system where the flowers are packed and palletized at the farm. "It eliminates the rough handling of each carton many times, before reaching the customer's destination." As a result, the product inside, if grown well, will be of much higher quality. "As they are not handled over 8 times before arrival, they will arrive in superb condition."
Cargolite Concept
In 2016, the packaging concept was introduced in the Kenyan flower industry. "It creates a discipline throughout the system, and gives the farm the necessary security and respect that their flowers deserve. Cargolite enables the farm to reach the markets safely and in good condition."
And the creation of this concept all came out of the following logistic problems farms are dealing with. "The farm has invested heavily to grow their flower, but the present logistic chain, due to many reasons can cause quality problems damaging the flower quality."
"Some reasons causing this: rough and the numerous times in handling of the cartons, heated air pallets due to non-ventilated pallets, some farms using weak and poor quality cartons of many different dimensions, creating major difficulties for the forwarders to build the air pallet efficiently."
Cargolite in Kenya
Ros farm Oserian was one of the first users of the Cargolite concept and they declared it a game-changer for the industry. They are still very pleased with it and in the years that followed, more growers started to get interested in the product. Currently, over 25 farms are working either with Cargolite fully or are in the trialing process - which usually takes up to 3-6 months. The main product sold today is the large Cargolite carton that is designed to deliver roses and other flowers from source (point A) to one destination (point B).
In August 2018, Cargolite took over the go down at the JKIA airport from Acme and is running the go down herself. "At the go down Cargolite is stocking the Cargolite frames and all the necessary components needed to commence packing in Cargolite. The go down can supply a farm with small quantities of the “other” components with ease enabling the farm to pick up the full set of Cargolite materials in one delivery from JKIA airport."
IFTF Vijfhuizen
Curious about the Quarters & Halves of Cargolite? At the IFTF Expo that will be taking place this week (from November 6-8), Cargolite will be presenting the concept at their new location (Hall C stand C3.19). Of course, also their regular Cargolite product will be on display. The IFTF will be held in the Expo Haarlemmermeer in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands.
For more information
Cargolite
John Kowarsky
Email: johnk@nalto2012.com
amnonz@nalto2012.com
kabakam@nalto2012.com
www.cargo-lite.com