Afrex Trading and Cargolite are joining forces to showcase several innovations at this year's IFTF, including a new multi-sensory flower experience and the latest developments in sustainable packaging. The companies, which have long collaborated in the export and logistics of flowers from Africa, are now working even more closely to combine their strengths in product marketing and packaging design. 
© Afrex trading
Afrex
Unique flowers
Afrex operates across Kenya and South Africa, exporting a wide range of cut flowers to markets around the world. In South Africa, the company sources much of its flora from the country's unique Fynbos vegetation, found along the Cape's renowned Garden Route. This area, stretching over 850 kilometers, is home to the Cape Floral Kingdom — one of the world's richest and most diverse ecosystems, containing over 9,000 plant species, of which 70% are found nowhere else.
"The Cape Floral region offers something truly special," says Stuart Burroughs, Sales Manager of Cut Flowers at Afrex in Cape Town. "We offer a full range of products, including proteas, leucospermums, leucadendrons, greeneries, and summer flowers. Each market has its own seasonal demand — weddings, holidays, and special occasions all influence what's in demand. For example, wax flowers are especially popular in the Middle East for weddings."
© Afrex trading
Pink proteas
Working from a refrigerated warehouse near Cape Town airport, Afrex coordinates the export of flowers to destinations worldwide. "We can reach most destinations within 24 hours," Stuart explains. "I spend many hours visiting farms along the Garden Route to stay updated and send our clients real-time pictures of what's available."
At Afrex Kenya, the focus lies on roses and summer flowers. "Our main strength is in premium spray roses," says Oscar Biutah, Sales Manager at Afrex Kenya. "We work closely with growers and importers to strengthen the flower supply chain and open new market opportunities, especially in regions outside the Netherlands such as the Middle East, Far East, and Africa."
© Afrex trading
Orange pin cushions
A story behind every flower
Afrex aims to add a more personal touch to its products through a new marketing concept: "A story behind every flower." The initiative connects customers directly with the growers through QR codes that can be scanned at the point of sale. "We want to show that behind every bunch of flowers there is a grower with a name and a story," says John Kowarsky, major shareholder of both Cargolite and Afrex. "When you scan the QR code, you'll be able to hear from the grower, listen to music from their region, and even experience the scent linked to where the flowers were grown."
© Cargolite
The Cargolite team in Kenya
© Afrex trading
The Cargolite marketing team
Bringing fragrance back
Scent is an important aspect, according to the companies. Together with his partner Etienne Taitz in South Africa, John has been developing a way to reintroduce scent to cut flowers. "You can walk through an entire exhibition hall full of flowers and not smell anything," Etienne notes. "We want to bring fragrance back to the experience of flowers."
John adds, "We're working on a method to release a fragrance linked to the geographical area (where possible) signifying where the flowers come from. Many Kenyan roses, for example, don't have a natural scent, so we're creating one that will represent the type of flower, and if possible the geographical origin of where the flower comes from."
A prototype of this concept will be presented at the IFTF expo. "We'll see how the market reacts," says John. "If the feedback is positive, we plan to introduce it commercially in 2026."
© Cargolite
Martin Kabaka, the companies' manager in Kenya. Martin manages both the Cargolite and Afrex teams in Kenya. 
© Cargolite
Amnon and Martin 
© Cargolite
Martin and John
Innovations in flower packaging
On the packaging side, Amnon Zamir from Cargolite explains that the company has expanded its range to offer more flexibility and sustainability. "Until recently, we had one standard box size, but now we have half and quarter sizes that suit exporters shipping smaller quantities," he says. "The smaller boxes are very effective for direct shipments to shops and help reduce handling costs in Europe."
Cargolite has also developed a special box for sea freight. "The design allows for better air circulation inside the container, which keeps the flowers in good condition during the four-to-five-week journey from Kenya to Europe," Amnon explains. "The same design also performs very well in airfreight and helps reduce the carbon footprint by about 12%."
Additionally, Cargolite has created new packaging for shipping plant cuttings, with enhanced airflow systems to prevent overheating and reduce losses.
© Cargolite
Left: half cartons full skid; right: main deck air pallet
© Cargolite
Ventilation for cuttings
© Cargolite
New cutting carton
© Cargolite
Quarter cartons
© Cargolite
Sea freight cartons
A closer partnership
Lastly, John notes that Cargolite and Afrex are aligning their marketing strategies. "Cargolite
© Cargolite works closely with growers, and Afrex with buyers. By joining efforts, we can close the loop — ensuring that innovative packaging and logistics go hand in hand with flower marketing," he says. "Our goal is to continue this integration throughout 2025 and beyond."
The Afrex and Cargolite teams are ready to show you their latest developments at the IFTF (November 4-6) in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands. You can find them at stand D5.15.
For more information:
Afrex
[email protected]
https://www.afrex2003.com/
Cargolite
[email protected]
https://www.cargo-lite.com/
