Logistics provider C.H. Robinson says it is leveraging its global suite of services and temperature-controlled networks to help shippers deliver nearly 56 million pounds of fresh flowers in the rush leading up to Mother’s Day on May 12.
Nearly 70% of all florals move during a three-month period spanning Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, including the 56 million pounds of fresh flowers delivered for Mother’s Day alone, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said. That pattern causes a jump in truckload demand as high as 3,000% when compared to the rest of the year. This surge in demand over a short period of time adds to the challenges shippers already face with a product that is globally sourced, perishable, and relies on a limited supply of temperature-controlled transportation and storage.
According to C.H. Robinson, it has the largest temperature-controlled capacity network in North America, moving 7-10 million boxes of flowers annually through a combination of temperature-controlled air, truckload, and less-than-truckload (LTL) services as well as a warehouse and distribution network that maximizes speed, efficiencies, and freshness.
“A huge swing in demand for temperature-controlled capacity is not something many logistics companies could tackle,” Mike Moyski, Vice President, Temperature-Controlled & Flatbed, C.H. Robinson, said in a release. “We are proud of our ability to quickly scale to meet our customers’ needs and reduce complexities that can lead to delays. With florals, the clock on freshness runs down quickly.”
Statistics from C.H. Robinson’s floral logistics division show that:
- 90% of all North American floral shipments travel through Miami after departing their growing sites in Latin America
- once picked, flowers are immediately cooled to 34 degrees to prevent them from blooming, and remain at that temperature throughout the full journey
- last year, floral sales surged to $8 billion dollars in the U.S. -- up 48% since 2018
- there will be approximately 23 million flowers sold on Mother's Day
