From local hero to global player in the growing perishables market

Panalpina has acquired seven companies specializing in the worldwide export and import of perishables since 2015. With its vision to become the preferred global supplier of perishables logistics by 2020, Panalpina not only acquires companies in the sector, it then also invests locally to develop the business further and support the communities where they operate.

Yesterday, we explained how agent members of the Panalpina Perishables Network enjoy unparalleled reach, thanks to solutions from field to shelf that can drive new market opportunities worldwide.

Today, we are putting the spotlight on the companies in Africa, Europe and South America that joined the Panalpina family since 2015.

They were either family businesses or founded by a group of passionate entrepreneurs and have since become an integral part of the Panalpina Perishables Network which currently spans 26 key countries and keeps growing.

“We are delighted that these companies and their staff have joined the ranks of Panalpina and strengthened our Perishables Network,” says Colin Wells, global head industry vertical Perishables at Panalpina. “Before Panalpina, these local businesses had built up a solid reputation in their countries, often over decades, and worked hard to become leaders in their markets. By joining Panalpina, they have become part of an even bigger success story on an international level. United, we take fresh produce to almost any part of the globe – serving existing markets and entering new ones, and adding value to supply chains.”

Since November 2015, Panalpina has acquired seven companies specializing in the worldwide export and import of perishables in Kenya (Airflo and Air Connection), the Netherlands (Airflo and Interfresh), Germany (parts of the Cool Chain Group), Belgium (Adelantex), Argentina (Newport Cargo) and South Africa (Skyservices).

While the first and last acquisitions concentrated on the export side, the deals in Europe were made to increase Panalpina’s footprint in key import markets and to build its end-to-end perishables capabilities at major gateways such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Brussels.

Panalpina aims to become the preferred global supplier of perishables logistics by 2020. To make this happen, the company not only acquires companies specializing in the sector, it then also invests locally to develop the business further and support the communities where they operate.

“Kenya is a great example. We doubled our cold storage space at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in November 2018. The expanded facility is the only one within Nairobi’s airport with dedicated loading bays for skidded or palletized cargo and with separate cold rooms to manage specific temperature requirements for products such as cuttings,” explains Wells.

Panalpina expects to be moving more than 80,000 tons of flowers, fruits and vegetables through Nairobi by 2020, bringing increased benefits for the local community in terms of employment and infrastructure.

“Providing a global perspective while enabling sustainable local development, these are fundamental aspects of our vision to become the preferred global supplier of perishables logistics,” concludes Wells.

Panalpina’s Perishables Network is growing strong. Meet us at Fruit Logistica from February 6 to 8, 2019 in Berlin.