Exporters of air-shipped produce to the United Arab Emirates have a new premium service option.
UAE-based Etihad Cargo has introduced a new service called “FreshFoward” that gives priority to the transfer of perishable cargo from the aircraft into a dedicated distribution center, and then to reefer trucks for delivery to customers in UAE.
The service is an expansion of the company’s value chain offering to include last-mile delivery in its home market, according to a news release.
“Safe, efficient and timely transport is critical for the UAE’s major importers of fresh produce, including supermarket chains, food and beverage wholesalers, restaurants and florists,” Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, Etihad Airways managing director of cargo and logistics, said in the release.
Etihad Cargo, with 109 aircraft flying to 90 destinations worldwide, transported over 90,000 tons of perishables over the last 12 months, according to the release, with fruits and vegetables making up more than 37% of the total.
