Source: Seafrigo
Cool chain forwarding specialist Seafrigo is opening new offices in Chile as part of efforts to expand in Latin America.
The company will open two new offices in the country: an operational hub at Santiago Airport and a commercial office in Las Condes, northeast of the city.
Seafrigo said that perishables play a vital role in Chile’s economy, ranking second only to mining.
”The country is a major year-round producer of high-value fruits and vegetables, with key air exports including cranberries, white grapes, Agen prunes, peaches, Fuji apples, golden kiwis, kumquats, figs, and custard apples,” Seafrigo said in a press release.
“Additionally, seafood and fish are crucial exports, further emphasising the need for specialised logistics solutions.”
The company already handles a variety of Chilean exports by air, including cherries to Asia, custard apples and salmon to the US, swordfish and flowers to Europe, and seeds to Australia.
Chile is the world’s leading exporter of cherries, and Seafrigo ranked second in IATA rankings during the Chilean cherry season.
“While the majority of shipments currently involve exports, Seafrigo is also seeing a steady rise in imports, including cheese, wine, and chocolate from both France and the US,” the company added.
Denis Hidalgo, an industry veteran with 22 years of experience in air and ocean logistics, will head up the new offices in the role of country head.
Seafrigo will offer a range of services, including documentation support, logistical expertise, airport repacking and packaging services, and inland trucking.
The company added that it has further expansion plans and is exploring opportunities in Peru, another country with year-round perishables exports.
The new Chile offices are the second expansion by the forwarder so far this year. In January, the company announced the opening of a new office in Vietnam.
