(Los Angeles, CA—December 9, 2009) — The Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles announced today at a Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, that roses grown in Ecuador, one of the South American nation’s most valuable exports, are heading to Japan, the most expensive rose market in the world, via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Traditionally, Ecuadorian roses have transited through Amsterdam and Frankfurt in Europe and Miami in the U.S. to reach Japan. The supply chain shift saves time and lowers cargo shipping costs. In the two months that the program has been underway, nearly 45 tons of roses were moved from Ecuador to Japan via LAX.

Rose From Ecuador:
(left to right) Eduardo Borrero, Trade Commissioner of Ecuador in Los Angeles and Ivo Skorin, General Manager of Apollo Freight at the December 9, 2009 announcement on roses from Ecuador heading to Japan via LAX.

“It has long been a goal to find a way for Ecuadorian flowers, especially roses, to reach world markets faster and at lower costs. We are very pleased that Mercury Air Cargo and Apollo Freight have developed a program to answer this need at LAX,” said Eduardo Borrero, Trade Commissioner of Ecuador in Los Angeles.

Members of the Ecuadorian Trade Commission met with Mercury Air Cargo and Apollo Freight executives following Mercury’s opening of the largest on-airport refrigeration unit on the West Coast in April. The Trade Commission representatives advocated bringing Ecuadorian flowers headed to Japan through Mercury’s LAX on-airport perishable center. Apollo Freight, a leader in perishable logistics, worked with two Asian carriers servicing Japan to obtain cargo space then worked with Operflor Cargo, an Ecuadorian freight forwarder, to secure flower shipments from Ecuador to the importers in Japan.

“Our Japanese clients are extremely pleased with the level of service being provided by Apollo Freight at LAX as well as with the cost savings compared to transiting roses through Europe,” said Roy Cisternas, Sales Manager of Operflor Cargo.

Apollo Freight utilizes Mercury’s perishable center, located in an over 200,000 square foot on-airport warehouse facility, which allows flowers coming into LAX by air and connecting on a flight to Japan to never have to leave the airport. The flowers remain in the same warehouse for breakdown, forced air cooling and build-up services.

“This is a natural synergy. Our work in transiting Ecuadorian roses is just a small part of the perishable logistics Mercury and Apollo offer in providing a highly refined way for perishables to reach consumers in the Western United States as well as connecting throughout the world,” said Joseph A. Czyzyk, Chairman & CEO of Mercury Air Group, Inc.