Flower Rush from Kenya to Europe Puts Nairobi Cargo Infrastructure to the Test

By Maria Kalamatas | July 16, 2025

Nairobi, July 16 — As peak flower season hits its stride, Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is facing a logistical sprint to handle rising demand for air cargo slots — especially from European floral markets that now rely almost exclusively on Kenyan roses.

“We’re processing more than 1,500 tonnes per day this week — double our usual volume,” said Eunice Muthoni, operations supervisor at FreshLink Logistics. “Even with chartered flights, we’re constantly at the limit.”

Surge linked to European heatwave

Unusually high summer temperatures in Spain and Italy have hurt domestic flower yields, prompting European retailers to ramp up imports from Kenya. Germany, France, and the Netherlands are leading the surge in last-minute procurement for weddings and festivals.

“Our clients want fresh bouquets delivered to warehouses in under 48 hours,” explained Jean-Paul Meunier, logistics director at BloomDirect France. “Any delay means losses for entire supermarket chains.”

Limited slots, stretched handling

Despite the Kenya Airports Authority allocating additional night slots, cargo handlers say the backlog is intensifying. Cold rooms are full, and floriculture exporters are competing for priority in outbound cargo holds.

Forwarders are warning of potential rate hikes as airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates SkyCargo, and Cargolux try to balance perishable load demands with aircraft availability.

Makeshift solutions emerging

To cope, smaller operators are turning to Eldoret and Mombasa airports as overflow sites. “We’re trucking flowers overnight just to get them airborne,” Muthoni added. “But this isn’t sustainable.”

Long-term concerns resurface

While Kenya remains a floral powerhouse, experts caution that recurring bottlenecks every July risk eroding its market lead.

“If we can’t modernize and expand the cargo flow infrastructure, countries like Ethiopia or Colombia could step in with faster solutions,” warned Dr. Isaac Kiprono, trade policy analyst at East African Logistics Council.

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