DHL delivers love this Valentine's Day season

DHL is exporting a wide range of flowers this year from Latin America to customers in the U.S. and around the world this Valentine's Day season.

A combination of vibrant roses, lilies, sunflowers, heliconias, birds of paradise, alstroemerias, hypericum, statis, godetias, follajes, carnations and minicarnations, as well as all the greens that enhance beautiful bouquets will be carefully transported by DHL Global Forwarding.

DHL Global Forwarding has developed specialized services for handling perishables to keep floral shipments cool prior to air transport and immediately upon arrival. DHL plays a key role helping growers primarily based in Latin America get their flowers to consumers and retailers so they arrive fresh and in pristine condition.

From Costa Rica, Ecuador and Colombia, over 1,410 tons (U.S.) of flowers are exported within the two weeks that precede Valentine's Day. Approximately 65% of the flowers exported are roses and rose bouquets. The U.S. will receive about half of all flowers exported; the remaining floral volumes will be transported to Canada, European countries such as Holland, Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and markets in Asia.

Latin American export volumes increasing

Using strict temperature controls, guaranteed space through airline negotiation's and competitive rates, DHL Global Forwarding ensures products are delivered on time and with the highest standards of quality.

"Despite the global economic downturn, DHL Global Forwarding in Latin America expects export volumes to grow about 10% during the 2009 Valentine's Day season, successfully surpassing the current economic challenges," said Tatiana Cruz, Perishables Sales Manager for DHL Global Forwarding Costa Rica.

According to the National Retail Federation, flower purchasing for Valentine's Day should be consistent with last year, with 35.7 percent of consumers purchasing flowers, compared to 35.9 percent in 2008. According to the study, total Valentine's Day spending is expected to reach $14.7 billion, down from about $17 billion for the past two years.