Printable Version Fresh-cut flowers last longer if transported via express delivery instead of traditional methods

A recent study carried out on behalf of FedEx by a leading Florida university, “The Impact of Floral Transport Techniques on Quality and Longevity of Fresh Cut Flowers,“ proves that express transportation significantly extends the vase life of fresh-cut flowers.

The research programme, carried out during the year beginning January 2007, focused on flowers shipped on the day of harvest from Bogota, Colombia to Gainesville, Florida in the United States. Comparisons were made of twelve monthly consignments comprising a pre-determined variety of flowers between three different transportation methods: FedEx Express International Priority® (next-business-day), FedEx Express International Priority DirectDistribution® (three-business-day), and standard traditional shipping services (averaging four to five days in transit, and also requiring onward pre-cooled carriage from Miami to Gainesville).

The research results demonstrated a general increase in quality when express services were used, with the vase lives of flowers (depending on the varieties involved) improving from an average of one day to up to six full days compared to shipments using traditional transportation methods.