Leading logistics service provider Rhenus Air & Ocean has announced its expansion into perishable goods transportation by launching a dedicated Rhenus Fresh department in the UK.

Rhenus Fresh specialises in perishable cargo handling, and has handled ocean and air freight imports and exports since 1985. Following the successful opening of a fresh goods department in Norway in 2021 and expansion of its perishable offering in the Netherlands, the launch of Rhenus Fresh in the UK will see customers benefit from time critical, temperature-controlled services in the transportation of chilled and frozen produce.

The business will be working with a range of perishables, including flower and food, with a particular focus on transporting fish – an area in which Rhenus has already built up considerable expertise as part of its operations in Norway and the Netherlands. Operating in accordance with APHA and DEFRA guidelines, Rhenus will source airfreight capacity with airlines across UK airports to guarantee that shipments are expedited on a first flight out basis.

New UK Head of Fresh, George Mead, explained: “Our new UK operation is based on tried and tested operations that will give customers confidence that we can deliver to the highest standards. With chilled and frozen storage, temperature-controlled handling, and transportation they can be assured that we can deliver the consistency in temperatures required to maintain product integrity and quality at every point of the supply chain. “Our dedicated fresh operation will give customers access to Rhenus expertise in customs inspection processes including first point of entry formalities and vet inspections.”

Spencer Davern, Managing Director of Rhenus Air & Ocean comments: “We are delighted to have been able to attract industry leading experts to the company in George Mead and Paresh Bhatia (UK Fresh Operations Manager). Our new colleagues bring a lot of experience and knowledge in this sector. Our Fresh customers will benefit from 24/7 customer service and transparency on all movements, combined with bespoke solutions tailored to their own operational requirements.

“The launch of Rhenus Fresh in the UK compliments our other regulatory, time critical and security sensitive verticals such as Life Sciences and Healthcare and Full Vehicle Logistics and forms part of our growth strategy to increase our air  freight volumes significantly over the coming years,” Davern concluded.