NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 29 – Kenya Airways and Dutch based company StaminaGroup have signed an agreement to establish a fresh produce handling facility on a joint venture basis.
The business name for this facility will be Triple FFF with operations expected to commence in September this year. This company seeks to provide a Fast, Flexible and Fresh (triple FFF) approach to the transportation of fresh produce in and out of Africa.
The joint venture is targeted to improve the gap in the cool chain with transport of goods from storage to the carrier under excellent temperature conditions, a higher level of service, fast handling, full traceability and an undisrupted cool chain.
In addition to providing this service to the Kenyan horticultural industry, Triple FFF will also handle perishables on transit from other key African markets like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. “This new development venture is in line with contributing to the sustainable development of all spheres of Africa,” said KQ Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni.
TripleFFF is planning to have over 3,000 ton cold storage and handling capacity with ultra modern cooling facilities, ramp access to the aircraft scanning, tracking and tracing facilities.
Mr Naikuni said: “These infrastructural improvements will close the gap in the cool chain at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by providing more efficient handling and processing of consignments with state of the art software and communication technologies will provide facilities that shall have a large positive impact on the Kenyan horticulture industry.”
“Current Airport transport conditions typically result in quality losses of fresh produce due to poor temperature control, long distance to the aircraft, airport delays and interventions,” explained Mr Naikuni. “An integrated cool chain that maintains optimum temperature conditions will drastically bring down losses for growers and prolong the shelf life of vegetables, fruit and flowers,” he added.
For StaminaGroup of companies Kenya is a country with great potential said CEO Mr. Harmen Van Der Plas. “We want to participate, invest and play a role in developing the existing flower and vegetable industry to make it prosper and flourish now and in the future,” he enthused.
Mr Van Der Plas said Triple FFF would combine KQ’s strength of an extensive African network with the experience and technological competencies of his company.
