The first air-chartered import of blueberries from Peru arrived in Newark, NJ, this week through a collaborative venture, which was spearheaded by Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting LLC.
The Miami-based firm joined forces on this initiative with two of the largest Peruvian blueberry growers, Camposol and Tal SA. Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting was instrumental in the logistical planning, customs clearing and delivery to warehouse, which ultimately made the project a success.
“It is an honor to achieve this milestone on behalf of the growers we represent,” Pat Compres, president of Advance Customs Brokers, said in a press release. “We are excited to be part of this historic arrival and to see our group efforts come to fruition, as part of our continued growth together.”
The blueberries originated in the Trujillo area in northern Peru and were transported by truck into Frio Aereo for consolidation and were then flown out of Jorge Chavez International airport in Lima.
Traditionally, blueberries from Peru are imported into the United States via ocean containers with a transit time of 17 days. Currently, blueberries are also arriving into John F. Kennedy Airport in New York via passenger flights, which is limited to a few pallets on board at a time. Chartering allows the transport of over 100 pallets in one flight, thereby making this a more efficient and effective mode of transportation.
“Chartering makes so much more sense, economically speaking, vs. passenger flights,” Maria Bermudez, vice president of Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting, added in the press release. “Furthermore, this new channel benefits the consumer since it optimizes the freshness and increases the availability of quality product in the U.S. market.”
Building on the success of this venture, charters are expected to continue into Newark Liberty International Airport, with anticipated growth in future seasons.
This marks the second historic achievement between Advance Customs Brokers and Camposol with importing fresh produce into the U.S. market. Their first milestone together was clearing the first container of cold-treated Peruvian grapes into the port of Everglades in November of 2013.
10/20/2015
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
The Produce News
