Panalpina buys Dutch perishables specialist

Panalpina is to acquire Interfresh Airfreight Handling, a Dutch company specialising in the customs clearance and last-mile distribution of imported perishables from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The move follows the acquisition of Kenya-based forwarder Air Connection and marks another stage in Panalpina’s development of its global perishables network.

“By acquiring Interfresh we gain full control over the cool chain for one of the perishables industry’s most important trade lanes for flowers – from Nairobi to Amsterdam and beyond,” says Panalpina chief executive Stefan Karlen.

“It is also a logical transaction as the primary customer of Interfresh is Air Connection, the Kenya-based forwarder that we successfully acquired earlier this year.”