Every summer in central Chile, cherry orchards enter a brief but intense harvest period. For exporters like Geofrut, this marks the beginning of a demanding logistics process to ensure that cherries arrive in Asian markets at peak freshness.
A race against the clock
Cherries have one of the shortest production windows in the fruit sector, requiring fast, coordinated movement from farm to market. As Geofrut's exports expanded, the company faced growing challenges in moving large volumes across long distances while maintaining fruit quality.
© Maersk
Integrated logistics from origin to destination
To handle this complexity, Geofrut partnered with logistics provider Maersk five years ago to create a more integrated supply chain. The system connects orchards in Chile's Central Valley to retailers across Asia through a coordinated network that includes ocean and air transport, inland logistics, cold storage, and customs processes.
Cristian Echeverria, Social Director at Geofrut, says: "Maersk is our strategic partner in logistics from origin to destination. They enable us to closely monitor the fruit's journey every day, providing an end-to-end logistics solution that has evolved with the times, meets international standards, and remains fully committed to our shipments."
Maintaining freshness and visibility
The logistics network relies on advanced reefer containers to preserve product quality, as well as monitoring tools that allow real-time visibility and temperature control throughout the cold chain. Local teams coordinate transport and address challenges during peak harvest periods, while inland and air logistics provide flexibility for urgent shipments.
© Maersk
Continuous collaboration
The cooperation between Geofrut and Maersk focuses on consistency and reliability rather than volume alone. Each harvest season tests the system's capacity, requiring both sides to adapt quickly to weather, shipping schedules, and market timing.
The partnership has helped streamline operations, improving delivery reliability and reducing complexity through more transparent and connected processes.
Planning for future seasons
As global demand for Chilean cherries grows, Geofrut and Maersk plan to expand cold storage capacity, explore new multimodal transport options, and use data-based planning to optimise shipments. The goal remains to move fruit efficiently through an increasingly complex global supply chain while maintaining consistent quality standards.
For more information:
Mikkel Linnet
Maersk
Tel: +45 24821196
Email: [email protected]
www.maersk.com
