Kenya’s flower exports surge by up to 40 percent in the run-up to Valentine’s Day, placing intense pressure on global airfreight networks during one of the most concentrated peaks in agricultural trade. DHL Global Forwarding plays a central role in supporting the movement of time-critical floral exports from Nairobi to key consumer markets worldwide.
From mid-January to early February, growers, packhouses and logistics providers operate at full capacity. During the 2025 Valentine window alone, approximately 5,000 tons of flowers were exported from Nairobi over just two weeks, with red roses accounting for more than half of total volumes. Kenya remains the third-largest flower producer globally and Africa’s leading exporter.
Scaling an industry for its biggest moment
Valentine’s Day compresses a significant share of annual global flower imports into a narrow delivery window. Across key flower trade lanes, air cargo capacity typically increases by 80 to 120 percent as airlines deploy additional freighters, charters and expanded belly capacity to accommodate the surge.
In Nairobi, cargo terminals operate close to full capacity during February as exporters work to meet strict market cut-offs and retail deadlines. Europe remains Kenya’s largest destination market, with the country supplying more than 40 percent of EU floral demand. At the same time, exporters are increasingly shipping directly to customers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other emerging regions, reflecting evolving buyer preferences and a gradual shift away from auction-based distribution models.
"For the Kenyan floriculture industry, the Valentine season is a make-or-break period," says Pramod Bagalwadi, CEO Eastern Africa, DHL Global Forwarding. "The volume multiplies in a matter of weeks, and every part of the chain has to work in close alignment from farm to cold storage to uplift. We are also seeing more direct shipments into multiple regions, reflecting the changing dynamics of global flower distribution."
A cold chain measured in hours, not days
Flowers are highly time and temperature sensitive, and even small delays or shifts in temperature can affect vase life and retail quality. Valentines Day accelerates every stage of the chain, from harvesting and grading to cooling, consolidation and uplift. Effective planning and precise execution are essential to maintain the freshness levels expected by international markets during this peak period.
To support the seasonal surge, DHL Global Forwarding Kenya prepares months in advance. The team secures airfreight capacity early, coordinates closely with partner airlines and supports the cold chain processes that help maintain product integrity from farm to departure. DHL Global Forwarding Kenya operates dedicated cold room facilities in Nairobi equipped with vacuum cooling technology to stabilise temperatures during the most sensitive handling stages.
Showcasing Kenya’s global trade strength
Beyond the romance, Valentine’s Day highlights Kenya’s position as one of the world’s most time-critical agricultural export hubs. It showcases the strength of a coordinated ecosystem spanning growers, packhouses, handlers, airlines and logistics partners, all working within narrow timeframes and strict quality thresholds.
With structured planning, expanded capacity and precise cold chain execution, Kenya continues to play a central role in ensuring flowers arrive fresh in markets around the world during one of the most concentrated seasonal peaks in global trade.
