The renowned event, which enjoys a heritage in excess of 125 years, champions world-class producers of cheese and dairy produce, and attracts the attention of UK retailers as well as international buyers. It is widely recognised as a global platform for excellence, and designed to showcase the category’s best-in-class products from both UK and overseas competitors.

PML Seafrigo, which has an established reputation for the seamless transfer of temperature-sensitive consignments, will be responsible for supporting international producers by handling the movement of their precious cheese entries into the UK. As an acknowledged leading player in perishable goods logistics, cheeses handled by PML Seafrigo are literally in the safest hands. The combined industry experience of PML and Seafrigo is approaching 70 years, underpinning the company’s unparalleled knowledge and understanding of the challenges associated with working in this specialist sector.

Commenting on the partnership, director of the ICDA, Debbie Stewart says: “We are thrilled to be working with such a highly-regarded industry player, and it is fitting that at an event which celebrates the pinnacle of professional cheesemaking, we are joining forces with the internationally-acclaimed specialist responsible for the safe and efficient inward and outward transfer of cheese and other perishable goods”.

ICDA Chairman Ian Luxton, who is General Manager of Belton Farm, comments: “We are delighted that PML Seafrigo has become a Key Sponsor of one of the world’s oldest cheese and dairy awards, now 127 years old, and that the business is supporting the movement of competitive entries from across the world, using their considerable expertise in global freight movement”.

Exhibition Area – Stand 1317

In addition to lending its professional services to the awards, PML Seafrigo will also exhibit in the ICDA’s Producer Area on Stand 1317 to shine a light on the company’s UK and international operations, and to raise awareness of its commitment to ‘owning every step’ of the supply chain journey from country of origin producer to the retailer.

All visitors to the ICDA are welcome to visit the PML Seafrigo team on Stand 1317 to discuss how the perishable expert can add value to any cheese producer/exporter/importer’s logistics.

Industry Meeting

On Thursday 27 June at 10am, the PML Seafrigo stand will host an important industry meeting to discuss the future of importing/exporting cheese internationally.

All visitors are invited to join us for coffee, tea, and pastries, while we pave the way forward for excellence in cheese logistics.

Following the meeting there will be a chance to network with fellow cheese professionals.

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The newly launched London to New York line is likely to appeal to a variety of producers spanning the cheese, chocolate, charcuterie and dry goods (e.g. premium biscuits) sectors, looking to exploit the US’s ongoing love of fine foods from the UK. As an LCL service (Less than Container Load) customers only pay for the space they use in the container, with the goods of several clients placed in one container resulting in a highly cost-effective freight solution.

According to the Department for Business & Trade, the US is the UK’s third-largest market for Food and Drink exports, which totalled £2.0 billion in 2021 (HMRC, December 2021), with cheese, identified as an emerging category in the US with a high growth potential.

This fact combined with the increased complexities and costs associated with exporting perishable goods to Europe in the post Brexit landscape is heralding a strong interest in shipping goods to the US. Producers of temperature sensitive foods, such as cheese and chocolate, are key targets with PML Seafrigo providing  a secure route which guarantees a seamless, timely transfer and an unbroken cold chain, that includes a dedicated Seafrigo-owned cheese warehouse facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

PML Seafrigo’s service which is suitable for single pallets or sample cases, includes pickup, consolidation and storage in the UK and deconsolidation, storage and delivery in the US. Throughout the entire freight transfer journey, PML Seafrigo is in full control of the cargo, from the time of collection through to arrival at the US destination, providing producers with complete peace of mind and full traceability of the consignment. 

Seafrigo’s established customs clearance expertise enables the container to be unloaded from the quay as soon as it arrives with an onward transfer to the company’s bonded warehouse in New Jersey, saving time and avoiding potential delays at the docks.

The final mile of the journey, from the warehouse to the customer destination, is completed on a Seafrigo truck or on the truck of one of Seafrigo’s trusted and approved partners. 

Commenting on the new service offered by PML Seafrigo, Ian Shuttlewood, UK GM – Ocean Product & Operations says: “This represents an exciting opportunity for specialist producers looking for a hassle-free solution to develop a new route to market in the US. We can now provide a complete end-to-end temperature-controlled transfer, using our bonded warehouses which enables customs clearance on site. PML Seafrigo’s colleagues in the US handle picking, packing and container building, with onsite screening and quality control protocols. 

Shuttlewood continues: “As per the service we operate in Europe, we will manage all the necessary freight forwarding documentation allowing the customer to concentrate on their skills as a fine food producer rather than worry about the logistics of transatlantic travel. The combined industry experience of PML and Seafrigo represents approaching 70 years in the logistics sector, so the goods are literally in the safest hands. Our renowned knowledge and understanding of the challenges associated with perishable goods is second to none and we will always identify the most appropriate – and sometimes bespoke – solution for customers to ensure a successful transfer. This includes specialist thermal foil for chocolate to ensure added protection against temperature fluctuations.”

PML Seafrigo is also well placed, subject to demand, to offer routings to other key markets such as Dubai and Hong Kong.

The post Fine Food Producers Offered New Chilled Service to the USA appeared first on PML.

The excessive handling charges, combined with the lengthy delays are likely to trigger an enhanced interest in shifting to sea freight, especially as exporters continue to identify new and inventive ways to maintain temperature control whilst the goods are in transit. At PML, we are experiencing an increase of 10-15% in our sea freight offering, compared to the same period last year.

Pricing post covid

It was inevitable that the pandemic would prove disruptive for those responsible for the transfer of perishable goods, both in terms of availability of trade routes and also price increases. Post covid, while we are not seeing such astronomical hikes in pricing, the air freight rates have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Sadly, this has meant many companies have been forced out of business as a result of untenable inflated operational and trading costs.

Delays for the foreseeable

News stories detailing the significant delays at UK ports, especially Dover have become a regular item across various media channels. Brexit and shortage of HGV drivers (many European drivers are now unwilling to drive in the UK due to the ULEZ charges, poor welfare facilities and anticipated holdups) have played a key part in this issue and unless dramatic changes are forthcoming, it looks likely that these will continue and indeed get worse. In October the new inspection parameters for imported goods coming into the UK will be activated and unless the government takes heed of the feedback from logistics firms working within the fresh produce sector, this will take the delays to a whole new level.

Innovating the sector

PML has teamed up with European Forwarder Tulpin Group to forge a strategic alliance designed to speed up the transfer of perishable goods from Egypt to the UK.

PML takes responsibility for the last mile delivery of fruit and vegetable consignments that have been shipped by air from Egypt. The agreement comprises Tulpin Group’s own customs agency / haulage company All-Trade/Ostendfresh collecting the freight from Ostend airport and loading into trailers. The trailers are driven to the ports of Dunkirk and Calais and the consignment dropped onto a RoRo ferry destined for the Port of Dover. Tulpin Group advises PML in advance of any required information to enable a seamless customs clearance and potential inspection. PML collects the trailers from Dover, taking them to the company’s state-of-the-art logistics and transport hub at Lympne, Kent for clearance via the company’s approved Border Control Post. After clearance, PML delivers to the end customer and then returns the trailers to the port for transfer back to Belgium, to enable the process to be repeated. It is anticipated that during the peak season, there are up to 20 trailer movements per day.

The advantages to this arrangement include a faster turnaround of trailers allowing for more freight to be moved; no requirement for down time for EU drivers saving time and money; elimination of the risk of EU drivers being caught up in queues resulting in problems with managing driver schedules / drivers becoming frustrated and addressing the growing reluctance for EU drivers to drive to the UK post Brexit.

PML has already handled 7.5 million kilos worth of Egyptian strawberries through the partnership, around 800 trucks worth. This is alongside its clearance operations in Kent out of Morocco of mixed berries, which amounts to clearing 1,200 trucks, proving both trade routes have been a roaring success.

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