ABU DHABI - Etihad Cargo today launched "FreshForward" product, affirming its support for a cold chain industry that is also responsible for importing perishable goods to the UAE.

The new product ensures items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat and flowers move seamlessly across Etihad Cargo’s global network until they reach their final destination. More specifically at the Abu Dhabi hub, it prioritises the transfer of perishable cargo from the aircraft into a dedicated centre, and subsequently onto reefer trucks to be delivered directly to the customer’s doorstep anywhere in the UAE.

This marks a milestone in the expansion of Etihad’s value chain offering to include last-mile delivery in its home market for select products, itself a key pillar of Etihad’s refreshed strategy to expand services beyond its conventional airport-to-airport model.

Commenting on the announcement, Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, Etihad Airways Managing Director Cargo and Logistics, said, "Etihad Cargo plays a vital role in stimulating the UAE’s imports and exports via our Abu Dhabi hub, and today we are delighted to introduce yet another product that will act as a further catalyst to this. Safe, efficient and timely transport is critical for the UAE’s major importers of fresh produce including supermarket chains, F&B wholesalers, restaurants and florists." Etihad Cargo transported over 90,000 tons of perishables over the last 12 months. Fruits and vegetables made up more than 37 percent of the total, whilst meat 15,000 tons, flowers 19,000 tons, and fish 8,000 tons were the other major categories carried by Etihad.

FreshForward is just the latest release in Etihad Cargo’s revised commercial offering to increasingly address premium product segments. Recent launches of new products such as FlightValet (automotive), FlyCulture (arts and music) and now FreshForward (cold chain), have been designed to specifically meet the unique attributes of those industries.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2018.