MIAMI, Fla. – Ninety percent of all flowers entering the United States by air come through Miami International Airport (MIA) — that means almost all of the flowers you’ll see this Mother’s Day at one point came through the airport.
“Last year, for example, we moved in over 215,000 tons of cargo through this airport representing a $1.1 billion worth of flowers,” says Emir Pineda, Aviation Trade and Logistics Manager at MIA.
That’s a lot flowers. According to airport officials, the No. 1 mport of flowers is Latin America, mostly Colombia and Ecuador
“Even in a pandemic year, we had a very good year for flowers,” says Pineda.
MIA reports American consumers are expected to spend a record $2.6 billion on flowers, making Mother’s Day the top floral holiday of the year.
“We’re expecting around 1.1 to 1.2 billion stems of flowers coming into the airport this year again,” adds Pineda.
The flowers stay in a cool, temperature-controlled warehouse spanning 50,000 square feet before they’re loaded on trucks off to floral shops and grocery stores ready to make their to way mom.
“Timing is key,” explains Mauricio Posada of C.H. Robinson. “Arrival, inspection, cooling, shipping, and then the end receiver.”
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9.