Masterminding A Massive Chocolate Air Freight Shipment

To do this story any justice, I must first introduce you to Cherene Cromhout, international forwarding manager here at Heneways. Having worked alongside the Heneways family for a whopping 17 years, she's easily one of our star players.

With her finesse for complex freight management, she faced one of our sweetest challenges to date: an air freight shipment of over 128 tons of chocolate for a major ice cream brand in an almost impossibly short space of time. We say almost, because wherever Cherene and the Heneways team are involved, there is a possibility. Here's how Cherene and her team pulled off this delicious conquest.

Flying “First Class” From Brazil

Starting off strong, the first leg of this cocoa-laden adventure was the urgent transport of 16,690 kg of Brazilian chocolate. Air freight was the only viable option if we were to get the goods to the right place on time. But as any person who’s traveled by air before will know, the rates can change faster than you can say “sweet tooth”.

This meant that Cherene's team had to work their way around estimated air freight rates and negotiate with airlines to secure space for this massive load. It was a nail-biting race against time but meticulous planning and coordination had the chocolate safely on its way. In fact, it was so meticulously engineered that the shipment was booked on day one, it flew on day two, arrived on day three, and we delivered it on day four.

An Even Sweeter Challenge From Belgium

With the initial chocolate debacle put to bed, Cherene thought the hairiest part of the job was over. That was until the client requested an additional 112,000 kg of chocolate from Belgium. The logistics of a shipment that large was going to require even more intricate planning.

With gratitude for Heneways' strong relationships with airlines and meticulous tracking, Cherene's team saw to it that every bar and chunk of deliciousness reached its destination on time.

While these massive amounts of chocolate were flying overhead, fulfilling the immediate needs for this client, another five x 40 foot Reefer containers were sent off via sea freight to keep the flow of chocolate in abundance.

Only As Happy As Our Clients Are

The relationships we build with our clients are a simple mirror of our understanding of their needs, and this story amplifies that fact. Cherene's solution-oriented mindset leaves something to be admired and highlights one of the key attributes all members of the Heneways' family share - dedication to delivering the absolute best and nothing less, whether that is in the form of a minuscule shipment or over 128 tons of chocolate.

Freight management is complex and challenging, to say the least, but with leaders like Cherene, Heneways wade these waters with confidence. If you're in the manufacturing industry and need a reliable, dedicated partner to handle your logistics, we've got you covered.

So, how can the Heneways family go the extra mile for your air freight shipments today? Contact us today and let’s chat.