FreshLink Cargo
FreshLink Cargo is an Ecuador-based freight forwarder specializing in cold-chain export of flowers and perishables to 79+ countries, operating from Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport with strategic representation in the USA, Netherlands, and Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersTabacundo, Ecuador
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FreshLink Cargo does
FreshLink Cargo is a privately held Ecuadorian cargo promoter and freight forwarder specializing in the export of fresh flowers and perishable products. Founded in 1998/2000 and headquartered in Tabacundo with operational infrastructure at Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito, the company operates cold-rooms on the airport tarmac to maintain cold-chain integrity for time- and temperature-sensitive cargo. Its core services include perishable export logistics, dry cargo export services, and national import services within Ecuador, with strategic representation in the USA, Netherlands, and Germany supporting a claimed reach of 79+ countries across 5 continents.
The company runs on a relatively lean technology stack: a 24/7 web-based tracking platform built on the third-party Vicaworks system (which includes flight monitoring and customer email notifications), an internal coordination platform connecting flower farms to airline warehouses, and electronic documentation transfer accessible via the company website. The business model is transaction-fee based on quote-priced cargo handling, with services covering farm-to-airport ground transport (via partner Floraltech), cold storage, customs documentation, anti-narcotics checks, and air freight booking. Customer segments are vertically segmented, with flower and perishable exporters as the primary segment, followed by dry cargo exporters and national importers.
FreshLink has cultivated a broad network of regulatory and trade alliances, including relationships with CBP, FDA, IATA, SENAE, BASC, IFCBA, ICC, and UNODC, alongside operational partnerships with Hispanoconnex (customs coordination) and Floraltech (ground transport). The firm is small (8 employees), led by Sales Operation Manager Juan Pablo Collaguazo, and operates without disclosed outside funding, suggestive of a founder/family-controlled business. Scale signals are modest—500+ cumulative shipments and 20+ repeat customers—indicating a niche operator rather than a high-volume platform.
FreshLink Cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FreshLink Cargo
- Legal name
- FreshLink Cargo
- Website
- https://freshlinkcargo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FreshLink Cargo is an Ecuador-based freight forwarder specializing in cold-chain export of flowers and perishables to 79+ countries, operating from Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport with strategic representation in the USA, Netherlands, and Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FreshLink Cargo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Perishable Air Freight Forwarding
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Temperature-Controlled Air Freight (Cool Chain) (TLACAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Refrigerated (Chilled) Freight Forwarding (TLACAMAA)
Keywords
Where FreshLink Cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tabacundo
- HQ country
- Ecuador
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices5 records
Markets served
FreshLink Cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Perishable Export Services: Export services for flowers and perishable products including cargo handling, cold chain management, logistics coordination, and documentation preparation for air freight to 79+ countries.
- Dry Cargo Export Services: Export services for non-perishable dry cargo including coordination, anti-narcotics checks, customs documentation, and air freight services.
- National Import Services: Nationwide import services including documentation management, customs coordination through Hispanoconnex alliance, and delivery coordination to clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quote-based pricing for cargo handling and logistics services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
FreshLink Cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FreshLink Cargo is a Quito-based freight forwarder and cargo promoter specializing in the export of perishable cargo (especially fresh-cut flowers) and dry cargo, as well as national import handling. The company operates on-site cold chain infrastructure at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito with temperature-controlled storage ranging from -2°C to 25°C, supported by 24/7 cargo operations and a Vicaworks-integrated tracking system for real-time shipment visibility.
Product overview
FreshLink Cargo operates as a unified logistics platform offering perishable and dry cargo export/import services. The core offering consists of a Vicaworks-based 24/7 cargo tracking system, perishable export services (with cold chain management and cold storage at Mariscal Sucre Airport), dry cargo export services, and national import services. These services are integrated through their internal coordination system that connects farms, clients, airlines, and regulatory entities. The company primarily serves the flower export industry from Ecuador to 79+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Perishable Cargo Export Services End-to-end export handling for perishable cargo, especially fresh-cut flowers, from Ecuador via air freight. Includes cold chain management, special handling for fragile products, and coordination with airlines and customs authorities. Designed for flower farms and agricultural exporters requiring temperature-controlled logistics.
- Dry Cargo Export Services Export handling services for non-perishable dry cargo shipped by air from Ecuador. Includes cargo coordination, documentation, and terminal handling for businesses shipping dry goods internationally.
- National Import Handling Services Domestic import handling and customs clearance services for cargo arriving into Ecuador. Supports businesses needing reliable coordination of inbound shipments through national cargo terminals.
- Cold Chain Storage and Handling Temperature-controlled cold chain storage and handling at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, supporting a temperature range from -2°C to 25°C. Serves perishable cargo exporters requiring preservation of product freshness during transit operations.
- Cargo Tracking Service (Vicaworks) Real-time cargo tracking service powered by the Vicaworks platform, allowing clients to monitor the status of their shipments online. Provides shipment visibility for exporters and importers using FreshLink's logistics services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Export services to 79+ countries on 5 continents
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FreshLink Cargo
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FreshLink Cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
FreshLink Cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- HispanoconnexcoreCustoms procedures coordination alliance. Hispanoconnex provides customs coordination services for import procedures, with rates authorized and published by SENAE (Ecuador Customs Service). FreshLink passes these services to their import clients at the published rates.
- FloraltechcoreTransportation partner that transports flowers from farms to airline warehouses at the airport for shipment preparation and logistics coordination.
- U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP)coreStrategic alliance with US Customs and Border Protection for secure trade and compliance in perishable cargo exports to the United States.
- International Air Transport Association (IATA)coreStrategic alliance with the world's main airline trade association for air freight operations and compliance standards.
- SENAE (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas del Ecuador)coreEcuador Customs Service alliance for import/export customs procedures and regulatory compliance.
- United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)coreStrategic alliance with FDA for compliance in perishable product exports to the United States market.
- Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC)coreBASC alliance for secure commerce practices and supply chain security compliance in international trade.
- Federation of Ecuadorian Exporters (Fedexpor)majorPartnership with Ecuador's major exporter federation for industry representation and trade facilitation.
- COMEXImajorCorporación Andina de Comercio (CAF) alliance for Andean trade commerce and regional market access.
- Pro EcuadormajorEcuador's trade promotion institute partnership for international trade promotion and export development.
- Secretary of the Technical Office of Drugs (Secretaría Técnica de Drogas)coreStrategic partnership with Ecuador's drug enforcement technical office for anti-narcotics compliance in cargo exports.
- Inter-American Drug Abuse Control CommissioncoreOAS commission partnership for drug abuse control compliance in international cargo transport.
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)coreUN agency partnership for drug trafficking prevention and secure trade compliance.
- Department of Commerce (USA)majorUS Department of Commerce partnership for trade facilitation and export compliance services.
- International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA)majorGlobal federation partnership for customs brokerage standards and international trade compliance.
- International Chamber (ICC)majorInternational Chamber of Commerce partnership for global trade standards and commercial practices.
- Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)majorIICA partnership for agricultural cooperation supporting flower and perishable product exports.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FreshLink Cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Hellmann runs a Perishable Logistics business unit focused on cold-chain air and ocean freight of flowers, fruit, and vegetables. Highly comparable in customer type (growers/exporters) and product (temperature-controlled freight forwarding).
- DSV (formerly Panalpina): DSV acquired Panalpina in 2019; Panalpina was historically one of the world's leading freight forwarders in perishable air freight, with deep roots in cut-flower logistics from Ecuador and Colombia — directly comparable product/customer footprint to FreshLink Cargo.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel operates KN FreshChain, a dedicated perishables logistics division specializing in temperature-controlled air freight of fresh produce and flowers globally, including significant Latin America origin flows. Closely matches FreshLink's perishables/air-freight forwarder profile.
Broad incumbents
- Expeditors International: Expeditors is a major global freight forwarder with airfreight operations touching perishables trade lanes. Comparable as a broad incumbent in air freight forwarding, though less specialized in cold-chain perishables than FreshLink's niche.
- CEVA Logistics: CEVA Logistics (part of CMA CGM) is a global 3PL with cold-chain capabilities and air/ocean forwarding. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving perishables customers, though not focused on flower-specific niche.
- DHL Global Forwarding: DHL Global Forwarding is a top-tier global freight forwarder with cold-chain capabilities through LifeConEx/DHL Cold Chain services. Overlaps with FreshLink in perishables air freight but operates at vastly greater scale and as part of a much broader portfolio.
Regional players
- LATAM Cargo: LATAM Cargo is the air cargo arm of LATAM Airlines with significant flower and perishables uplift capacity from South America, including Ecuador. Comparable as a regional capacity provider in the same Latin America flower freight corridor.
Others
- Cargolux: Cargolux is a major all-cargo airline with extensive cool-chain capability servicing perishables flows. Comparable as an infrastructure/airline partner in the temperature-controlled air freight ecosystem FreshLink operates in, though not a forwarder itself.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FreshLink Cargo social profiles
Digital presenceFreshLink Cargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FreshLink Cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FreshLink Cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FreshLink Cargo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FreshLink Cargo
What does FreshLink Cargo do?
FreshLink Cargo is a Quito-based freight forwarder and cargo promoter specializing in the export of perishable cargo (especially fresh-cut flowers) and dry cargo, as well as national import handling. The company operates on-site cold chain infrastructure at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito with temperature-controlled storage ranging from -2°C to 25°C, supported by 24/7 cargo operations and a Vicaworks-integrated tracking system for real-time shipment visibility.
Is FreshLink Cargo a public or private company?
FreshLink Cargo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FreshLink Cargo founded?
FreshLink Cargo was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FreshLink Cargo based?
FreshLink Cargo is headquartered in Tabacundo, Ecuador, in the Latin America region.
How does FreshLink Cargo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Perishable Export Services are the primary driver. The others are dry Cargo Export Services and national Import Services.
Who are FreshLink Cargo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, DSV (formerly Panalpina) and Kuehne+Nagel. Broad incumbents are Expeditors International, CEVA Logistics and DHL Global Forwarding. LATAM Cargo is listed as a regional player. Cargolux is listed as an others.
Does FreshLink Cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for FreshLink Cargo.
What industry is FreshLink Cargo in?
FreshLink Cargo's product category is Perishable Air Freight Forwarding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACAMAF, Temperature-Controlled Air Freight (Cool Chain), with a secondary code of TLACAMAA, Refrigerated (Chilled) Freight Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.