🎣 Reefer Rates in Bloom

Love isn’t the only thing in the air: reefer rates are climbing as the nation gears up for $2.6 billion worth of Valentine’s Day flowers.

So where’s the biggest action? Florida. With Miami as the gateway for Colombian and Ecuadorian flower imports, reefer carriers are seeing their annual February rate bump—just enough to turn a few heads, but not quite enough to rival peak produce chaos.

Today's feature was written by analyst Luke Prothero from Greenscreens.ai.

Today's Newsletter is Brought to You by Levity.ai.

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The Big Picture: Flowers & Freight

Valentine’s Day drives a surge in flower demand, leading to increased reefer shipments.
Most flowers arrive from Colombia and Ecuador via Miami, while Florida-grown flowers contribute to the mix.
As a result, reefer rates spike in the weeks leading up to February 14, but this bump is modest compared to other seasonal freight surges.

Tariff Trouble Averted. Just last week, Trump threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian imports—including flowers—after Colombia refused repatriation flights. The dispute was resolved when Colombia agreed to accept the flights, and the tariffs were suspended, avoiding a pre-Valentine’s Day supply chain mess.

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Miami, FL: The Reefer Hotspot

Miami’s outbound reefer rates consistently rise before Valentine’s Day, reflecting the seasonal shipping rush.

However, this rate increase is much smaller than the spikes seen during:

December holiday shipping
Mid-April to mid-May produce season & Mother’s Day

The chart below shows the average weekly cost for outbound Miami market reefer loads. This cost value controls for haul length to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison.

Each year, the two weeks before Valentine’s Day exhibit a clear bump in price.

Miami remains a crucial hub for perishable imports, but Valentine’s Day alone isn’t enough to cause a major freight market disruption.

Lakeland, FL: A Softer Lift

Central Florida (Lakeland, Orlando, and Tampa areas) sees a similar but less dramatic reefer rate increase in early February.

Similarly to Miami, the Valentine’s Day “seasonal” increase is much less significant than that associated with the holidays and produce season.

Final Thoughts

Valentine’s Day doesn’t move the reefer market like produce season or Christmas, but it still gives Florida carriers a short-term rate boost.

For those running reefer loads out of Miami and Lakeland, this is a solid (but temporary) chance to capitalize on seasonal demand.

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FREIGHT MEME OF THE DAY