Japanese logistics giant Yamato Holdings and France's largest courier, Chronopost have signed a partnership deal under which the two companies will start refrigerated parcel delivery services between Japan and France.
The joint service is the first of its kind for Europe and will start in 2018.
With Yamato's domestic operations under pressure from rising labour costs due to labour shortage, as well as bulk discounts affecting parcels deliveries results, the company has indicated it
wants to expand overseas operations which have growth potential.
Under the partnership agreement with Chronopost, Yamato will handle parcels from Japan to Paris with next-day delivery service at the earliest. Deliveries will be made by Yamato in Japan and by
Chronopost in France. Chilled products will be handled using a special container that keeps goods cool to maintain temperatures.
Longstanding cooperation
Yamato expects demand in France for Japanese sake, fruit and fish, and cheese and white asparagus from France to Japan.
Both companies have been involved in the transportation and delivery of frozen foodstuffs for some years.
Yamato Group started the nationwide door-to-door frozen and chilled delivery service for small parcels in 1988, which has been expanded to the overseas markets in Shanghai and Hong Kong, China;
Singapore; and Malaysia since 2010.
Chronopost launched Chronofresh in 2015, a nationwide chilled and frozen transport network that provides high quality express delivery services.
Nol van Fenema
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