Virgin Atlantic will expand its network to include South America with the launch of a daily flight between London Heathrow and Sao Paulo in 2020.

According to the airline, the new non-stop flight will be operated with a Boeing 787-9, capitalizing on the fast-growing Brazilian economy and Sao Paulo’s standing as the country’s commercial capital.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo expects to carry regular shipments of car parts, pharmaceuticals, food and agricultural products on the route.

“Sao Paulo is a fantastic route for our cargo customers, with high demand for both import and export capacity,” said Dominic Kennedy, managing director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo. “Brazil is the powerhouse of South America and we are excited to be flying to this continent for the first time. Alongside the launch of Tel Aviv services in September, this new phase of growth for Virgin Atlantic means we are giving customers more choice to two of the world’s most dynamic cargo markets at a time when both are enjoying increasing prosperity, driven by their thriving business and consumer communities.”

Later this year, Virgin Atlantic will take delivery of the first four of 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which will deliver a 10-22% improvement in belly cargo capacity, depending on the aircraft’s configuration.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo is also due to move into a new cargo terminal at Heathrow with JV partner Delta Cargo in 2019.