Fresh Direct

Historically transport has always been seen as the dirty end of any business and as long as the truck got to its destination at some time in the day that was all that mattered. However that comment could not be further from the truth today in Fresh Direct.

Fresh Direct operates about 200 vehicles and trailers through 5 regional distribution centres across the UK and is covering in excess of 500,000 kilometres every week as is makes over 10,000 deliveries.

In a single day it can move over 500 tonnes of product, which is an awful lot of fruit and veg!  These statistics emphasise the importance that we now put behind our transport department and quite simply, having the best possible transport operation is essential to ensure that our business delivers a high-quality service in the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way.

We are fully aware that our customers expect us to work with them to drive out inefficiencies and to improve the environment that we all live and work in. For Fresh Direct that is a double edge sword as the environment that we work in actually produces the products that we sell so we have a very strong incentive to look at reducing our carbon footprint both from ours and our customer’s perspective.
However there is not one thing or one action that will cure all our transport issues overnight and makes us a greener company, so we have looked at a menu of activities all aimed at helping us to provide a more effective transport services while at the same time reducing the impact on the environment around us.

Those initiatives that we have invested in are:

Routing software: An interactive PC based system that works out the most effective depot to serve the customer, the correct vehicle to use, the best route and drop sequence whilst meeting the customer’s requirements.

Telematics: This is on board vehicle tracking hardware (The opposite to your in car sat nav it tells you where you have been as opposed to where you are going) that allows the actual route that is being taken to be reviewed against the proposed route in real time so that we can ensure compliance against the planned run, but it also allows us to monitor the driver efficiency through the drivers driving style. So speeding or excessive revving, harsh braking and idling can all be monitored and improvement training can then be put in place for drivers operating outside of the agreed parameters.

Driver training: Continuous on site driver training that is aimed at helping drivers to look at their styles of driving, removing bad practices and helping them to develop in to being more safe and fuel efficient.

Vehicle design: This is looking at how we can reduce the amount of runs that we deploy vehicles on buy looking to get the maximum load on the actual vehicle safely by using larger aerodynamically designed bodies.

Electric Vehicles: This is where we think that there may be a lot of big wins in the industry if we can get this right.



So what is an electric vehicle?

• Electric vehicles have been around for 80+ years primarily as milk floats
• Although the concept has been around for a long time unfortunately the technology has not and that is why it is only now that they are starting to become a viable option as a urban delivery vehicle
• Battery Technology has moved on considerably and the new Lithium Iron Phosphate – the same batteries that you use in your mobile phone and laptop, is now giving us the opportunity to explore this as real alternative to diesel trucks
  • They are quick to charge, slow to discharge
  • The battery pack we have fitted on this vehicle will give us a 85-100 mile range
  • From flat can be fully recharged in 8 hours,
  • Cost less than 5p per mile to run.
  • And obviously Zero Emissions
• Vehicles are extremely quiet; the only sound that you hear is from the electric steering pump which is specifically there for pedestrian safety
• Easier and less stressful driving experience than diesel
• Longer lasting tyres and brakes than diesel equivalent

We see this as a great opportunity going forward so we are now working with a number of manufacturers to see how we can migrate to this new mode of transport and to develop an electric vehicle that is right for our fleet and our customer base.  We still have some issues in terms of the vehicles driving range and its load carrying capacity is reduced by the weight of the batteries, but as technology advances, I believe that we will overcome those two major obstacles, that is why we want to be at the forefront of this development.

Will it replace all of our diesel vehicles? No, well not in the short to medium term as we will still need large vehicles and trailers to trunk large loads up and down the motorways until the technology advances to such a stage that we overcome the mileage and weight problems, But what we can start to do is look at those areas around our towns and cities now to see what we can replace from diesel to electric and that has to be seen as a very positive statement of our intent to protect our environment for the future of us all.


For further information please contact:
Nick Allen
Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd
Head of Business Improvement
Email: nick.allen@freshdirect.co.uk
Phone: +44 1869 365600