Milk & More Invests in UK’s Biggest Electric Fleet
Milk & More, which is part of Müller UK & Ireland, is set to become the largest operator of electric vehicles in the UK. The country’s largest doorstep delivery service has announced that it is rolling out 160 new environmentally friendly electric delivery vehicles, taking its fleet to just over 500 by May 2019.
The new vehicles, which are powered by rechargeable batteries and have a range of up to 125 miles, represent the latest step in the business’ wider commitment to reducing its environmental footprint. With the introduction of the new electric vehicles, the fleet will travel over 14 million miles a year, saving 3.4 million litres of diesel a year[i]. Noise reduction is also a key customer benefit, which is important due to many of its milkmen and milkwomen delivering to customers’ homes by 7 am.
Milk & More now sells the vast majority of its milk in its iconic one-pint glass bottles. The business has also replaced the 1.75 million plastic bags it uses every year with paper bags and has a sustainable option for wet weather mornings. Meanwhile, the business is working on a project to improve the average number of times its glass milk bottles are reused from 25 to 30.
In addition, changes to the Milk & More product range, which includes 200 items of food, drink, as well as a new range of eco-friendly household products, means that 97% of all the volume sold is in packaging that fits the circular economy – packaging that is reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Andrew Kendall, Deputy CEO for Milk & More, says: “We are transforming the great British milkman into a modern, convenient delivery service which has a sustainable, environmentally friendly proposition at its heart. We are continually looking to reduce our environmental footprint, so customers can be assured that they are buying into a business that is fully committed to a sustainable circular economy.”
Milk & More has also launched a new air-freight free and eco-friendly range of organic fruit and vegetables, which boasts having compostable cotton packaging that is part of its overall strategy to remove pointless plastic. Ideal for customers looking to reduce their environmental footprint, as well as having fresh fruit and vegetables hand-delivered to their doorstep before breakfast.
Müller UK & Ireland is wholly owned by Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, which employs 24,000 people throughout Europe. In the UK, Müller develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of branded and private label dairy products made with milk from more than 1,650 British farmers.
The Müller brand is ranked at No.9 in The Grocer’s Top 100 list of Britain’s Biggest Brands, and is also the 7th most chosen brand in the UK, picked from shelves more than 230 million times each year. Müller UK & Ireland comprises three business units: Müller Milk & Ingredients is Britain’s largest producer of branded and private label fresh milk, cream, butter and ingredients products; Müller Yogurt & Desserts, the UK’s leading yogurt manufacturer; and Milk & More, whichi delivers daily essentials to more than 500,000 homes in Britain, via a network of 57 local fulfilment centres.
[i] Compared with previous diesel delivery vehicles
