“We view Ryder as an extension of our own business – a trusted, reliable partner rather than simply a supplier or third party logistics provider,” states Gaetano Pelliccia, Head of Roasting at Caffè Nero Roasting. “By providing a dedicated delivery and driver service under very tight operating constraints, Ryder is helping to ensure that optimum volumes of coffee beans move in and out of our roasting facility every day to meet our customers’ needs.”
Based in Battersea, London, Caffè Nero Roasting supports the entire Caffè Nero network of coffee shops globally – more than 800 in total – by supplying specially selected coffee beans, which are roasted at the site, before being delivered to various distribution centres around the UK and the rest of the world. In the UK, the coffee beans are delivered into Tilbury docks in London where they are stored in a warehouse ready for call-off. From Battersea, the roasted coffee beans are delivered direct to the main distribution centre in Heathrow. From here, the beans are delivered in smaller batches direct to the network of Caffè Nero coffee shops around the UK.
Gaetano Pelliccia is responsible for the roasting process at Battersea, where he has worked for 15 years. His responsibilities include selection and purchasing of the finest coffee beans, managing the entire roasting process and training new staff in the arts of coffee roasting and blending. The Battersea site currently employs 16 staff but has grown steadily as a business since 2009 when the company changed from being a coffee bean wholesaler to Caffè Nero Roasting. In terms of capacity, the site roasts just over 2 million kg of coffee beans per year, but according to Pelliccia, “this capacity could easily be doubled if we needed to.”
He continues: “Since Ryder started working with us in 2009, it’s been a mutually beneficial relationship. Their dedicated delivery solutions play a crucial role in supporting our Battersea operation and our coffee roasting process, by collecting pallets of coffee beans and delivering these to our distributor according to strict schedules.”
Unique archway challenge
Ryder supports Caffè Nero Roasting by providing a dedicated delivery and driver service, which involves collecting around 40 to 50 pallets of coffee beans each week, five days a week, from the Battersea site and delivering these to the distribution centre in Heathrow. The service, which is provided by the Dedicated Delivery Solutions team at Ryder, comprises a dedicated fleet of vehicles and a dedicated team of drivers. The entire service is designed to allow Caffè Nero Roasting to focus on what it does best, i.e. roasting of coffee beans.
In 2010, the Battersea site faced a unique logistical challenge. The facility is located near to Clapham Junction train station and is surrounded by a triangle of railway tracks, which means the only access point for road vehicles coming in and out of the site is via an awkward-shaped, relatively low archway underneath a railway line, which prohibits the use of standard sized delivery vehicles.
Ian Seager, Business Development Director, Dedicated Delivery Solutions at Ryder Ltd explains further: “When we first started working with Caffè Nero Roasting, we decided that the best solution to combat the archway access issue was to use a special purpose delivery vehicle. We therefore custom designed and built a vehicle that was slightly shorter in length than a standard vehicle and of only moderate height, which could more easily and quickly navigate through the archway. Drivers of these vehicles do require a Class C license, but we provide these drivers on a dedicated service, so there were no issues as far as Caffè Nero Roasting was concerned.”
Performance-tracking data
Over the last seven years or so, these bespoke vehicles and drivers have allowed Caffè Nero Roasting to operate smoothly without interruption, ensuring that coffee beans are collected and delivered on time, every time. As Gaetano Pelliccia puts it: “We’ve not had a single delivery problem that I can remember. If there has been a problem in the past, Ryder has solved it without us even noticing it.”
In addition to providing a fleet of vehicles and drivers, Ryder also helps Caffè Nero Roasting on decision-making related to costs and has implemented the latest technologies and IT systems to provide performance-tracking data on the Ryder fleet and drivers. Performance can therefore be closely monitored and decisions taken on how to better coordinate collections and deliveries, minimise fuel consumption and reduce overall logistics costs.
As Ian Seager concludes: “We enjoy the relationship with Caffè Nero Roasting and the unique challenge it provides. We look forward to supporting the business as it looks to expand and increase its sales into new markets and countries worldwide.”
Dedicated delivery solutions
With changing demands and a growing driver shortage, delivering on time and efficiently is more challenging and costly than ever. Combined with rigorous transport and safety legislation, this means many companies are spending too much time thinking about their transportation and logistics network than their core business. Dedicated Delivery Solutions from Ryder help customers focus on their core operations by providing a range of services from professional drivers, dedicated vehicles, live telematic vehicle tracking and analysis of driver performance, to managing the entire transportation operation and the risks associated with this.
For more information, please visit www.ryder.co.uk