Kraft Foods saves kilometres and CO₂ emissions

Kraft Foods is addressing the problem of increased traffic by finding alternatives to trucking and making its distribution network more efficient. Since 2005, innovative sustainability projects have saved the company more than 80 million km in its global transportation and distribution network.

The company has been working with the US Environmental Protection Agency to benefit from the latest technology and share best practices.

As part of its participation in the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership, Kraft has adopted ‘no-idle engine’ policies at its shipping locations, piloted a hybrid frozen delivery truck program and increased its use of inter-modal (rail and barge) transport.

“We’re finding ways to drive fewer kilometres, reduce inventory piles and eliminate idling trucks. We’re collaborating with customers and suppliers. And we’re using a number of high-tech innovations for our trucks and warehouses to reduce energy and CO₂ emissions,” said Steve Yucknut, Vice President, Sustainability.

Using Oracle Transportation Management to create Project MOST (Management of Optimized Sustainable Transportation), Kraft Foods measured truck movements and designed new trip segments to minimise ‘empty miles’, eliminating more than 800,000 km last year. Kraft Foods’ private fleet and its top 50 carriers use the software and Oracle recognised the company for its work with its 2009 ‘Enable the Eco-Enterprise’ award.

Kraft Foods’ 20 largest plants and distribution centres in North America use software from Transportation/Warehouse Optimization to maximise product per truckload, taking the equivalent of 1500 trucks off the road and more than 1.6 million km off the highway system.