3663, First for Foodservice, has teamed up with oil recycling company Converts2Green to trial a project that uses recycled waste vegetable oil from customers and food manufacturers and turns it into sustainable biodiesel to fuel its trucks. 3663 first introduced bio-diesel in their fleet, as a blend with mineral diesel, over four years ago.

Fred Barnes, 3663’s chief executive, said: ‘We have agreed with our vehicle supplier Scania to run our vehicles on 30% biodiesel, with plans for this to increase to 50% in the future. This is an important step in our journey to become more environmentally responsible. We are using only waste oil – a decision which has successfully removed us from the food versus fuel debate.’

For the past two months 3663 has been trialling the scheme with suppliers such as McCains, Authentic Foods and Grampian Convenience Foods, collecting and recycling their waste oil. 3663 is delighted with the success of the project to-date and is planning to expand trials to further depots.

Running vehicles on biodiesel is a cleaner way to transport goods. According to Defra, biodiesel can reduce tailpipe emissions and cut emissions of carbon monoxide significantly compared to fossil fuels.

Fred Barnes concluded: ‘Our move to a biodiesel run fleet makes 3663 the only UK major, national, dedicated food distributor to use recycled oil – something which is a clear environmental benefit and closes the environmental loop. We believe in a better way of doing business – one where we don’t plunder the present; we build for the future.’

Copy supplied by 3663, First for Foodservice