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How Kerry Foods gained driver availability to ensure on-time customer service

Kerry Foods, a leading manufacturer of meat, savoury and dairy products, has reduced costs and increased customer service by switching to Driving Power. The change has guaranteed them driver availability and complete flexibility to match their demand pattern.

With Driving Power, Kerry Foods have gained:

• Consistent driver supply, nationwide

• Reliable professional drivers able to handle complex paperwork

• More cost-effective distribution

• A stable driving team to facilitate route planning.

The challenge

Kerry Distribution, a part of Kerry Foods, is the manufacturer of leading brands including Walls sausages and bacon, Mattesons patés and Home Pride flour. The company transport approximately 10,000 pallets a week, delivering to major food retailers’ RDCs. A flexible driving team is essential for the peaks and troughs of their uneven weekly demand pattern. Above all, they needed a reliable nationwide supply of professional drivers, responsible about vehicles and paperwork, and totally customer-focused. “Our priority is to deliver high-quality, on-time customer service at least-cost to Kerry Foods and our third-party customers” Bob Gresty, Kerry’s General Manager for Distribution, said.

The solution

Kerry were using one preferred supplier plus a number of local agencies around the country. They chose Driving Power to replace the previous agency. Driving Power introduced savings immediately by acting as master vendor for the other agencies.


Since then Driving Power has gradually replaced these and now supplies most Kerry sites direct to guarantee a consistent standard of service nationwide. Driving Power also transferred a number of drivers from the previous suppliers. Overall, through stringent selection process, unique terms of employment, and industry-leading benefits package, they have helped Kerry raise performance standards and lower costs.

The benefits

“The contract is settling down well and we look forward to working more and more with Driving Power as our business expands” Bob Gresty said. Driving Power provides a 24 x7 service supplying approximately 110 drivers per week. Retention has been in excess of 98%, with absenteeism almost eliminated. Drivers have regular shifts and their own Meeting the challenge vehicles, and feel a valued part of the Kerry team. This stability reduces recruitment and training costs.

Drivers are selected for professionalism and a positive attitude to customer service – accepting occasional unloading delays and demands on customer sites with good grace. Their conscientiousness in returning tachographs within 21 days is helping Kerry report more effectively in FTA audits. Equally importantly, the drivers are diligent about vehicle temperature records, which is a critical element in the chill chain. Perhaps most significant of all, there is increased commitment and team spirit among the drivers. Driving Power is now working with Kerry on reducing fuel costs.

"We have to put in much less management effort since we switched to Driving Power, Driving Power guaranteed us driver availability;and they have lived up to that."

Bob Gresty, Kerry’s General Manager for Distribution

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