Dole Fresh Vegetables Strengthens Relationship with CHEP

Dole Fresh Vegetables, a division of Westlake Village, Calif.-based Dole Food Co., recently inked a new long-term contract with CHEP, a global pallet and container pooling leader, to continue shipping the majority of its products on CHEP pallets from its 12 facilities in California, Arizona, North Carolina and Ohio to major supermarket retailers, club stores, foodservice distributors and wholesalers in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Before joining the CHEP pallet program in 2006, Dole Fresh employed limited-use pallets, and determined the practice to be inefficient and costly. During the past three years, the company has concluded that the CHEP solution is more cost-effective and environment-friendly than alternatives.

Noting the supply chain benefits Orlando, Fla.-based CHEP delivers to Dole Fresh Vegetables and its customers, Bruce Hungate, Dole Fresh’s director of purchasing, said, “Dole takes its corporate social responsibilities very seriously and routinely deploys solutions like the CHEP pallet pool to reduce the impact our operations have on the environment.”

Based on third-party life-cycle inventory analysis findings, through its use of the CHEP pooling system as opposed to limited-use whitewood pallets, Dole Fresh will reduce solid waste generation by more than 18 million pounds this year, decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 58 percent and save enough energy to power about 1,500 homes with electricity.

Citing the ongoing operating efficiencies and related opportunities to help Dole Fresh “significantly reduce [its] waste stream and greenhouse gas emissions,” Tim Smith, CHEP’s VP of new business development said, “The company’s retailer and distributor customers are seeing productivity and other benefits by receiving Dole product on CHEP pallets, making them a preferred supplier.”

For more information, visit www.chep.com.
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