HelloFresh Debuts Last-Mile Solution in U.S.

Leading meal kit company HelloFresh has launched its own delivery fleet network in the United States. Employing both HelloFresh and Factor branding, the company-managed fleet is currently available in 19 major metropolitan areas. The last-mile solution marks a significant investment in HelloFresh’s customer experience by ensuring on-time delivery and improving quality control, while also furthering its sustainability efforts with a focus on electric vehicles.

Having its own fleet of almost 500 vans enables HelloFresh to reduce transit times and offer a better end-to-end customer experience. Leveraging newly established software provides the company with greater visibility into the customer experience. This includes real-time communication between customers and drivers that leads to quicker customer service support when needed. By managing the entire logistics process and having full visibility of the life of the box, HelloFresh can quickly address any issues while still ensuring customers receive timely deliveries. The last-mile solution also allows HelloFresh to swiftly respond to fluctuations in demand.

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“HelloFresh is always innovating to provide a best-in-class experience for our customers,” noted Nunzio Di Savino, VP of U.S. Logistics for HelloFresh. “Our delivery fleet is one new way that we’re ensuring customers’ orders arrive fresh and on time. Our main priority will always be to offer our customers the most seamless end-to-end experience.”

Consisting of clearly marked HelloFresh and Factor branded vans, the fleet is available in major metro markets where the company can provide a faster experience for customers, but it still also works with preferred carrier partners in many U.S. locations. This hybrid approach ensures that customers receive their meal kits and ready-to-eat meals from the HelloFresh portfolio, encompassing Factor, Green Chef and EveryPlate, through the best possible delivery solution.

“Fresh prepared food is one of the fastest growing grocery segments, and Factor leads the market with healthy, convenient, high-quality ready-to-eat meals,” added Di Savino. “We’re proud to be able to bring more awareness to this offering through great branding opportunities like our delivery fleet.”

The delivery network optimizes driving routes to lessen the distance traveled from the distribution center to customers’ homes. Not only does this further reduce HelloFresh’s carbon footprint, but it also allows the company to reduce packaging such as insulation and ice packs and food waste as well, due to shorter transit times. Part of the fleet includes electric vehicles, with the plan to electrify the last-mile network over the next few years.

To further support the company’s community outreach, the delivery network has been used to bring more than 1,700 boxes of surplus food to 15 food banks and charity organizations nationwide. 

Berlin-based HelloFresh operates in 18 international markets and is No. 46 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top retailers of food and consumables in North America. The company has offices in New York, Chicago and Boulder, Colo.