Ryder has supplied 78 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter custom vans to Kuehne and Nagel, which will be used to refrigerate stock for Costa Coffee.

The new Mercedes-Benz 314CDI Sprinter chassis cab vans are specified with automatic gearboxes and air conditioning and will be utilised to deliver fresh produce and consumables to Costa Coffee stores throughout the UK. 

The company’s fresh produce is delivered each day, with longer-lasting foods such as cakes being delivered every other day.

Andrew Blake, Kuehne and Nagel national distribution manager, said: “Ryder offered competitive contract terms and was able to meet the unique specification we required with the latest version of the Mercedes Sprinter. 

"These new custom-built vehicles have been designed to fit exactly with the demands of the Costa Coffee distribution network.

“Sustainability is a key driver for Costa Coffee, and the unique bodies, with the integral segregated waste compartments, enable us to combine our daily delivery process with the collection of waste for re-processing.”

Each van has custom 3.35m insulated box bodies with internal loading and triple rear doors and are equipped with Carrier Transicold Xarios 350 refrigeration units. 

The fleet also consists of a unique body, with a false floor with integrated lockers, enables segregated waste to be taken away from the Costa Coffee outlets as part of the daily delivery process.  

In 2016, Costa Coffee became the first coffee chain to turn its own stores into recycling points.

Costa’s used coffee granules, food waste and other waste streams, including used cups, are segregated and transported in the vehicles’ waste lockers to the company’s central supply and distribution centres for onward re-processing and recycling.

John Murray, Ryder sales and marketing director, said: "Costa Coffee required a highly competitive leasing solution while needing a unique design of vehicle to meet the delivery and waste collection demands of the contract.

"This is a great example of partnership working between Costa Coffee, Kuehne and Nagel, Ryder and Solomon Commercials to develop a solution that meets all aspects of the demanding contract and vehicle specification."  

Last year, Ryder supplied 162 new DAF vehicles to international textile, hygiene and facilities services company Elis