Fresh Solutions: Trakm8 partners with McLays Foods

The scheme, launched by catering specialist McLays Foods, sees fresh meat and produce delivered to more than 6,000 homes across Glasgow, providing a vital lifeline for vulnerable people shielding from Covid-19.

Craig McLay, director at McLays Foods, explains: “We usually supply fresh produce to hospitality businesses across Scotland but, since lockdown measures were introduced, demand has obviously dropped. We knew we wanted to support the national effort against Coronavirus, so looked at how our expertise in the FMCG delivery sector could help.

“With a fleet of 13 vans that would otherwise be temporarily out of action, we were approached by Glasgow City Council to discuss a delivery programme, which would get essential meat, vegetable and dairy packs out to elderly and vulnerable residents right across the city. With the support of the Council, we set about launching the home delivery service but, tasked with making drop-offs at up to 1,000 addresses per day, alongside a number of British Red Cross destinations, we knew we needed a route optimisation solution which would enable our drivers to do their jobs as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. That’s when we approached Trakm8.”

As the UK’s leading telematics technology specialist, Trakm8 was keen to lend its knowledge and expertise to such a worthwhile cause. Peter Mansfield, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Trakm8, says: “In these challenging times, fleet managers are having to make more significant changes to their traditional practices than ever before, adapting to furloughed staff and increased demand for deliveries. As such, fleets need access to the right technology to help them continue to work as efficiently and smartly as possible.

“That was the key impetus that first led us to offering businesses a free trial of our Insight Optimisation route planning software during the pandemic. The solution uses big data to handle even the most complex of fleet route management requirements, with a proven track record in cutting fuel expenditure by up to 20% and increasing productivity by upwards of 33%. Maximising the concept of usable data, the Insight Optimisation tool goes beyond planning a simple A to B route, but takes into account the size and capabilities of individual fleets and loads, enabling them to approach the task with the maximum efficiency.

“We’re absolutely delighted McLays Foods took advantage of the trial and that our software is helping them carry out vital work within the community.”

Craig concludes: “Trakm8’s Insight Optimisation software has made a real difference to our operational capabilities. Faced with a varied and displaced list of drop-off locations, we would previously have had to spend a significant amount of time manually plotting the most ergonomic routes. Now, at the touch of a button, we can upload our entire address database and, in a matter of moments, have the most efficient routes plotted for each of our drivers. It’s been a real game changer, and one we’d recommend to any other business facing similar challenges.”

McLays foods now continues to offer their home delivery service via the website (www.mclaysfoods.co.uk) and now plans to take it one step further by offering customers a selection of Christmas hampers which will also be available to order online on the run up to Christmas.