NFT aims to secure chilled food distribution site

The exact location and size have yet to be announced, but the company claimed it would be strategically located to provide solutions covering the ports of Dover/Folkestone, Purfleet, Tilbury and London Gateway. NFT expects to make an announcement by the end of August.

Over £38bn worth of food is imported into the UK every year, according to May statistics from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, much of which is chilled.

Demand for international foods​

With growing consumer demand for international foods and lower prices in supermarkets, plus retailer requirements for increased on-shelf availability, the NFT development would be pivotal in meeting these needs, it said.

By providing a single contact point for logistics between port, warehousing, distribution and retailer, NFT aims to increase supply chain efficiency, while minimising food miles and reducing overall emissions.

NFT has depots strategically positioned across the UK, with a stronghold in the important Midlands region, according to its sales and marketing director Dale Fiddy.

‘Reductions in costs’​

“… By locating in the south east we can streamline retail and manufacturing customers’ supply chains further, providing substantial reductions in the costs of distribution, inventory and food wastage, whilst at the same time helping to boost consumer sales,”​ said Fiddy.

NFT’s port-centric extension to its offering would be a further step in defining its future development and growth as a logistics provider to the food industry.

NFT was established more than three decades ago and employs more than 2,000 people. It also offers services to manufacturers of ambient and frozen food. It picks 3M cases of food a week and delivers about 130,000 pallets of food and drink products to UK grocery retailers weekly.