How Heinz are moving more baked beans across Europe thanks to innovative Yorkshire plan

Kraft Heinz - best known for popular foods including Heinz Baked Beans, and world famous condiments including HP Sauce and Heinz Tomato Ketchup - is being helped by the University of Hull's Logistics Institute to improve it's freight movement across Europe.

The Liverpool-Humber Optimisation of Freight Transport scheme is designed to help haulage of Kraft Heinz products from the Netherlands to the company’s national distribution centre in Wigan.

As part of the project products have been moved by rail via the Humber port complex.

Professor Amar Ramudhin, director of the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute, said this was done to make the scheme as "green" as possible.

"The University of Hull is at the forefront of accelerating a net zero future," he said. "The Wigan rail route opens up new opportunities for goods owners and service providers to collaborate to develop new, lower carbon transport routes."

Currently Kraft Heinz - who is also behind brands such as Capri Sun and Philadelphia - is now considering whether to build on the success of the project after the initial rail trial has proved to be positive.

The project also partners with Oxford Rail Strategies, with the aim to develop a rail freight solution for the haulage of products from Elst (in the Netherlands) to the Kraft Heinz National Distribution Centre at Wigan.

Following consultation with UK rail freight operator Freightliner, and Network Rail, a trial train, operating overnight, was arranged to test and evaluate the feasibility of delivering Kraft Heinz products by rail to Wigan.

Emma Dempsey, from Freightliner, said: "As the largest operator of carbon neutral traction, we are continually developing solutions to deliver decarbonisation targets, working in collaboration with business partners and customers, and we were delighted to be part of the team to trial this potential modal shift to rail."

Karla Jakeman, from Connected Transport at Innovate UK, added: "This is a very positive development of the project. It is always exciting when projects can demonstrate innovation in practice.

"I am looking forward to watching how this develops in the future."

Established in 2008, the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute is now a world-renowned centre for research, education and expertise in logistics and supply chain management.

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