Mexican-owned baking company Grupo Bimbo, as part of its drive towards a fully sustainable supply chain, has inaugurated the first Ecologic Sales Center in the Historic Center area of Mexico City, with an investment of close to 20 million pesos ($1.5 million USD).
The eco-friendly facility will have 73 distribution vehicles with electric engines completely designed by Grupo Bimbo technicians, the company says. The Ecologic Sales Center is intended to serve as the company’s new sustainable distribution model.
Grupo Bimbo, whose brands include Entenmann's, Boboli, Oroweat, Sara Lee and Ball Park, says it chose Mexico City to pay homage to its roots — it was founded there more than 65 years ago and the city continues to be one if its main operating and commercial distribution centers.
The world's largest bread manufacturing company claims the facility will close its “sustainability operations cycle,” following last year’s inauguration of the Piedra Larga Wind Farm, which powers the operation of emission-free vehicles.
The distribution center also will have rainfall collection systems, complete water recycling for vehicle washing, as well as a wind farm, green walls, solar cells and efficient lighting mechanisms.
Another company cutting the environmental footprint of its distribution channels is Unilever, which last month launched a new rail service in Italy called Green Express, for transporting its Algida brand ice cream from its factory near Naples to its logistics hub in Parma. The train is part of a wider eco-efficiency programme within its supply chain to support the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Aug 1, 2013 2am EDT / 11pm PDT / 7am BST / 8am CEST