Trailblazing Frito-Lay and Schneider Make History With First Third-Party Electric Truck Shipment for PepsiCo

The cross-industry partnership sets the stage for expanding low- or zero-emissions vehicle use in third-party transportation, revolutionizing the logistics industry.

Plano-based snack maker Frito-Lay North America has made its first-ever third-party shipment on an electric vehicle with logistics giant Schneider National Inc., a multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal, and logistics services.

Frito-Lay said it’s also the first third-party transportation shipment on an electric vehicle for parent company PepsiCo globally, establishing Frito-Lay North America as the first to contract transport on Schneider’s electric truck fleet of Freightliner eCascadias.

“Today’s milestone shipment underscores the importance of cross-industry collaboration in building a more sustainable food system and achieving Frito-Lay and PepsiCo Positive’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2040,” David Allen, VP and chief sustainability officer, PepsiCo Foods North America, said in a statement. “As a company with massive scale, Frito-Lay looks for opportunities to create positive change—but we can’t do it alone. By working with Schneider, we’re taking an important step forward in our efforts to reduce value chain emissions and move our snack products in a more sustainable way.”

Aiming for 70% emissions reduction this year from initial EV routes

Frito-Lay said that an emissions reduction of more than 70% is expected this year from the initial EV routes, versus the same shipments on diesel trucks. That is equivalent to eliminating more than 180,000 miles driven by gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road, the company said.

Initial shipments on Schneider’s growing Freightliner eCascadia fleet will be inbound and outbound intermodal moves in southern California, including service to Frito-Lay’s Rancho Cucamonga distribution center.

“As we roll out our fleet of almost 100 new battery electric trucks, we’re thrilled to offer a cleaner mode of freight transportation to valued customers like Frito-Lay, who share our goal of operating in ways that are environmentally responsible,” Rob Reich, EVP and chief administrative officer at Schneider, said in a statement. “For decades, we’ve been committed to improving sustainability at Schneider, and we’re proud to now be able to positively impact our customers’ operations as well. Working together, we are decreasing the carbon footprint of shipments in southern California and making a positive difference.”

Moving toward net-zero emissions

Frito-Lay said that its and PepsiCo’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2040 is guided by PepsiCo Positive initiative that puts sustainability at the center of how the company will create growth and value by operating “within planetary boundaries.”

With third-party transportation and distribution forming 20 percent of PepsiCo’s emissions footprint, the company said that collaboration with partners that originate those emissions is critical.

Frito-Lay said its partnership with Schneider lays important groundwork for an expansion of low- or zero-emissions vehicle use within its third-party transportation footprint.

Alternative fuel vehicles in California, electric route trucks in DFW

Within its company-owned fleet, Frito-Lay said it is making significant advancements, including the recent transformation of one of its largest manufacturing facilities in Modesto, California, as the first to implement sitewide alternative fuel vehicles.

To serve the company’s headquarters market in Dallas-Fort Worth, Frito-Lay also introduced 40 all-electric, zero-emissions route trucks in 2022.

Frito-Lay North America is the $23 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo Inc., which is based in Purchase, New York.

The company has more than 30 manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada, more than 200 distribution centers and services 315,000 retail customers per week through its direct-store-delivery model.

Schneider offers one of the broadest portfolios in the industry. Its solutions include regional and long-haul truckload, expedited, dedicated, bulk, Intermodal, brokerage, warehousing, supply chain management, port logistics and logistics consulting.

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