Suntory & DHL: A Sustainable Supply Chain Partnership

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, producer of soft drinks brands including Lucozade and Ribena, expands its partnership with DHL Supply Chain to enhance the sustainability of its logistics operations.

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is now a GoGreen Plus customer, utilising DHL's services to reduce its carbon footprint and enhance supply chain efficiency throughout the UK.

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is the UK's third-largest soft drinks manufacturer, distributing its products to the vast majority of outlets in the UK market and 31 other global markets.

By advancing its partnership with DHL Supply Chain, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I takes steps to accelerate carbon reduction throughout its British operations, aligning with its founding principle of giving back to society through social and environmental responsibility.

Reducing emissions with sustainable fuels

The collaboration utilises DHL's GoGreen Plus service, a solution that allows customers to lower carbon emissions through the use of sustainable fuels.

This enables Suntory GB&I to achieve a Scope 3 reduction of more than 2,300 tonnes of CO₂e annually.

This reduction is achieved by using low and zero-carbon fuels and technologies.

When using low-carbon fuels, a business could achieve a carbon emissions reduction of around 80% compared to traditional fossil fuels.

“DHL Supply Chain is constantly looking for new ways to decarbonise our business while also helping our customers do the same," explains Katharina Tomoff, Senior Vice President of Global ESG at DHL Supply Chain.

"This collaboration is a great step in the right direction for SBF GB&I and highlights the real impact strong partnerships can have when both parties have a mutual goal. We look forward to helping SBF GB&I further maximise the sustainability of their supply chain as this relationship continues to grow.”

Enhancing supply chain efficiency

Beyond the direct environmental benefits, the expanded partnership creates a more efficient supply chain.

A key aspect of the collaboration involves consolidating the management of co-packing, storage and distribution into a single, integrated location.

This strategic move reduces network waste and cuts down on 130,000 road miles each year, contributing to both environmental and operational gains.

By centralising these core logistical functions, both DHL and Suntory GB&I can streamline processes, reduce complexity and improve the overall flow of goods from production to the point of sale.

This integrated approach is a critical step in building a more resilient and agile supply chain capable of meeting the demands of the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

A partnership for long-term impact

The decision for Suntory to become a GoGreen Plus member represents a direct investment in its value chain.

This move helps to ensure a more responsible and efficient supply chain that reflects Suntory GB&I's purpose and commitment to sustainability.

The partnership is a clear example of how logistics providers and manufacturers can collaborate to achieve mutual environmental and operational objectives.

Karl Ottomar, Supply Chain Director at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, says: “Since partnering with DHL Supply Chain, we see an impressive improvement in the efficiency of our logistics operations.

"Having made our commitment to deploying more sustainable solutions clear from the very start, DHL has been the perfect partner in helping us cut our carbon footprint and deliver effective supply chain solutions that have a long-term impact.”

This collaboration guarantees Suntory a more sustainable supply chain framework.