3 minute read
HelloFresh to open new distribution centre in Derby
Recipe box company HelloFresh is to expand its production capacity by opening a new distribution centre in Spondon, on the edge of Derby. The centre will open in late spring this year, creating 450 new operation, distribution, and management jobs.
The 118,000 sq ft centre will be located at Derby’s SmartParc SEGRO, a new high-tech food manufacturing and distribution park, near Spondon station. Named The Orchard, this is the third distribution centre that HelloFresh has opened in the UK, and quickly follows The Beehive in Nuneaton, which opened in 2020.
HelloFresh is to create 450 new jobs and expand its production capacity significantly by opening a new distribution centre in Derby / Picture: HelloFresh
The Orchard’s opening is in response to the ongoing demand for HelloFresh’s meal kits in the UK, and as the company continues to strongly invest in its long-term growth capabilities. HelloFresh currently employs over 2,000 people in the UK, a number that will continue to grow in 2022, with the opening of the new site in Derby.
In line with HelloFresh’s achievement of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral meal kit company, all carbon emissions from production and distribution will be offset. The building will feature a 500kW photovoltaic system on its roof operated by SmartParc and able to deliver 430,000 kWh per annum, which relates to 224,000kg CO2e.
To prevent food waste, HelloFresh plans to set up a partnership with a local food bank, which will distribute unsold but still edible food to communities in need. In 2021, HelloFresh UK donated over 1.9 million meals to The Felix Project and local food banks.
Launched 10 years ago, and headquartered in Berlin, HelloFresh now has 7 million active customers globally. The opening of The Orchard will play a key role in allowing the business to continue growing and expanding its offering to UK customers.
The Orchard is the third distribution centre that HelloFresh has opened in the UK / Picture: HelloFresh
HelloFresh UK CEO, Laurent Guillemain, (pictured above) said: “We are really excited to be opening this new distribution centre in Derby, and getting to know the local community. Hundreds of operation, distribution, and management jobs will be made available, and our plan is to further grow our Derby presence, offering even more local jobs in the future.
“It’s also fantastic to be one of the first major brands to join SmartParc. The park sets a precedent for the best in sustainable design and collaboration. Their ethos of bringing people and businesses together to meet the challenges of sustainable food production, while providing opportunities for the local area, align perfectly with our own values and we’re excited to join this community.”
Paul Simpson, chief executive of Derby City Council, added: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to support this move through our work with SmartParc. The council has already allocated £5.5 million towards the project and was successful in securing £12 million of D2N2 funding, to help with the reclamation of a major brownfield site in the city. HelloFresh is just the kind of organisation we want to attract to Derby, with sustainability and social value at the heart of their ethos, which is brilliant to see. Not only are these attributes a key strand of our council plan, it’s something that we should all strive towards as businesses and individuals, to ensure a more sustainable future.”