Doing Things the Right Way: Freshway Foods

Established in 1988 by Frank and Phil Gilardi, Sidney, Ohio-based Freshway Foods is committed to bringing its customers the very best fresh-cut products possible. Restaurants, catering companies, hospitals and the like enjoy ‘the experience’ of doing business with Freshway, as the company not only provides excellent food quality, but exceptional customer service and responsiveness as well.

     As a result, the company has grown consistently through the years, now distributing product to over 60 percent of the U.S. population and operating plants in Sidney, Ohio and, since 2005, in Sanford, Florida. And Freshway Foods’ fleet has grown to accommodate. In 2003, the company named its fleet – and created – Freshway Logistics to better characterize the strength of the fleet and to provide flexibility for back-haul opportunities, as well as logistic service to other companies.

     Today, Freshway’s fleet consists of approximately 53 refrigerated trailers and 38 power units, model years 2002 – 2007. The company hopes to expand to 60 trailers and 45 tractors by the end of this year. Thermo King units have been chosen exclusively since 2000 to ensure a solid, dependable cold chain from field to end market. New trailer refrigeration units are Thermo King model SB-210 with the optional WHISPER noise reduction system. “The SB-210 units are perfect for Freshway’s produce loads, but also offer capacity flexibility for frozen loads when and if required,” said Ed Odenweller, sales manager, Thermo King of Delphos. “All new Thermo King units are equipped with Electronic Throttling Valve (ETV), which provides the most precise temperature control during transportation – vital to prolonged produce shelf life.”

     A detailed maintenance schedule is maintained to keep the equipment in top operating condition. Thermo King of Delphos, in cooperation with Freshway, developed a service agreement for all scheduled and unscheduled unit maintenance. Every effort is made to maintain equipment to prevent breakdowns. “The relationship we have with Thermo King of Delphos is win-win,” said Dan Stegall, transportation director of Freshway Food Logistics. “Their service levels are phenomenal, and their expertise and experience are tremendous value for us. Whenever we have a question, they are always there to assist in any way they can.

     Controlling costs is one area the dealership likes to help customers, so introducing Freshway to Thermo King’s TriPac™ hybrid auxiliary idle reduction and temperature management systems made sense. Especially since Freshway Logistics had started early in its efforts to control the high cost of idling.

     “We used fuel fired bunk heaters for comfort heat to minimize cold weather idling,” said Stegall. “Although the fuel fired furnaces are very efficient, idle continued for air conditioning as well as keeping batteries charged and engines heated. The TriPac systems solved the entire idle control problem by providing comfort heat, A/C, household power, battery charging, and truck engine preheat. Additionally, the TriPac system provides all of the benefits without having to run the engine much of the time. We don’t have a diesel engine running to get all of the benefits. That is true idle control.”

     The company equipped 22 tractors with Thermo King’s TriPac systems in 2006, and the results have indeed been impressive. So impressive that all new tractors will have TriPac systems installed prior to commissioning this year.

     “With the TriPac systems, tractor idling is maintained at a minimum level, which helps us meet increasingly common idle restriction mandates and combats rising fuel costs,” said Stegall. “It’s another proactive effort of ours to be as cost-efficient as possible so that we can avoid passing along added costs to our customers.”

     Ease of use and driver contentment with a product is another key to success. A recent survey of Freshway drivers by Thermo King of Delphos concluded that the TriPac systems are well liked and appreciated. “Driver satisfaction is an important aspect of any effective cost reduction policy,” explained Odenweller.

     Freshway has always prided itself on delivering high-quality and safe products. They have strict measurements, practices, equipment, and people in place to ensure the safe handling and transportation of products to their customers. “We know from experience that the best way to guarantee the quality of a shipment is to handle and monitor it ourselves,” said Stegall. “We’re excited about our expansions over the years and look forward to continued growth in the years to come.”