Local Food Loads - One New Solution to Distribution Challenges

Local Food Loads is a free, no-nonsense web-site for local food producers and distributors to co-operate with each other to reduce delivery costs www.localfoodloads.co.uk  It is particularly useful for local producers who make their own deliveries.  If you have backload capacity you can help another local producer; and defray some of your own costs.

If you have a load you need delivered, post details and your load information will be sent to all registered users who have vehicle capacity in your area.  Similarly if you have vehicle capacity to offer, simply complete the form and the information will be sent to all registered users in your area.

Loads and vehicle information is circulated twice a day at 10.00am and 3.00pm by an email.  If there is a load that you see that is of interest simply phone the person who posted the load, tell them what you can do, and agree a price.

This website service has come about as the result of the expressed needs of a number of local food producers.  In particular, during November 2008, funded by Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) ran a series of workshops for Scotland Food and Drink, on local food hubs and food distribution.  From these seminars emerged the recommendation for a low cost accessible mechanism for producers to share knowledge about transport arrangements with a view to sharing journeys and therefore reducing costs.

Long Lane Deliveries (LLD) is supporting this initiative by administering the web-site, processing the alerts and meeting any costs.

Contact admin@localfoodloads.co.uk for further information. 

The SAOS website is at www.saos.co.uk and LLD is at www.longlanedeliveries.co.uk

22 November 2008