Ford Fleet Management Delivers Riverford Transit Custom Fleet with Legend Linings

Christmas came early in 2023 for the UK’s largest organic food distribution company, Riverford Organic Farmers. Lee Jones, Corporate Account Manager at Ford Fleet Management had the pleasure of handing over the keys to the first of many Ford Transit Custom vans to James Welton, Fleet Manager at Riverford Organic Farmers, in mid-December 2023.

Sporting new livery to shelving to floors and liners, the Transit Customs are the latest vehicles from Ford to replace the discontinued Transit Connect model. The new upfit of Riverford’s Transit Customs are an exciting new evolution of their fleet of vans that deliver organic food to thousands of customers across the UK.

After Riverford expanded on their goal to become sustainable, their strategy began with the initiative to transition their delivery fleet to all electric.  A big part of that goal was the environmentally-positive perception it would provide to their customers. Riverford learned early-on that their customers paid attention to not only the quality of their produce, but the way in which the product was delivered. In this case, an electric vehicle not only played directly into their concerns for healthy products, but reinforced Riverford as a conscientious, environmentally-sustainable company as well. This new perception worked to increase Riverford’s value to their customer over and above the practical improvement of their vans.

Another large influencer of the decision to upfit the interior of their vans was the fact that quality wall and door linings were effective at protecting Riverford’s valuable cargo and, as an insulation and protection barrier, worked effortlessly at adding to the van’s end-of-lease resale value and increased the life of the vehicle.

Riverford took note that Legend offered extensive experience upfitting EVs and corporate EV fleets of every make around the world. Legend’s products, from sustainable composite flooring to insulated wall and door liners to ceilings, lights and even locks, could be found in fleets globally in sectors from construction to gas infrastructure. These were the exact reasons so many other vans and van fleets had made the switch to Legend linings and floors and made the Legend choice an easy one for Riverford.

Subsequently, Legend had what it took to face brutal wear and tear head on, and, as the one of the largest van fleets in the UK, that’s just what Riverford was looking for. Riverford knew how much battering their vans took daily on the road delivering to over 90,000 homes so Legend was the perfect fit.

James Welton, Fleet Manager for Riverford said, “It has been simple and enjoyable to work with Lee and the team at Ford Fleet Management on our latest group of vehicles. FFM worked with us, helping navigate the process from prospective order to delivery.”

Riverford’s new fleet now sports a 360-degree camera system, sack barrow, new livery and many more upgrades from a variety of suppliers. Laurie Mitchell and Ronnie Mitchell of LEGEND UK stepped up to help them upfit their fleet with 75% recyclable composite floors, wall and door liners which have the benefit of slightly reducing the weight of the EV vehicles to increase the range in addition to added insulation of the cargo area further protecting their stock when out on the road.

See how your van or van fleet can benefit from an upfit today.