The FruitGuys, a nationwide produce delivery company, plans and optimizes routes for thousands of orders each day so that farm-fresh fruits and clean-ingredient snacks reach their customers on time and in perfect condition. The Fruit Guys streamlined and accelerated delivery using Route4Me’s route optimization platform to meet time-sensitive delivery windows and maintain its 100% satisfaction guarantee.
“Route4Me has been invaluable in helping us optimize around time windows and deliver on the promises we make to our customers,” says Erin Mittelstaedt, CEO of The FruitGuys. “We now have the insight we need to make faster decisions, proactively communicate with our customers and ensure every delivery is on time and meets our quality standards.”
The FruitGuys Eliminates Legacy Planning Processes And Reduces Errors
The FruitGuys traditionally had relied on legacy planning processes to understand which of their thousands of orders across 11 facilities had to be to which client by what time. They then would either manually create routes for their own trucks or send data to a diverse network of local or national carriers.
Planners at each location used spreadsheets and other mapping tools to piece together daily delivery routes or confirm delivery availability with multiple third-party carriers. This process was time-consuming, labor-intensive and open to mistakes. FruitGuys drivers didn’t have common technology, and third-party carriers each had different operational processes and technological capabilities.
The FruitGuys eliminated this legacy planning process by utilizing Route4me’s route optimization platform to automatically generate optimized delivery routes based on customer orders, delivery locations and time constraints, removing guesswork and potential human error. Optimization not only freed up valuable employee time but also ensured more accurate and reliable delivery schedules, enabling The FruitGuys to concentrate on maintaining their high product quality and customer service standards. It also helped FruitGuys determine which orders could be delivered on FruitGuys routes or had to be sent with a third-party carrier. Today a number of carriers who deliver FruitGuys product also use the Route4me platform for planning and delivery management.
“Our team saved about two hours per day for each planner by using Route4Me, which let us focus on more strategic tasks,” says Scott Larson, Manager of Technology at The FruitGuys. Larson explained that the reduction in planning cycles allowed the company’s Logistics group to reassign three of its five team members to other critical roles in the organization. “We have been able to scale our operations while maintaining our commitment to fresh, high-quality deliveries, whether we’re delivering locally or across the country.”
The FruitGuys found that the optimization platform had the added benefit of alerting planners to orders that could not be easily slotted into an otherwise optimized route plan. For example, two orders in the same office building might have completely different time windows, one in the early morning and another later in the day, resulting in a carrier delivering one of the orders outside the requested time window.
With route optimization, the system flags an order as “unrouted” and The FruitGuys can work with the client to adjust the time window or find another route or carrier who can make the delivery within the customer’s original window. “Route4Me pushes the unrouted orders to us automatically so that we can address it proactively to make sure we meet all our delivery commitments,” Larson explains.
Real-Time Delivery Tracking Improves Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is central to The FruitGuys’ mission, and timely, fresh deliveries are key to upholding their 100% satisfaction guarantee. The FruitGuys previously struggled to track deliveries in real time, especially when they worked with third-party carriers that had varying levels of technology and communication capabilities. The customer service team relied on manual updates from teams in the field, causing delays in responding to customer inquiries about the status and location of their deliveries.
Now The FruitGuys use the real-time tracking and electronic proof-of-delivery (ePOD) capabilities in the route optimization platform to gain full visibility into every delivery. Drivers collect proof of delivery, complete with time stamped photos which are instantly accessible through a centralized portal enabled by GroScale, a transportation management system (TMS) for local carrier networks. The company’s customer service team can now give accurate, timely updates to clients at any time.
“Route4Me’s ability to provide real-time proof of delivery with a photo and timestamp has been a game-changer for our customer service team,” says Erik Muller, President of The FruitGuys. “It empowers them to respond quickly to client inquiries, showing exactly where and when a delivery was made.”
Optimized Time Windows Solve Complex Logistical Challenges
The FruitGuys faced a complex logistical challenge in managing time-sensitive deliveries to customers across different regions, particularly in office environments with strict time windows. The company’s legacy planning process made it difficult to maximize delivery capacity, which limited the number of customers they could serve each day. As the company grew, they needed to be able to meet all the time window requirements for thousands of weekly deliveries.
The company now uses the optimization platform to create routes that accommodate each customer’s specific time constraints and delivery windows while also maximizing driver productivity. With optimization, drivers can handle 25% more destinations per route without compromising on punctuality or quality, according to Scott Larson. The FruitGuy’s strategic approach has improved capacity utilization and supported the company’s growth, all while maintaining top-level service.
API Integration Transforms Partner Relationships
The FruitGuys took advantage of the routing optimization platform’s API integration with the GroScale TMS to transform how they work with delivery partners. GroScale provides a centralized platform that connects shippers with independent, local carriers as a way to help companies achieve better business and customer delivery outcomes. The FruitGuys pushes orders to their partners through GroScale, ensuring that every carrier receives accurate and timely delivery information for optimization without the need for constant oversight.
Partners have the flexibility to accept, reject or modify routes based on their operational needs, so they can make real-time adjustments and optimize their own resources while meeting The FruitGuys’ delivery requirements. This flexibility has not only improved operational efficiency but also strengthened The FruitGuys’ relationships with their partners, who independently define their areas of delivery, optimization parameters, time constraints and other business variables.
“The carriers that we work with using Route4Me have been very happy with it because it makes their business more efficient, and they have been able to take on more deliveries than before,” says the team at Fruit Guys. “It also allows them to manage their business as they see fit and drastically reduce the back-and-forth between us and our partners.”
The ability to work seamlessly with partners of different sizes has enabled The FruitGuys to shift significantly more of their business to smaller local carriers rather than relying so much on national or regional carriers. Local carriers often offer lower overhead, more flexibility and a greater willingness to go the extra mile to meet The FruitGuys’ customer satisfaction pledge. The shift to smaller carriers also supports The FruitGuys’ commitment to work with small businesses and build local communities.
Business Impact Of Last Mile Route Optimization
- Optimization saved 2 hours per day for each planner and allowed for reassignment of 3 Logistics team members to critical roles supporting growth
- Route optimization allows drivers to visit 25% more destinations per route without adding cost
- Real-time delivery tracking gives customers visibility to order status and supports The FruitGuys’ 100% satisfaction guarantee
- API integration transforms partner relationships and enables shift to using more small, local carriers rather than relying on regional and national carriers
- Smarter deliveries support The FruitGuys’ sustainability goals, including lowering the company’s carbon footprint
Smarter Deliveries Support Sustainability Goals
A certified B-Corp, The FruitGuys is deeply committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. They have applied route optimization to minimize unnecessary mileage and optimize delivery routes for fuel efficiency, allowing them to lower their carbon footprint while still meeting tight delivery windows.
This smarter approach to logistics not only aligns with The FruitGuys’ sustainability mission but also reduces operational costs, as fewer miles driven translates to lower fuel consumption and vehicle wear and tear.
“Our mission is to deliver fresh produce efficiently while minimizing waste and supporting sustainable practices, and Route4Me has been instrumental in aligning our logistics with our sustainability goals,” says Erin Mittelstaedt. “By optimizing our routes and streamlining operations, we ensure that our deliveries are as environmentally friendly as possible.”
About The FruitGuys
Founded in 1998, The FruitGuys delivers farm-fresh fruit and healthy snacks to offices, homes and schools across the United States. With a mission to promote wellness in the workplace and support sustainable agriculture, The FruitGuys has grown from a local San Francisco business to a nationwide operation with 11 distribution facilities. As a certified B-Corp, the company dedicates 20% of its annual profits to fighting hunger and supporting sustainable farming, embodying its commitment to environmental and social responsibility while delivering high-quality produce.
