Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The RSPB is the UK charity working to achieve a healthy environment for birds and all wildlife, helping to secure a better world for everyone. The charity has over a million members, including over 170,000 youth members, a staff of over 1,300 people, over 13,000 volunteers and 200 nature reserves.

The Requirement:
As a charitable organisation, the RSPB recognises that it has a duty to maintain and control costs and provide environmentally responsible solution for all its direct and indirect activities. In 2008, the organisation carried out a total review of its branded birdseed production and distribution operation, seeking to increase efficiency and reduce cost.

The ‘seed miles’ issue
RSPB birdseed is sourced locally in Bury St Edmunds and contract packed in Needham Market. local to the production facility. Under the original regime, the seed was sent from Needham Market to North Yorkshire for onward distribution. Anglia Freight tendered for the contract based on storage of up to 1000 tonnes of seed to be called off and delivered to key accounts via an efficient and cost effective combination of the Palletline nationwide palletised distribution network and the company’s own groupage fleet.

“Our primary aim was to achieve cost reductions in terms of getting product from source to a suitable distribution hub,” commented Roy Roddy, Fulfilment Manager for the charity. “The solution designed by Anglia Freight and Palletline provided RSPB with a fast, reliable and extremely competitive distribution infrastructure to service our key accounts operating through RDCs including Tesco, Sainsbury and Pets At Home.”

How it Works
Seed is held in stock by Anglia Freight and called off to meet customer orders using secure online systems. All deliveries to RDCs are booked in by Anglia Freight, then confirmed and delivered in accordance with instructions by Palletline Member Companies nationwide. Key to the success of the contract is communications. Anglia Freight operates a sophisticated warehousing and IT system capable of accepting orders direct from RSPB customers, providing total transparency of stock together with traceability, batch control. Remote access also allows the charity to pull off tailored reports at any time for management purposes.

“Reducing ‘seed miles’ was a particularly attractive option for us,” confirmed Roy Roddy.
“With production, contract packing and distribution now focused within a local area in East Anglia, we have an environmentally responsible strategy in place which is working well using established distribution routes.”

For more information please visit www.rspb.org.uk