Frito-Lay makes green investment to fuel business

The snacks major will open up ten CNG fuelling stations across the US and deploy 208 CNG tractors over 2013.

Once deployed, the CNG tractors will make up 20% of Frito-Lay’s fleet and will be located at 50% of its production locations.

“When all 208 CNG tractors are in service, Frito-Lay will eliminate 7,863 metric tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of over 1,125 cars annually,”​ said Mike O’Connell, senior director for fleet operations at Frito-Lay North America.

“This initiative to build much-needed natural gas infrastructure for large commercial vehicles is part of Frito-Lay’s deep commitment to the environment,”​ O’Connell said.

The snack player hopes to slash its total fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 50% by 2050, compared to 2007.

For Frito-Lay, and others…​

Frito-Lay has partnered with two CNG fuel specialists - Questar Fueling and Trillium CNG – to have the fueling stations built. It will then purchase a base volume from the vendors.

The partnership has worked to incentivize the specialists to build a natural gas infrastructure, Frito-Lay said.

“Trillium and Questar were able to demonstrate depth and breadth of industry knowledge through the RFP process. They really rose to the top as trusted partners, and we look forward to working with them,”​ said O’Connell.

Initial fuel capacity will be around two million gallons a year, but this will grow to a little over eight million gallons in five years, Frito-Lay said.

The fueling stations will also be made available for other companies currently using or considering alternative fuel vehicles in the future.

Once the plans have been rolled out, Frito-Lay will have one of the largest CNG fleets in the US. The firm also has a strong fleet of all-electric vehicles – over 280 – that eliminate the need for around 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year.