McCulla Uses Bio-Methane Trucks on LIDL Contract

Lidl Northern Ireland is the first retailer in Britain and Ireland to use waste powered trucks for distribution.

Cold Chain Federation member McCulla is providing eight bio-methane powered Iveco tractors to handle Lidl deliveries using food waste collected from all 41 Lidl stores in the north.

McCulla will create fully renewable bio-methane gas at its anaerobic digester plant in Lisburn to power the trucks.

The retailer’s Northern Ireland regional director Conor Boyle said: “The introduction of this new ‘green fleet’ operating on fully renewable bio-methane as its primary fuel source will save more than 93% in carbon emissions due per bio-methane truck.”

Ashley McCulla, chairman of McCulla, which has been working with Lidl for the last five years, said: “Since 2017 we’ve been producing all of our own electricity from an AD [anaerobic digester] plant at our site in Lisburn but our ultimate goal was always to use that energy to power our logistics fleet as well. Working with Lidl, we’ve delivered on that ambition and we’re honoured to be part of a real first for the industry, and for Northern Ireland.”