U.S. Foodservice – San Francisco Continues Driving “Green” Efforts, Begins Fueling Fleet with Biodiesel

Diesel/Soybean Oil Blend Is Distributor’s Latest Environmental Push

Livermore, CA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 18, 2010 -- U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco, the only green-certified broadline food distributor in the state of California and one of a handful across the country, is now running its entire delivery fleet on biodiesel fuel.

We take our commitment as a green certified business very seriously. That means that reducing our environmental footprint is a key component of our business strategy.
All of the San Francisco division’s 136 tractors and 148 trailers began using B5 fuel last month, a blend of diesel containing 5 percent biodiesel, a form of diesel fuel made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases. (In this case, the 5 percent is soybean oil.) Biodiesel is a sustainable, renewable alternative to diesel fuel which can dramatically reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions.

“We take our commitment as a green certified business very seriously,” said Phil Collins, president of U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco. “That means that reducing our environmental footprint is a key component of our business strategy. We must not only set the example as a good environmental citizen but help our customers to do the same.”

The biodiesel fuel costs on average about two cents more per gallon than diesel fuel. Its use is expected to reduce the U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco fleet’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 333 metric tons – or 734,000 pounds – annually. That’s roughly the equivalent of taking 65 cars off the road or of planting more than 3,000 trees every year.

The biodiesel is locally sourced and refined, a product of Western States Oil, San Jose.

Biodiesel is not new to U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco. The division, which serves northern California from Monterey to Redding, has been experimenting with the alternative fuel source since 2006. It’s also among the many environmentally responsible activities and achievements already being made at the division. These include:

*Reducing electrical consumption by 37 percent with the use of T8 fluorescent lamps in its warehouse operations.
*Decreasing landfill waste by more than 1 million pounds since 2007.
*Increasing recycling of materials such as cardboard, paper and shrink wrap by more than percent each year since 2006.
*Recycling water from refrigeration units.
*Landscaping with drought-resistant foliage.


Among honors for these efforts, U.S. Foodservice-San Francisco was recognized by the East Bay Economic Development Alliance as the 2007 Stop Waste Top Performer, by the Livermore Chamber of Commerce as the 2007 Business of the Year and by Pacific Gas & Electric in 2008 as Climate Smart and Carbon Neutral.

San Francisco is the fourth U.S. Foodservice division to use biodiesel in its fleet. It joins divisions in Atlanta, Streator, Ill., and Plymouth, Minn.

About U.S. Foodservice
U.S. Foodservice is one of the country’s premier foodservice distributors, offering more than 43,000 national, private label and signature brand items and an array of services to its more than 250,000 customers. The company proudly employs 25,000 associates in more than 60 locations nationwide who are poised to serve customers beyond their expectations. As an industry leader, with access to resources beyond the ordinary, U.S. Foodservice provides the finest quality food and related products to neighborhood restaurants, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, hotels, government entities and other eating establishments. To find out how U.S. Foodservice can be Your partner beyond the plate®, visit www.usfoodservice.com.