Rivian Automotive, Inc., an electric vehicle manufacturer, and HelloFresh, a global meal kit provider, have announced a major sustainability milestone: cutting more than 200 metric tons of carbon emissions through their partnership. The reduction is driven by the use of Rivian’s all-electric Commercial Vans, making HelloFresh Rivian's first major fleet customer since the company opened van sales to the public earlier this year.

HelloFresh has deployed 70 Rivian vans as part of its delivery fleet under the Factor brand.

“Fresh prepared food is one of the fastest growing grocery segments, and Factor leads the market with healthy, convenient, high-quality, ready-to-eat meals,” said Nunzio Di Savino, vice president of U.S. Logistics for HelloFresh. “We’re taking this opportunity to showcase Factor’s dedication to sustainability through impactful branding, including our delivery fleet.”

Electric Vans Help Drive Fleet Electrification and Emissions Reductions

With support from Rivian, nearly 25% of HelloFresh’s delivery fleet is now electric. The company has saved an estimated 20,000 gallons of gasoline and reduced carbon emissions by over 200 tons, the equivalent of the annual carbon capture of 300 acres of U.S. forest, after driving more than 250,000 miles.

The company’s delivery network also optimizes routes to minimize travel distances from distribution centers to customers, cutting fuel use, food waste, and packaging (reducing insulation and ice packs by 6% to 10% per box). With transit hubs in 14 urban markets, the use of electric vehicles reduces emissions caused by idling and frequent stops that are common in dense city areas.

Ben Kubik, senior program manager of Last-Mile Logistics at HelloFresh, said the transition to Rivian’s longer-range vans has unlocked new delivery routes that weren’t possible with earlier EV models. 

“The Rivian Commercial Van is purpose-built for last-mile delivery,” Kubik said. “We can avoid things like turning the vehicle on and off 100+ times a day or idling in traffic and wasting gasoline.”

Fleet Infrastructure and EV Strategy Built from the Ground Up

Kubik said HelloFresh spent the last year preparing for this rollout, installing more than 100 charging stations across its HelloFresh Delivery Network. 

“There’s a lot of planning, budgeting, approvals, and construction to build the infrastructure necessary to incorporate EVs in a fleet,” he said. “Having our own charging infrastructure means we can charge our fleet in the most efficient way possible: overnight at our warehouse when the vans are not in use.”

HFDN also piloted more than 25 non-Rivian EVs over the past two years to fine-tune routing and delivery processes in advance of deploying Rivian’s longer-range vehicles. These preparations helped HelloFresh quickly scale its electrification goals from 10% of the fleet to 25%.

“Our leadership team saw the huge benefits that electrifying our fleet could bring,” Kubik said. “Fuel costs are more predictable, and long-term maintenance is reduced compared to traditional vans. With support from our fleet partner Ryder, we’ve eliminated all diesel units from our fleet.”

Partnership Delivers Results for HelloFresh and the Environment

Tom Solomon, vice president of B2B Growth and Business Development at Rivian, said, “We’re delighted that HelloFresh has joined us on our mission to cut emissions and protect our environment. HelloFresh delivers to millions of customers in the U.S., so by adding more electric vehicles to its fleet, it has not only helped reduce their carbon output but has improved air quality in cities across the U.S.”

Rivian’s Commercial Van is designed with safety and efficiency in mind, featuring automatic emergency braking, collision warnings, and 360-degree visibility. Its proprietary software supports streamlined fleet management and lowers overall cost of ownership.

To support this growing EV operation, HelloFresh is partnering with Ryder through the RyderElectric+ program, which provides electric vehicle advisory, leasing, and maintenance services.