REMBAU: Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd will pioneer the use of electric vehicle (EV) trucks to transport Milo ingredients as part of its Milo Sayang Bumi programme from Malaysia to Singapore.
The initiative is a strategic partnership with Swift Haulage Sdn Bhd, Trumas Damai Sdn Bhd, Volvo Trucks and Shell Malaysia, supported by the Transport Ministry and the Road Transport Department (RTD).
It sees the use of EV trucks to transport Milo tanks between the Chembong factory and Jurong factory in Singapore.
This initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions by up to 1,000 tonnes annually, with an average of 1,750 trips per year covering 280km per trip.
Nestle Malaysia chief executive officer Juan Aranols said the company plans to acquire four additional EV trucks within the next six months with the aim of making the route 100 per cent sustainable.
He said the use of EV trucks is part of Nestle's ongoing initiative to reduce the company's carbon footprint while pioneering green logistics in Malaysia.
"Earlier this year, Nestle Malaysia achieved a milestone with the launch of the biomass power plant at the Chembong factory, which can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 14,000 tonnes annually.
"The brand continues to enhance sustainability efforts by installing solar panels on all Milo sampling trucks to power electrical equipment, with the goal of completing installation by 2027," he said.
He said this during the launch ceremony of the Nestle Malaysia EV truck at Chembong factory here today.
The event was launched by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, with RTD director-general Datuk Rospiagos Taha and Rembau Municipal Council president Mohd Zamri Mohd Esa in attendance.
Aranols said the company successfully met its environmental target by achieving a 25 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by the end of 2023 compared to the baseline value in 2018.
He said the company is now ready to achieve a 50 per cent reduction by 2030.
"This initiative reflects our unwavering dedication to achieving operational excellence while intensifying efforts towards sustainability.
"This initiative is also our transition towards sustainable packaging solutions, such as the use of 100 per cent paper straws and recyclable materials for Milo UHT packs," he said.
Aranols added that the company's commitment to environmental practices also extends to effective plastic recycling efforts among communities and schools.
"Through the CAREton Project, we successfully recycled 1,409 tonnes of beverage cartons in 2023, equivalent to nearly 200,000 households reached through the SAVE Nestlé Malaysia project to collect and separate nearly 20,000 tonnes of consumer waste annually for recycling," he said.
Meanwhile, Loke praised Nestle Malaysia's efforts in pioneering the use of EV vehicle trucks in line with the Low Carbon Mobility Development Plan 2021–2030, which aimed at reducing carbon usage in Malaysia's transportation sector.
"The government will continue to encourage the use of EVs through various supportive policies and proactive implementations by all parties, including private companies," he said.