Desserts delivered by Culina.

Sweet Port SA, Europe's leading supplier of branded and private label chilled Italian desserts for supermarket retailers, has renewed its supply chain contract with Culina Logistics for a further two years.

Sweet Port produces an extensive range of products, such as tiramisu, panna cotta, dolce limone and profiteroles, in various sizes and formats for most of Britain and Europe's leading multiple retail chains.

The company has recently launched a new premium product range under the Bonta Divina Selection brand label that will be arriving in UK retail outlets later this year.

Covering storage, order processing and picking, as well as temperature-controlled distribution, the operation is based at Culina's Milton Keynes facility.

High pick accuracy is achieved using hand held RDT (radio data transfer) scanners and online POD (proof of delivery) provides detailed order status information.

Consolidated loads are delivered across the UK and Northern Ireland to over 50 retailers using Culina's shared-user platform. The 24-hour service sees the company's vehicles making around 1,700 deliveries every week to regional distribution centres (RDCs).

Managing promotional activity at Easter and Christmas that can result in significant extra sales volumes is a key part of the flexible service provided. In 2007 nearly 1.3 million cases of product were distributed.

Lyndon Stacey, UK sales manager for Sweet Port, commented: "Since we began outsourcing our logistics requirements to Culina in 2002, the company has consistently provided a highly effective temperature-controlled supply chain service.

"Culina also provides value added services, including co-packing and product customisation, that ensures we can supply product configured as required for promotional activity with retailers."

In the UK customers include Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Budgens, Somerfield, the Coop, Londis and Waitrose.

Contract Culina Logistic on tel 01902 404525 or visit www.culialogistics.co.uk