DALLAS -- Ben E. Keith Foods has chosen FuelQuest Inc. to optimize its fuel purchasing processes.
With a fleet of more than 650 vehicles, Ben E. Keith Foods required a solution to implement best practices across its fuel purchasing operation. By centralizing the procurement effort, it will achieve greater economies of scale and subtract costs from the fuel supply chain, FuelQuest said.
"Fuel management is a daily challenge for any business with a sizeable fleet and we have to demonstrate to our customers we are doing everything [image-nocss] possible to control costs," said John Fershtand, director of fleet operations for Ben E. Keith Foods. "Our relationship with FuelQuest is significant because it allows us to not only streamline our fuel management but provides unparalleled visibility into our operations from fuel sourcing options to excise tax reconciliation."
Fershtand said that what began as a discussion topic on best practices at UniPro a purchasing consortium of food distributors evolved into a relationship with a company that works with some of the largest fuel buyers in the nation. In fact, once FuelQuest was engaged, the process was up and running in only two weeks, he said.
With FuelDesk in place, Ben E. Keith will centralize and aggregate its fuel spending; reduce exposure to fuel supply and price volatility; add FuelQuest's industry expertise to its fuel management processes; and increase transparency with fuel purchasing, transportation and taxes.
"With the addition of Ben E. Keith Foods, we have further extended our footprint in the food distribution space," said Rich Cilento, CEO of Houston-based FuelQuest.
FuelQuest provides on-demand web-based supply chain management and tax automation technologies for suppliers, distributors, buyers and traders of petroleum products and other energy commodities. Its 750 customers include global oil companies, international retailers, shippers and government entities. FuelQuest supply chain solutions process more than nine billion gallons of fuel annually, the company said, and its ZyTax solutions process more than 47 billion dollars for motor fuels excise tax a year.
Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Co. is a distributor of foodservice products and Anheuser-Busch beers. Its independent food division, Ben E. Keith Foods, supplies produce, frozen foods, meats, dry groceries, refrigerated foods, paper goods, equipment and supplies to restaurants, hospitals, schools, nursing homes and other institutional businesses. Its independent beer division, Ben E. Keith Beers, sells Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob, Michelob Light, Bud Ice, Busch Natural Light, Bacardi Silver and other Anheuser-Busch brands. Ben E. Keith Co. has six foodservice and eight beer distribution centers. The foodservice division serves eight states and the beer division exclusively delivers Anheuser-Busch products to 60 Texas counties.
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