Food City and Pepsi Bottling Co. agree to reduce delivery travel, save fuel

ABINGDON, Va. K-V-A-T Food Stores Inc. and Pepsi Bottling Co. have joined forces in an agreement that will save more than 17,300 gallons of diesel fuel every year.

The two companies have devised a plan to backhaul Pepsi Bottling products from Knoxville to the bottler’s Johnson City, Tenn. distribution facility. Until this point, Pepsi Bottling trucks would drive to Johnson City, drop off products and return to Knoxville empty. Food City trucks would travel from Abingdon warehouse, deliver products to 50 area company stores and drive back empty.

The new arrangement will save 2000 miles every week, 104,000 miles every year and significantly reduce emissions from trucks driving from Knoxville to Abingdon.