The Monmouth branch of Wiltshire Farm Foods has added electric vehicles to its fleet.

This move aims to reduce carbon emissions while delivering meals to vulnerable people in the community.

The ready meal provider based in Ross-on-Wye is part of an 'industry-first' initiative to use refrigerated electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its commitment to meet Net Zero targets.

Driver supervisor Peter Griffith expressed the team's enthusiasm for the new vehicles, saying: "We’re in the business of sometimes driving great distances to deliver to our customers so the fact that we’re doing our bit for the environment means a great deal to the team here."

Apetito, the company's parent organisation, is investing £14.3 million to convert 75 per cent of the Wiltshire Farm Foods fleet to EVs nationwide by the end of 2025.

This transition is expected to save 1,358 tonnes of CO2e annually.

The conversion of refrigerated vehicles to electric is a notable achievement, given the high power demands of refrigeration, which some industry experts had deemed 'impossible.'

Many of the new vehicles are fitted with solar panels, allowing them to generate electricity while in motion.

Branch manager Adam Duggan said: "It’s been fascinating to understand more about the technology involved with these EVs and great to see the enthusiasm of our drivers as they take to the roads in them.

"Having recently been awarded a King’s Awards for Sustainable Development due to our closed-loop recycling scheme with our food trays, we’re really pleased to expand further on our sustainability credentials in this way."

More than 300 new refrigerated electric vehicles will be rolled out across the 60 branches of Wiltshire Farm Foods in the UK.