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Unusual Delivery: Challenges and solutions for gastronomy

Delivering to gastronomic establishments in remote locations poses enormous logistical challenges for delivery services. Nevertheless, innovative solutions have revolutionised the industry. Four examples of how METRO reaches unconventional locations and overcomes the limits of logistics.

This translation was created from the original text using AI (DeepL).
Delivery in the mountains - a narrow tunnel drive
From drone deliveries to specialised transport to the use of local resources - innovative delivery solutions for the last mile.
Above the clouds – food delivery in the mountains

What´s it all about?

Four examples of unusual deliveries

  • Germany - the Brocken
  • Austria by Ski, Ski-Doo and Helicopter
  • France by Bike
  • Venice by Gondola
In Austria: delivery by helicopter
Content:

Gastronomy in unusual locations offers unique culinary experiences for guests but also presents logistical obstacles. On mountain peaks, in remote areas over rough terrain or through narrow city streets, procuring fresh ingredients is a challenge. Top priority: ensuring the quality of the products.

Innovation and adaptability are crucial for the success of gastronomy delivery in unconventional environments. By using drones, specialised transport, and local resources, suppliers can master the last mile and ensure that guests in the most remote locations can enjoy culinary highlights. Four METRO examples show how.

Germany: the Brocken

Since spring 2022, the team in Goslar has had the Brockenwirt restaurant on the highest mountain in northern Germany in its sights. Delivering to the Brocken proved to be a challenge. Each delivery requires a special permit from the Harz National Park. Each customer appointment must be registered with the park rangers, who then allow access to the Brocken. 'We deliver twice a week. It must be ensured that the delivery arrives before 11 a.m. After that, our truck can no longer pass the horse-drawn carriages that transport tourists to the Brocken,' says Julius Jobi, Managing Director of METRO GASTRO Goslar. In addition, there are special weather conditions at 1,142 meters – an alpine location comparable to the climate of Iceland. Storm gusts and snow are everyday occurrences, which is why snow chains were purchased for the trucks.

Everything the restaurant needs is delivered to the Brocken: fries and sauces, fresh meat, sliced fruit and vegetables, as well as cakes, pastries, and cleaning supplies. In addition to the bi-weekly delivery, the operators of the Brockenwirt visit the market in Goslar for special events, for example on Saturdays.

Austria: skis, ski-doo and helicopter

In mountainous Austria, the METRO delivery service also had to get creative. Obertauern is a winter sports resort in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The use of snow chains is clear, but what if the transport trolley with the goods skids due to black ice? Let's just say: the METRO customer deliverers had fun despite the adverse conditions ... Here’s the video 🎬👇

METRO delivery in the snow

Also in Austria, Franz Reischl from the Sporthotel Tauplitzalm picked up the full METRO containers from the truck with the Ski-Doo and pulled them through the snow to the hotel. Not an uncommon sight at this time of year.

The METRO wholesale market in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, found a creative solution to deliver to the Neue Seehütte, operated by the customer Rax Trio and located in the Rax area at an altitude of 1,648 meters. The goods are first transported by truck over forest paths to the take-off point, then loaded into the helicopter and finally flown to the hut.

Logistics Master: Delivery to Remote Locations

Gondola in Venice, Italy

In the Gerland district of Lyon, France, the METRO delivery service has used progressive technologies to make use of a seemingly outdated means of transport:
Via velo in Lyon, France
In Austria: delivery by helicopter

Helicopter in Austria

METRO delivery service in Austria: Skis, Ski-Doo and Helicopter

Ski-Doo in Austria

In Austria: delivery by helicopter – a challenge

Helicopter in Austria

Above the clouds – food delivery in the mountains

Truck in the mountains of Austria

Delivery in the mountains - a narrow tunnel drive

Narrow tunnels in the mountains of Austria

Delivery by helicopter in the mountains – a challenge

Helicopter in Austria

France: by bike

In the Gerland district of Lyon, France, the METRO delivery service has used progressive technologies to make use of a seemingly outdated means of transport: the bicycle. Here, two delivery bikes are in use, pulling heavy-duty bike trailers from K-Ryole. Each trailer can transport a maximum load of 200 kg per delivery. With ten deliveries per day and an average load of 50 kg per trip, several thousand kilometres have already been covered by bike since their first use in February 2022. The service is mainly used by restaurant owners who gratefully accept this sustainable delivery option and are particularly pleased with the environmental relief and the quick delivery of small orders thanks to the carbon-free means of transport. The friendly biker team is always welcome, and the traffic and lack of parking and loading facilities, which previously always made delivery by truck difficult, are no longer a problem.

Italy: the gondolas of Venice

In Venice, Italy, METRO has taken advantage of the city's canal landscape and started using small delivery boats on the waterways already used by tourist gondolas, mail boats, and water taxis. In the city centre of Venice, where all other vehicles (even bicycles) are prohibited, the gondola is the simplest and fastest solution for reliable delivery to METRO customers.

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