Fresh prepared foods manufacturer Bakkavor has increased annual pallet demand by 25% by securing a new deal with Pooling Partners. 

The deal with Europe’s leading integrated manufacturer and pooler of pallets increases Bakkavor’s demand from 1.6m to 2m units.

Pooling Partners manufactures and repairs 20 million pallets every year, and has worked with Bakkavor since 2009.  

By using Pooling Partners, Bakkavor - which has a portfolio of more than 5,000 different fresh food products - has reduced its rejection rate to 1.3%.

Terry Moore, Bakkavor’s logistics general manager, said: “We have been very satisfied with the Pooling Partner model of ‘trade direct’ because they manage it to minimise the rejection rate while ensuring we can maximise deliveries to meet time-sensitive deadlines, at a cost-effective rate.”

Last month, Bakkavor saw adjusted UK ebitda grow 10% from £112.9m to £124.1m for the 52 weeks to 26 December.