Volvo Trucks has teamed up with globally celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson for a new campaign. The challenge? Prepare a gourmet meal with ingredients that have been transported by truck with exhaust emissions eliminated or kept to a minimum. Electric trucks had a key role in the initiative, which aims to inspire transport buyers in the food and beverage industry to embrace more sustainable transportation options.
Decarbonization of the transport industry continues, with battery-electric trucks as one way to achieve zero tailpipe emissions. In the food and beverage industry, transport is responsible for 19%* of all emissions.
Volvo Trucks joined forces with globally celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson, who is the culinary force behind numerous international restaurants, to demonstrate how tailpipe emissions from road transport can be removed or kept to a minimum in the food and beverage industry.
Marcus Samuelsson set himself the challenge to prepare a gourmet meal with all the ingredients brought to his kitchen by electric trucks, or by trucks running on renewable fuels like biogas or biodiesel.
“This was the first dinner of its kind, and I’m super excited to be part of it. For this project I had to think about transportation as an ingredient, right? It’s a main character! That’s why I loved this challenge. Because once we do this, it’s going to push the industry forward. Hopefully one day, all chefs will write on the menu how the food was transported to the restaurant and that’s going to become a new premium,” says Marcus Samuelsson.
The menu featured miso-glazed cod, cabbage, crayfish, cucumber salad and a German Riesling wine.
The dinner ingredients collectively travelled approximately 2,700 kilometres by road, with 86% of that distance covered by electric trucks emitting zero tailpipe emissions. The remaining kilometres were managed by trucks running on renewable fuels.
“This campaign fits the Volvo brand perfectly – it makes sustainability in the transport business understandable and tangible by applying it to a restaurant meal – something that everyone can relate to, says Katarina Adamson, Head of Global Brand & Communication at Volvo Trucks. She continues: “The aim is to reach transport buyers in the food and beverage industry, as their decisions and demands can significantly influence the direction and pace towards sustainable transport solutions.”
The challenge turned out to be a total team effort, involving several food and beverage companies, growers and transport providers – who were all invited to the join the dinner served at a local restaurant in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Marcus Samuelsson, is the culinary force behind numerous international restaurants, including the acclaimed Red Rooster Harlem in New York City (where he notably served President Barack Obama). He is also an Emmy-winning television personality and accomplished author with a history of significant involvement in philanthropic endeavors. For this campaign, Marcus was challenged to create a world-class dinner with all the ingredients brought to the kitchen by electric trucks, or by trucks running on renewable fuels.
