Soft drinks manufacturer Britvic is switching its entire UK transport requirement back to Eddie Stobart, just over a year after signing up Wincanton to deliver as part of a five-year deal, MT can reveal.

News last year that Wincanton had been appointed from 1 April marked the apparent end of Britvic’s relationship with Eddie Stobart, which had taken on distribution work for it in April 2011.

Wincanton has been managing around 100,000 deliveries a year for Britvic. It also renewed its deal to manage the manufacturer’s Lutterworth NDC, a relationship that has endured for close to 30 years and is unaffected by the transport decision.

Speaking last year, Adrian Colman chief executive of Wincanton, said: “This contract is further evidence of our partnership approach and dedication to delivering effective and innovative supply chain operations.

“Britvic’s ambitious plans, paired with Wincanton’s ability to operate and optimise both warehouse and transport operations, makes for an ideal partnership over the next five years.”

In a statement, Britvic told MT: “We can confirm that we have appointed Eddie Stobart to manage our UK transport operations.

“Wincanton will continue to operate our Lutterworth NDC warehouse and they remain a valuable and trusted partner.”

Responding to the win, David Pickering, COO at Eddie Stobart, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be working with Britvic to enhance its supply chain and UK transport operations. We look forward to working closely with the team once again."

A spokesman for Wincanton told MT: “We have worked hard with the client to meet the complex demands of their business and have maintained an excellent relationship despite the challenges we have faced together.

"We have agreed that from a date to be agreed, which we anticipate will be within the first 2 weeks of June we will relinquish the transport contract. We will continue to run Britvic’s main DC at Lutterworth."

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