Cairo: As part of its ongoing commitment towards environmental sustainability, Danone Egypt has announced its partnership with Shift EV to convert its distribution fleet to operate on electric power using Shift’s innovative Electro-fitted technology. This initiative marks an important milestone in Danone Egypt’s sustainability strategy, by leading the way towards a more sustainable future, reducing carbon emissions, and converting 50% of its distribution fleet to electric power. The project aims to reduce carbon emissions by more than 6,000 metric tons, equivalent to planting 240,000 trees until 2030, and resulting in 70% reduction in operating costs.

Mr. Hesham Radwan, General Manager at Danone Egypt stated “As a leading company in the dairy industry, Danone Egypt continues to put its consumers and the community at the heart of its operations; and sustainability is no exception. We strive to develop and improve our operations’ carbon footprint in Egypt and this partnership strongly aligns with our dual purpose and commitment towards business success and environmental and social progress.  

Our vision "One Planet. One Health." reflects our conviction that the health of people and the health of the planet are interconnected. To deliver on our commitment to this vision, we are focusing on combating climate change by creating long-term plans and new business models in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

On his part, Eng. Aly Eltayeb, CEO of Shift EV, stated that “The transition of pickup trucks to electricity marks a significant milestone for Shift EV and its clients in the transportation and shipping industry. The product enables customers to give their truck fleets a second life using an electric propulsion system, significantly reducing fuel and maintenance costs.”     Furthermore, he stressed that their partnership with Danone aims to introduce a globally leading experience in reducing emissions from refrigerated supply chains through a technological solution that reduces emissions and costs.

Danone Egypt and Shift EV’s partnership marks a significant stride in bolstering the Egyptian government's environmental conservation endeavours. This partnership is geared towards promoting the adoption of clean energy sources, thereby contributing to the reduction of harmful emissions and the overall reduction of carbon footprints in alignment with environmental preservation goals.

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About Danone Egypt

Danone Egypt is a subsidiary of Danone company with headquarters in Cairo operating since 2006 with a leading position on essential dairy category (Danone Yogurt, Danette, Activia, Danone Max, Danao, Oiko,HiPro and Dango) and Early Life Nutrition (Bebelac, Aptamil and Nutristart). Danone Egypt’s 1,500 employees are driven by the ambition to nourish a healthier and happier Egypt. Danone is proud to make a positive contribution to Egypt with great tasting, healthier and top-quality products for infants, children and families; and services which support healthy lifestyles for all Egyptians. Danone Egypt has a plant in Obour and a world class dairy farm in Nubariya, the third largest in Egypt.

Danone Egypt is the first company in Egypt to achieve the B Corp TM Certification. It recognizes the company’s ambition to act beyond financial profit and put purpose at the heart of its business strategy in addition to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. In 2022, Danone Egypt has been awarded as the leading Company Providing Healthy Food Solutions by BT100. Danone Egypt aspires to make a positive contribution to the Egyptian community with services and access to health-related products.

About Shift EV

Shift EV is an electric mobility technology startup based in Cairo, Egypt with a technology that allows businesses to shift fleets to electric mobility at a fraction of the cost of a new EV. Shift EV uses specially-designed and locally manufactured lithium-ion battery packs to convert vehicles to run on electric drivetrains using an industrial process in a few hours. The electric drivetrains are designed to seamlessly integrate with existing chassis and remotely connect vehicles to ShiftWare, the EV fleet operating system, for digital visibility and control. Electrofitted vehicles reduce operating costs by 70% while eliminating air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Shift EV was founded in 2021 by a team of engineers from MIT and Intel and has raised $20mn in capital by global investors. Today, Shift EV is a 120-person team with manufacturing assets in Cairo, Egypt and Aftersales coverage across Egypt.