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Holman Partners with Tops Friendly Food Markets in Alt-Fuel Fleet Solution

Holman Marketing
May 16th, 2023

A Tops Friendly Food Market's tractor unit

When a food market business in upstate New York needed support with challenges they faced with their fleet of aging compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, Holman quickly stepped to the plate to provide the customer with innovative solutions to help them overcome their hurdles.

Tops Friendly Food Market, located in Buffalo, New York, sought a sustainable strategy to support its fleet of 48 semi-trucks. However, they were unsure whether CNG was still a viable alternative fuel for their delivery fleet and considered returning to diesel-powered units.

Holman Navigates Multiple Challenges of CNG-Powered Fleet

Holman was faced with tackling several challenges concerning Tops’ existing fleet. Their CNG-powered semi-trucks were used to haul 48’-53′ refrigerated trailers, and a majority of the trucks were experiencing maintenance issues, extended downtime, and poor fuel economy concerns.

Tops’ older trucks also lacked the horsepower of the modern semi-trucks, were difficult to maneuver in parking lots and tight loading areas, and consistently broke down, leading to driver frustration over the experiences. Holman carefully listened to the customer about their experience to better understand these pain points in order to develop a viable solution for them. As a result, Tops entrusted Holman with the design and delivery of all-new, state-of-the-art CNG-powered trucks.

Another challenge Holman faced in developing a viable solution for Tops was lingering supply chain constraints in getting them the vehicles they needed. Up against a tight timeline, Holman needed to submit orders quickly to ensure new units would be built and delivered before the end of Tops’ current lease term.

Given the tight timeline, the Holman team worked tirelessly with the truck manufacturer, CNG upfitter, and Tops to ensure the trucks would be built and delivered before Tops’ existing lease agreement expired. Holman understood the challenges Tops faced and worked closely with them to address the root cause of their issues.

Delivering the Solution

Holman played a vital role in finding a reliable solution for Tops’s challenge, and today Tops has a fleet of 48 state-of-the-art CNG tractor-trailer delivery trucks. Tops continues to deliver groceries to their valued customers while reducing operating costs, providing a significantly better driver experience, and continuing their sustainability journey.

After the project concluded, Mark Lumadue, Tops’ Vice President of Distribution, sent this message to the Holman team expressing his gratitude:

“On behalf of myself, the Tops Distribution Team and Tops Markets, LLC, I want to THANK YOU for all of your help getting the necessary paperwork for our new trucks as quickly as you did.

I understand there are systems and procedures to follow, however, your help in expediting our request has helped us meet a critical deadline of having enough trucks to run our operation. This certainly shows how much you value your customer’s success. Without you, this would not have been possible. Again, I cannot thank you enough and I’m extremely confident that we have selected the right partner to move forward with.”