DB Cargo and DB Schenker Ensure Supply of Italian Pasta

Empty supermarket shelves have been virtually unknown in this country until now. DB Cargo and DB Schenker are now ensuring a supply of pasta from Italy by rail. During the Covid-19 crisis, consumers are also presenting logistics companies with exciting challenges.

(Mainz, 08.04.2020) Italian pasta is in high demand even in normal times, and now as a non-perishable food, it is particularly sought after. While stockpiling may seem irrational, empty supermarket shelves not only look sad, but they also send the wrong signal. However, pasta is not actually scarce, as the “Pasta Express” shows.

Recently, 300 pallets containing around 400,000 packages of spaghetti, penne, and fusilli from ALDI’s private label Cucina near Naples have been transported to Nuremberg. From there, DB Schenker distributes the pallets to ten ALDI regional companies, which together supply more than 650 branches of the discount retailer. And just one day later, the packages are already on the shelves. “There is still no reason for panic buying of pasta,” emphasizes Andreas Kremer, Director of Supply Chain Management at Aldi Süd.

Another 200 pallets are expected to follow shortly. This means that ten freight cars from DB Cargo have been filled with pasta and transported quickly from Southern Italy to Germany, without any issues at the borders. The train is set to deliver extra supplies for four weeks. On the return journey, it will also carry packaging material sourced from Scandinavia.

Strengths of the Railway

The railway is thus showcasing one of its greatest strengths: moving large quantities with relatively few people. It also demonstrates that supply chains can withstand pressures that even exceed those of the Christmas season. Meanwhile, the pasta machines in Italy are running at full speed, helping the economically traditionally weaker south of the country, while the north is heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The region of Campania, whose capital is Naples, currently reports fewer infections than the comparably populated state of Hesse.

Thus, the Covid crisis could ultimately give rail freight not only a short-term but even a lasting boost: “Our customers are naturally questioning existing supply chains in such a situation. How can supply chains be better secured in the future? The railway plays an increasingly important role here. If we can convince with performance and reliability during this crisis, we will sustainably see the desired shifts from road to rail,” says Stephan Sulser, Sales Manager Consumer Goods, Pulp & Paper at DB Cargo.

Photo: DB Cargo

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