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Van Driver
Professional Driver – apetito
Recruitment Area: Portbury (Bristol), Stanmore, Gillingham, South Kirkby, St Helens, and Motherwell (Scotland)
About the Role
apetito’s transport and distribution team plays a critical role in the company’s supply chain, ensuring our high-quality frozen food products reach care homes, local authorities, hospitals, and Wiltshire Farm Foods franchisees across the UK.
As a Professional Driver, you will:
- Act as an ambassador for apetito, delivering exceptional service to our clients.
- Drive across diverse geographical locations while managing a demanding delivery schedule.
- Provide hands-on unloading support, using equipment like rolling cages, dollies, and hand trucks to ensure swift and efficient service.
At apetito, we supply over 1,300 care homes, health, and education settings in the UK, with meals crafted by our dietitians and chefs, expertly frozen to preserve nutrient value. Our sister company, Wiltshire Farm Foods, supplies 330+ frozen ready meals, making us the UK’s largest ready meal supplier.
Core Responsibilities
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Vehicle readiness & safety:
- Complete a pre-shift inspection of the vehicle.
- Strict adherence to Driver Hours Regulations (EU) and road traffic laws.
- Drive economically and damage-free to maintain compliance.
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Timely deliveries & exceptional service:
- Deliver goods directly to the point of need (e.g., care homes, hospitals).
- Ensure prompt communications about delays or discrepancies.
- Conflicts resolution and clear communication with customers/progress updates to the office.
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Company representation & brand upholding:
- Act as an advocate for the apetito brand.
- Report customer service issues transparently.
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness inside and outside all company vehicles.
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Vehicle maintenance & administrative tasks:
- Conduct pre/post hire vehicle inspections.
- Perform minor vehicle care (refuelling, minor repairs, bulb replacements).
- Participate in vehicle handover processes, including rental suppliers.
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Drive for improvement & skills development:
- Engage in daily briefings to identify operational efficiencies.
- Collaboratively improve safety, service, and productivity working with supervisors.
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Flexibility & adaptability:
- Adjust to varying routes, schedules, and routes according to demand.
- Operate under pressure with a calm and proactive attitude.
Requirements
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Driving qualifications:
- Valid HGVs category licence (C1, C, or CE) and experience.
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Physical capability:
- Ability to handle heavy goods using hands-on unloading equipment.
- Fitness to safely drive in fluctuating weather conditions.
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Practical skills:
- Experience with basic vehicle servicing and maintenance.
- Practical skills for efficient transport logistics, managing time under pressures.
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Personal attributes:
- High standard of customer service and commercial diplomacy.
- Proven ability to balance safety, punctuality, and efficiency while driving.
- Can-do attitude with a flexible and responsive mindset.
- Commitment to a sticks-to-procedure and ethical approach.
- Located within reasonable commuting distance to one of our depots.
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- Travel & duty:
- Regular travel required across multiple depots with cover shift responsiveness as required.
Benefits
apetito is proud to offer a rewarding compensation and benefits package:
- Competitive salary and accredited Living Wage employer.
- 33 days leave per year, including bank holidays (bank holidays are working days).
- Exclusive additional leave options: Purchase up to 5 extra days of holiday.
- Discretionary annual bonus scheme (open to all drivers).
- Company pension scheme, with 4% employer-matched contributions.
- Life assurance protection (minimum £1,000 cover for each year of service).
- On-site perks: Free snacks and beverages.
- Private parking at depots.
- Christmas lunch and homeworker gifts (free turkey or voucher).
- Membership of an exclusive employee benefits scheme (Perkbox), with discounts on leisure, tech, retail and travel.
Why Join apetito?
As a familily-owned business, we combine care and commitment to:
- Feed the UK’s most vulnerable through nutritious, sustainable meals.
- Champion British ethical agriculture and meet our 2040 Net Zero goals.
- Support equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Our sustainability is recognised by the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), and our dedication to cultural and environmental standards empowers both our teams and customers. Join us as not just a driver but a humanist in transport.
Learn more about our sustainability initiatives and values. Restrictions: No sponsorship for international candidates within this role.
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