Last week, the Austrian Future Food Connective Innovation Hub, set up by Fachhochschule des BFI Wien, organized a truly insightful interview with Thomas Huber, founder of ROSY’S. The interview took place during a co-creation session focused on the topic: “ROSY’S Approach to Last-Mile Logistics, Food Logistics, and Parcel Locker Delivery”.
ROSY’S is tackling one of the biggest challenges in Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) and Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs): logistics. Their mission is bold yet simple – replace international supply chains with regional ones, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 80% (depending on the product).
Their innovative solution? A cooled Parcel Locker infrastructure, designed as a white-label system. This could revolutionize the way we think about food delivery, since it allows local food producers to deliver their fresh, cooled goods directly to the lockers. End customers can simply pick them up, ensuring an unbroken cold chain from farm to table.
It’s no surprise that ROSY’S groundbreaking work has been recognized – they recently received the Austrian Honorary SDG Award 2024 for reducing the CO2 impact of food delivery.
Nevertheless, there are still challenges that remain. Delivering small quantities with small vehicles can be pricey, and some ideas still lack a proof of concept. That’s where support from initiatives like research and pilot project funding from the cities or the state could provide the much-needed boost for these transformative ideas.
The University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna extends its heartfelt thanks to Thomas Huber for sharing his mission and vision with us. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to shape the future of sustainable food supply chains!