PRODUCTION has begun on hundreds of new floats for The Modern Milkman.

Burnley-based vehicle converter CoolKit says that the Fiat Doblo vans will be 'the milk floats of the future' and the model represents the first of its type in the country, with lightweight materials used to create a radical new design.

The Modern Milkman, based in Pendle, will be using the new floats at national level, having first trialled them on the streets of Greater Manchester.

Modern Milkman founder Simon Mellin said: “The prototype was tested on various routes around Greater Manchester over a few months and was a great success.

“We’re looking forward to hitting the road with a new fleet of CoolKit vehicles as we expand our range of return and reuse groceries and encourage even more customers to think and act in a sustainable way.”

The Modern Milkman is an app-led alternative to the traditional milk round, delivering groceries in returnable and reusable packaging, all of which is plastic-free.

Recent investments have enabled the company to further increase its reach, for which new vehicles are needed to manage demand and delivery.

As such the company has now placed an order for 325 newly converted Doblo floats from CoolKit.

CoolKit CEO Rupert Gatty said: “Each van offers a payload of 700kg, enabling The Modern Milkman to carry large quantities of its dairy and grocery products.

“The van’s compact size makes it the perfect solution for urbanised areas and its roller shutter doors ensure minimum disruption for residents sleeping while milkmen and women carry out their rounds during the early hours.

“The vans have a two-section layout with one of the zones providing the perfect insulation against outside ambient temperatures and are each fitted with LED lighting to ensure adequate lighting.

“We’re proud to be working with yet another innovative company and providing the highly specific solutions our clients need to become market leaders.

“The Modern Milkman does an incredible job in delivering high quality milk and groceries in an eco-friendly way and we’re delighted that we can now supply them with so many new vehicles as their business grows and their message of sustainability spreads.”

To find out more, go to: https://themodernmilkman.co.uk/.