Australian beverage manufacturer Remedy Drinks has steadily and successfully built its business using the help of battery-electric Toyota Material Handling forklifts to distribute its products.
Over the past decade, Australian beverage company, Remedy Drinks, has rapidly expanded its operations, with its distinctive kombucha becoming a household name.
As the company scaled up, one crucial factor in its success has been its reliance on Toyota Material Handling Australia’s (TMHA) battery-electric forklifts.
These vehicles have played an essential role in Remedy’s ability to meet growing demand while maintaining sustainable practices and high operational efficiency.
A rapid rise
Founded in 2012 by Sarah and Emmet Condon, Remedy Drinks emerged as a healthier alternative to sugary soft drinks. Its home-brewed kombucha, made from 100 per cent natural ingredients with no added sugar, gained popularity among health-conscious consumers.
The company has expanded its product range to include Sodaly natural soft drinks, Kick Natural energy drinks, miniature energy shots, and apple cider vinegar-based beverages.
What started as a small operation in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs has now grown into a thriving business. Remedy Drinks occupies a large dual warehouse and production facility in Dandenong South, where demand for its products continues to soar.
Throughout this journey, Remedy has relied heavily on its partnership with TMHA, which dates back to the company’s first forklift – a second-hand Toyota unit.
Powering growth with battery-electric forklifts
Today, Remedy’s material handling fleet includes eight reach forklifts and four counterbalance forklifts, all powered by electric battery technology.
These battery-electric forklifts are at the heart of Remedy’s distribution operations, offering the dual benefits of efficiency and sustainability. Zero emissions during operation mean the forklifts align perfectly with Remedy’s commitment to environmentally friendly practices.
Ryan Stark, Remedy Drinks’ Warehouse Manager, attributes much of the company’s logistical success to these forklifts.
“The warehouse and logistics team’s primary role is to ensure our product is delivered to our customers and knowing that our equipment on-site can do that is our number one priority,” says Ryan.
“It’s great to know that putting our pallets into racking, loading trucks, and picking orders, our equipment can do that and does it reliably.”
Reliable and user-friendly equipment
Reliability is key to Remedy’s operations, and Ryan is quick to praise the performance of TMHA’s forklifts. Over the years, the partnership between the companies has strengthened, with both working closely to ensure the forklifts are always performing optimally.
“From an operational perspective, they are an easy vehicle to operate,” says Ryan. “They have all the bells and whistles that I think are required on a forklift, particularly from a safety perspective.”
The user-friendly design of Toyota’s forklifts has proven invaluable to the Remedy team. With intuitive controls and a suite of safety features – these machines are built to maximise both productivity and operator safety.
This is important in a fast-paced production and logistics environment like Remedy Drinks, where safety and efficiency go hand in hand.
Fleet management with I_Site telematics
In addition to the forklifts themselves, TMHA has provided Remedy Drinks with advanced fleet management tools, including the I_Site telematics system.
This technology allows the company to monitor and optimise its forklift fleet in real time. For Ryan, the introduction of I_Site has been a game-changer.
“In particular, the I_Site software for us is huge, as we’re able to have live data in terms of collisions,” explains Ryan.
By eliminating the need for manual checklists and paper-based tracking systems, I_Site has streamlined many of the processes in Remedy’s warehouse.
“You’re doing away with manual checklists and books on the forklifts – that’s all done through the I_Site software, which is a huge thing,” adds Ryan.
Enhancing safety with proximity-linked speed limiting safety is a top priority for Remedy Drinks, and TMHA’s forklifts come equipped with safety technologies. One such feature is proximity-linked speed limiting, which automatically reduces the speed of the forklifts in certain areas of the warehouse.
This is particularly useful in zones with high pedestrian traffic, such as the production area, where forklifts must navigate around workers.
“Some of our production forklifts have speed limiters on them,” says Ryan.
“Once they move from the warehouse to the production area, the speed is limited.
“There’s more pedestrian traffic in production, and there’s a little more interaction between forklifts and pedestrians, so this safety feature is invaluable.”
By automating these safety controls, Remedy can ensure the wellbeing of its employees while maintaining smooth and efficient operations.
A strong partnership
Remedy’s long-standing relationship with TMHA has been nurtured by Grant Owen, TMHA’s Area Sales Manager, who has been with the company since Remedy first purchased its second-hand forklift.
Over the years, Grant has facilitated Remedy’s forklift needs, from its first new purchase – a pair of Toyota RRE140 reach forklifts – to its ongoing expansion.
As Remedy Drinks continues to grow, securing contracts with major retailers such as Coles and Woolworths, the company’s material handling needs have evolved. Yet, the partnership with TMHA remains steadfast, with TMHA providing the equipment and support required to keep pace with Remedy’s rapid growth.
Future-proofing operations
Remedy Drinks shows no signs of slowing down. With plans to continue expanding, the company is confident that TMHA’s range of equipment will continue to meet its needs.
“Knowing that we’ve got a relationship with a supplier that has a large variety of equipment, we know we can stay with TMHA as our supplier,” says Ryan.
“If we need to have new equipment on site, with the range that Toyota has, we know we’re not going to be in a situation where we can’t get a specific piece of equipment. We can rest assured that TMHA will probably have it in some form.”
For Remedy, this long-term partnership with TMHA ensures that its warehouse operations can scale with the business.
“It allows us to stay within one brand, which obviously helps with our servicing and our relationship. We can get the equipment that we really need to run the warehouse,” adds Ryan.
A shared commitment to sustainability
Sustainability has always been a key part of Remedy Drinks’ philosophy, and the use of battery-electric forklifts has allowed the company to maintain its eco-friendly approach.
By choosing electric forklifts that produce zero emissions during operation, Remedy is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also contributing to a cleaner, greener logistics operation.
This focus on sustainability is something TMHA shares, as the company continues to innovate with electric powertrains and eco-friendly technologies in its material handling solutions.
With both companies aligned on the importance of reducing their environmental impact, the partnership between Remedy Drinks and TMHA is one that will continue to thrive as the industry moves towards a more sustainable future.
A recipe for success
As Remedy Drinks continues to grow, it can do so with confidence, knowing that TMHA will be there to provide the equipment and support it needs to succeed.
For Ryan and his team, the partnership with TMHA is more than just about forklifts – it’s about ensuring that the company’s logistics are always running smoothly and sustainably, allowing Remedy to focus on what it does best: brewing great-tasting, healthy beverages.
To learn more about Toyota Material Handling Australia, click here