29 Oct Cress Co: A New Partnership Built on Quality
Cress Co was founded in 2003 by Joe Wall, starting out with a second-hand van and a small lock-up in Perth, Scotland. Over 23 years, the business has grown into a fleet of 130 vehicles with a turnover of £65 million last year. In 2023, Cress Co acquired fellow Scottish wholesaler Adamson Drinks, now fully integrated into the business, and in 2024 launched a new venture, Route2 Haulage and Distribution.
Cress Co supplies fine foods and drinks to farm shops and delis, with customers including Dobbies, and distributes soft drinks and confectionery brands such as Haribo and Coca-Cola through Adamsons. The business also holds contracts with customers including Baynes and local authorities such as Falkirk Council, supplying schools across the region.
We were first introduced to Fleet Manager Lewis Conway, who joined Cress Co two years ago as a fleet administrator before progressing into his current role. Lewis placed Cress Co’s first Gray & Adams order for eight 14-tonne refrigerated vehicles, which was recently delivered and was followed by a further order for a fridge trailer. It marks the start of a new relationship for us, with Cress Co having previously worked with other body builders.
With Cress Co’s head office less than five miles from our Dunfermline site, the partnership has been supported closely by Sales Manager John Burnett, along with Derek, Graham and Chris. Beyond the convenience of location, we were glad to hear that Cress Co were drawn to our reputation for quality, and we’re proud that from the very first conversation the process has been straightforward, we listened to what Cress Co wanted, developed a bespoke design around their needs, and worked through every request without hesitation. This specification was confirmed and the order was placed with more commencing in late 2025.
“Cress Co is exactly the kind of customer we love working with, a growing, family-rooted business that knows precisely what it needs from its fleet. From our very first conversation with Lewis, it was clear this was about far more than a standard refrigerated body, so we took the time to understand how Cress Co and Adamsons operate day to day and designed around that. Seeing the vehicles out on the road since March, performing exactly as intended, is what this job is all about. We’re looking forward to building on this relationship as Cress Co continues to grow.”
– John Burnett, Sales Manager, Gray & Adams
Customer Requirement
Cress Co’s most recent order comprised eight 14-tonne refrigerated vehicles. While a laned body is a common specification, Cress Co needed something more, a door built into the centre bulkhead wall, allowing access to both compartments from a single side door on the nearside of vehicle. This keeps the cold chain more tightly controlled during multi-drop deliveries, reducing the need to open both sides of the vehicle and limiting temperature loss.
The vehicles were also fitted with air curtains to further support temperature control at the point of loading and unloading, and finished in a refreshed Cress Co livery, split between the Cress Co and Adamsons brands to reflect the breadth of the business.
Gray & Adams Solution
We worked closely with Cress Co to develop a specification unique to their operation, rather than supplying an off-the-shelf refrigerated body. Our bespoke centre-door bulkhead design directly addresses Cress Co’s need to protect the cold chain while serving multiple compartments efficiently on the road, and the addition of air curtains further reinforces temperature control across both sections of the vehicle.
The livery split between the Cress Co and Adamsons brands reflects the fact that, since the 2023 acquisition, the two businesses now operate as one integrated fleet, and we were able to accommodate this dual-brand requirement as part of the wider build. Throughout the process, our team responded to every request raised by Cress Co, ensuring the finished vehicles matched the exact way their business operates.
Added Value
Since taking delivery, Cress Co has been able to maintain more accurate temperature control with fewer issues affecting product, a direct result of the bespoke bulkhead and air curtain specification. Build quality has also made a marked difference, Cress Co had previously experienced issues with another body builder that led to vehicle downtime, but our vehicles have been on the road since March without any significant technical issues.
Lewis also highlighted the confidence that comes with working with us, knowing that if any issues do arise, we will respond quickly rather than leaving Cress Co without a vehicle on the road. It’s this kind of relationship, built on responsiveness and quality, that we aim to deliver for every customer.
Customer Impact
Looking ahead, we expect our relationship with Cress Co to go from strength to strength. Cress Co has already put forward initial specifications for further bodies, including some more unique builds, and intends to route all future volume for this type of vehicle through us.
As Cress Co continues to grow, including planned expansion south of the border, we look forward to growing alongside the business and playing our part in supporting that next stage.
Our Customer Says
“I couldn’t recommend Gray & Adams highly enough. We can maintain temperature control far more accurately now, with a lot fewer issues affecting our product, and the build quality speaks for itself. These vehicles have been on the road since March without any real technical issues, which hasn’t always been our experience with other body builders. It gives us real confidence knowing that if anything ever did come up, Gray & Adams would be there in a heartbeat rather than leaving us stuck. The whole experience has been great from day one, and as Cress Co keeps growing, I’ve no doubt our relationship with Gray & Adams will grow right alongside it.”
– Lewis Conway, Fleet Manager, Cress Co