MaxOptra case study: Bobtail Fruit

How Bobtail Fruit Modernised Its Deliveries and Grew Its Business with MaxOptra

Bobtail Fruit has been a family-run business since the 1950s, with roots in London’s market stalls and a reputation built on exceptional produce and personal service. What began with Mark, the current Director, running a single fruit stall after leaving school early, quickly expanded across the capital. From London Bridge to Waterloo and Southwark, Bobtail Fruit’s reputation grew.

In the 1990s, the business made history by pioneering one of the first-ever fruit delivery services in the UK—at a time when such a concept was virtually unheard of. Mark responded to customer demand, set up a warehouse in Waterloo, and shifted the company’s focus from stalls to logistics. It turned out to be a defining move.

Fast forward to today, and Bobtail Fruit delivers fruit and milk to more than 200 businesses across London, including high-profile clients such as Apple, HSBC, Spotify and the Cabinet Office. Known for their premium-quality produce and standout service, they go above and beyond—hand-delivering boxes up flights of stairs, laying out fruit in kitchens, and even popping milk into fridges.

Facing Growth Challenges

As demand for their delivery service surged, Bobtail Fruit’s existing systems began to show strain. Their internal delivery planning process was largely paper-based, relying heavily on drivers to group deliveries by postcode and apply their local knowledge to plan the most efficient routes. This approach was time-consuming and placed pressure on the delivery team.

Customer communication was also a challenge. When clients asked for delivery updates, the Business Development Manager, Joseph, often had to call drivers and relay messages—creating a time-intensive and frustrating experience for all involved.

While Bobtail Fruit had previously trialled vehicle tracking, it didn’t solve deeper operational issues such as managing data, orders, and customer communication.

Discovering MaxOptra

Bobtail Fruit had been searching for a solution like MaxOptra for some time but had struggled to find one that matched both their budget and requirements. Then, a recommendation from another MaxOptra customer changed everything.

The timing was ideal. Bobtail Fruit was coordinating a Christmas charity project to deliver gifts to the homeless and needed help managing the logistics. They reached out to MaxOptra—and received hands-on support to get the system up and running quickly.

Joseph accompanied a driver on deliveries to test the new system first-hand.

“Whilst I was out with the driver and realising the capability of the MaxOptra system, I thought ‘wow!’ At first, we found it hard to trust the automated routes—but we quickly realised they were far more efficient than anything we could plan manually.”

The trial was a success. Soon after, Bobtail Fruit decided to fully integrate MaxOptra into their daily operations.

Real Benefits, Real Results

Within just a few weeks, Bobtail Fruit started seeing measurable improvements:

• Cost Savings: Streamlined routes enabled them to take on more orders without increasing delivery runs, staff, or admin—allowing them to scale cost-effectively.
• Flexible Order Management: Last-minute changes, which previously meant paperwork and delays, could now be handled effortlessly within the MaxOptra system.
• Simplified Routing: Difficult deliveries no longer sat on a ‘fallout sheet’. Every order was automatically allocated to the best driver and route—reducing missed deliveries and increasing punctuality.
• Improved Customer Communication: When customers enquired about delivery times, Joseph could instantly check the live system and provide accurate ETAs—eliminating the need to call drivers.
• Easy Integrations: With a new ERP system underway, integration capabilities were key. MaxOptra’s integration-friendly API fit perfectly, helping further streamline operations.
• Competitive Advantage: Bobtail Fruit gained the edge with on-time, flexible deliveries and better communication—something many competitors struggled to offer.

A Brighter, More Scalable Future

With MaxOptra in place, Bobtail Fruit could finally look ahead with confidence. Growth no longer felt like a risk—it felt achievable. The business was ready to take on more clients, manage higher order volumes, and continue offering the same premium service they’ve always been proud of.

Even as competition increased, Bobtail Fruit stood firm in its commitment to quality—not just in produce, but in delivery and experience. And after receiving our own fruit box from them here at MaxOptra, we can confidently say: they’re delivering on all fronts.