OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – US Foods, a major food service distributor, announced that its Oklahoma City division has begun using five new trucks that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). 

The company’s Oklahoma City division delivers food and related products to more than 5,000 customers in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. These customers include restaurants, healthcare institutions and hotels. 

The division will purchase CNG from fuel retailers that have partnered with Chesapeake Energy Corp., the second-largest producer of natural gas in the country and a US Foods customer.

“US Foods continues to make improvements across the company to reduce our environmental footprint and allow us to serve our customers in an energy efficient way,” said Sam Erwin, Oklahoma City division president for US Foods. “These five new vehicles will help us drastically reduce our annual fuel costs while reducing the amount of emissions emitted during our daily deliveries to customers.”

US Foods is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a SmartWay Partner, thanks to the company’s initiatives to maximize fuel economy and reduce emissions.

With nearly $19 billion in annual revenue, US Foods is the 10th largest private company in America. The company is headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., and jointly owned by funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.