When Farmwise Marketing put a DAF XF through a full month of real-world operations, the outcome spoke louder than any brochure. The trial proved the truck’s fuel efficiency, driver comfort, and reliability, convincing the national food distributor to expand its fleet with two new DAF XF trucks from Babcock.
Established in 1989, Farmwise Marketing has built a strong national footprint supplying major retailers across South Africa with fresh produce. As part of its ongoing commitment to service excellence, the company has now added the DAF XF 480 and DAF XF 530 to its fleet, aligning with its goals of lower running costs, higher uptime, and driver satisfaction.
“Babcock gave us the opportunity to run a demo truck in our operations for a full month,” says Raymond da Costa of Farmwise Marketing. “That real-world experience convinced us. The fuel efficiency was excellent, our drivers enjoyed the comfort and drivability, and the backup support from Babcock was strong. Based on that, we decided to invest in DAF.”
The new trucks include the DAF XF 480 and XF 530, both engineered for long-haul efficiency with superior aerodynamics, spacious cabs, and advanced driver assistance systems. These models are designed to reduce fuel consumption, lower total cost of ownership, and enhance uptime – aligning with Farmwise’s operational goals.
According to Rhenier Kapp, Head of Technical, Babcock, “By understanding our customer’s needs and demonstrating DAF features in real operations, we were able to prove the efficiency and comfort benefits of the DAF range in day-to-day use. The XF 480 and XF 530 have proven to be reliable, cost-efficient assets in demanding distribution environments.”
The partnership also highlights Babcock’s focus on total lifecycle support. Farmwise has adopted Babcock’s Executrax fleet management system across its entire fleet, giving the business real-time visibility into driver performance, fuel monitoring, and vehicle efficiency. Combined with Babcock’s national aftermarket service network, this ensures maximum uptime and predictable running costs.
“Based on this experience, we definitely see DAF as part of our fleet strategy going forward,” adds da Costa.
