Over the first half of the 2020-21 financial year, independent carriers Yodel saw parcel volumes increase by 26% by comparison to the same period in 2019. The company projects revenues of around £535 million for the full year ending in June, up from £500 – £520 million forecast at the last trading update.

Other highlights of the financial year to date include Yodel taking on 3,000 new roles for the 2020 peak season, and landing new business with major online retailers including Lush, Pandora, JD Sports, Dunelm, Hello Fresh, Beer 52, Limar trading, Kingstown associates, Pasta Evangelists, and Borough Box.

End customers have shown their praise through an increased Trustpilot rating that has now raised to 4.5/5.

Mike Hancox, CEO of Yodel, commented: “We have made a very strong start to the FY21 financial year, which continues the significant progress made over the past couple of years. During what has been an extremely challenging period for many people, we’re proud that we’ve been able to play a vital role in keeping the country moving.

“Thanks to the tireless work of our colleagues up and down the country, together with the adaptability of our network, our performance has again improved beyond expectations and we fully expect to deliver a strong PBT result in FY21.

“Technology has played a key role in supporting our colleagues to be able to perform so well. We have launched a new driver app that will improve efficiency and lead to an improved final mile experience for our customers.

“Our existing client base continues to grow strongly, and we have a robust pipeline of new business for the rest of FY21 and beyond. We’ve also grown the volumes of our key ‘everyday premium’ sectors such as fresh food, wine and flowers.

“The health and safety of our colleagues and the public has been a key priority for us as a business, and we’ve continued to ensure that our sites are COVID-19 safe, as well as carrying on with the ‘contactless deliveries’ that we introduced at the start of the pandemic.”