AAK Foodservice is pleased to announce the opening of a significant expansion of its Hastings production site, designed to support ongoing growth, improve operational efficiency and enhance health and safety standards. This investment marks a major step in future-proofing the site, reducing carbon emissions and delivering long-term value to customers and the wider business.

The Challenge
As the site grew organically, storage demands outpaced infrastructure, leading to the use of temporary chill and freeze units and the bolting-on of additional buildings. This setup brought challenges including high utility costs and increased possibilities of health and safety risks.

The Solution
Following the acquisition of adjacent units, AAK worked with specialist partner Dawson Group to develop a fully bespoke temperature-controlled storage solution. The new build consolidates chilled and frozen storage into a single, purpose-designed space with:

Over 300 pallet spaces at -18°C (frozen)
Over 220 pallet spaces at 3°C (chilled)
Four internal chambers across two buildings
Safe and efficient access for forklift operations

Project Goals:

Increase long-term capacity
Reduce safety risks and improve traffic flow
Enhance food safety with better cooling and storage
Reduce CO₂ emissions and utility usage
Cut labour, hire, and rental costs
Enable further site optimisation in future phases

The Result:

95% reduction in forklift crossings
86 tonnes reduction in annual CO₂ emissions
Improved labour efficiency and reduced double handling
Faster cooling and storage, improving product quality
Increased equipment and temperature control reliability
10 years of secured capacity for future growth

Leadership Commentary

Johan Westman, CEO, commented:
“This expansion is a powerful signal of our commitment to growth, safety and sustainability. By investing in the long-term future of Hastings, we’re not only strengthening our supply chain but also building a better working environment for our teams. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved.”

Tomas Bergendahl, CFO, added:
“Consolidating cold storage into a modern, purpose-built facility delivers significant operational savings while lowering our environmental impact. It’s a solid investment that reduces running costs, enhances reliability, and supports our strategic financial goals.”

Vivienne Carney, Director Global Foodservice, said:
“Seeing the project come to life has been a real milestone. This development resolves long-standing operational challenges and sets us up for the future. It’s been fantastic to watch the team bring this vision together and take such pride in delivering something that will benefit the whole business.”

Shaun Noakes, Site Director said:
“For the Hastings team, this is a real game-changer. The improved layout, safety and storage capacity will make a huge difference to daily operations and create a safer, more efficient environment for our colleagues.”