ASKIN Performance Panels supports FareShare

When ASKIN Performance Panels were asked to be involved in supporting FareShare by building the country’s largest charity kitchen, ASKIN jumped at the opportunity to lend a hand.

FareShare Queensland wanted to build a high-volume kitchen facility in Brisbane so that surplus meat and vegetables in the state could be saved from landfill, and then be cooked, frozen and redirected to those in need.

Wiley worked with FareSare providing high-level advice on the selection of the premises, design and food systems and sourced builders and trades who were willing to work at cost or discounted rates.

As cold room and food process facility specialists, ASKIN were able to manufacture and supply XFLAM panel and labour at cost to help FareShare achieve their goals.

National Construction Manager Chris Wormald said ASKIN had built hundreds of cold room and food processing facilities over the years, but the opportunity to build something that will help hungry Queenslanders has been a humbling experience.

“I didn’t realise how much of a need for this there was in Queensland and I am proud to have had the opportunity to do our part with building the panel component for this project.”

The new facility comprised mostly of insulated cool-room panelling and was built within an existing warehouse in Brisbane. It included two kitchens linked by shared services, cold room and freezers, reception, toilets, laundry and storage.

Wiley project engineer Lauren Elliss said it was important that those helping with the build were willing to work at cost or discounted rates to help FareShare achieve its budget and time constraints (Source: Foodmag).

“It was more our ability to work collaboratively with our subcontractors and the extended team that made this manageable,” said Lauren.

“Transparency is the key. Everyone was contributing to the cause to get FareShare up and running to feed Queensland’s hungry.”

Lauren said the “building could not have been completed under budget and on time without the help of ASKIN Performance Panels, Cool Times Industries, D&F Plumbing, PowerMe, REFPRO and WMA”.

The completed kitchen, the size of a basketball court, was opened by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in October 2018 and aims to cook one million meals in its first year.

Project overview

FareShare wanted to establish a high-volume kitchen facility in Brisbane so that surplus meat and vegetables in the state could be saved from landfill, cooked, frozen and redirected to those in need.

Solution

ASKIN manufactured and installed 2000m2 XFLAM insulated panel to build cold rooms, kitchen facilities and storage areas. Products and labour were provided at cost price to support the not for profit group.

Result

FareShare now has the biggest charity kitchen in the Southern Hemisphere, which is the size of a basketball court and provides more than 1 million free meals for those in need each year.

The food processing facility has been built to allow for growth and upgrades including the preliminary work to increase the size of the freezers if required.