Nationwide Produce has expanded a warehouse by 75% and introduced greener production methods following a £3.5m investment from Lloyds Bank.
The fruit & veg supplier secured the £3.5m package to increase the space of its Evesham warehouse from 32,000 sq ft to 56,000 sq ft.
The expansion also saw the business’s pallet capacity rise from 900 to 2,100, allowing for more stock to be stored.
“As a global importer, and UK and EU exporter, we are seeing a rise in demand for fresh produce from customers across all sectors of the market,” said Tim O’Malley, group managing director at Nationwide Produce.
“Last year, our turnover was above pre-pandemic levels at £143m and we’re already set to see a record-breaking turnover of £185m this year as we meet demand for increased volume.
“The new warehouse space will be vital in helping maximise this opportunity for growth by helping us work more efficiently, improve and expand our product line, and ultimately, provide our customers with an even better service,” he added.
Climate goals
In line with the company’s climate change goals, it also used the funding to build five-temperature controlled chambers that offer an 84% reduction in global warming potential, meaning they can achieve the same cooling effect as previous chambers while emitting fewer greenhouse gases.
The new technology will improve cooling performance and increase energy efficiency in the business by up to 15% and allow the company to store produce at optimal temperature, meaning the quality remains better for longer.
To minimise waste that ends up in landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Nationwide Produce has also implemented a streamlined waste management process that utilises anaerobic digestion.
“We’re also committed to driving decarbonisation within the company and are proud to say 100% of the power needed to run our UK depots and offices is being produced from renewable energy sources, including our recently installed solar panels,” said O’Malley.
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