New $11 million Asian United Food Service’s warehouse complex rises from the ashes

NELSON Lay proudly surveys his new $11 million warehouse complex in Bishop Street Woolner and remembers like yesterday the fire that ripped through the site just on 18 months ago

Nelson Lay proudly stands in the new Asian United Food premises after it was burnt to the ground last year. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

• OWNERS of fire-gutted food supply warehouse vow to rebuild
• WOOLNER business up in flames as fire rips through warehouse

NELSON  Lay proudly surveys his new $11 million warehouse complex in Bishop St Woolner and remembers like yesterday the fire that ripped through the site just on 18 months ago.

It was May 2018 when Darwin woke to the news that the Asian United Food Service’s warehouse in Woolner had gone up in flames in the early hours.

Smoke alarms at the warehouse alerted NT Fire and Rescue and police at 12.20am on May 16.

No one was injured in the fire that took 17 firefighters hours to bring under control and sent a cloud of smoke over the industrial hub.

Asian United Food Service is owned by David and Nelson Lay and supplies most of Darwin’s restaurants, Royal Darwin Hospital and many communities.

All that remained was the cold stores that survived because of firewalls.

Nelson Lay proudly stands in the new Asian United Food premises after it was burnt to the ground last year. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

Its charred walls are now a visual reminder of that devastating night. It was because of the firewall that the frozen food and meat side of the business was able to remain fully operational.

Throughout it all the business was able to keep all 75 staff employed.

Thanks to a little generous help from their many friends the Lays stared down adversity and the Asian United Food Service’s site is now back bigger, better and stronger than Nelson and his family had hoped for.

The towering new warehouse complex, which will officially be commissioned next week, occupies 4000 square metres under cover and includes a new cold store, dry storage area, loading bays and modern new upstairs offices.

When the NT News visited on Tuesday row after row of towering storage shells stood ready to be packed to the rooftop with arriving stock.

Significantly the new 4000 square metres of floor space will be additional to what is already on site.

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The new warehouse is testimony to the resilience of the Lay family and its longstanding commitment over more than 40 years to Darwin.

With the job done and dusted, the family plan to rebuild on the old site, allowing the Lays to focus on an exciting future and expand their operations.

“We are so very happy for all the faith people showed in us and the support we got,” Nelson said.

“We live in a truly wonderful community.”