Work commences on Chinese supermarket distribution facility

Work has commenced on the construction of a new food storage warehouse and distribution facility just outside Leeds city centre.

The 37,000 sq ft facility, located  between Cross Stamford Street and Cherry Row, will comprise a state-of-the-art cold store complete with new dock levellers, loading bays and a marshalling area structure.

Building work on the facility, which is for oriental supermarket chain and food import group Sing Kee Foods, will be completed towards the end of the year.

Peter Lee, owner of Sing Kee Foods, said: “We’ve been working on the plans and design for this new food storage warehouse and distribution facility for the last two years so it’s very exciting to see work underway. Demand is continually increasing for our products, through both our wholesale and retail channels.

“This latest investment in our storage and distribution functions will enable us to buy in bigger volumes, as well as significantly improving efficiency across our operations, which means even more choice, faster services and continued great value for our customers.”

The site is next to Leeds’ largest Chinese supermarket, complete with its Oriental City Restaurant, on Cross Stamford Street.

Leeds-based Adept Civil and Structural Consulting Engineers is providing engineering services and Hamond Projects is overseeing construction work on the project, which has been designed by Phillip Thompson Associates.

Paul Gill, associate director at Adept, said: “This is a superb project to be working on that will give a disused but highly accessible site a new lease of life, with the vibro enhanced foundations currently progressing and drainage works fully designed, the scheme is starting to take shape.

“Once complete a modern, very highly specified and efficient facility will be created that will be a great addition to Sing Kee Foods’ distribution and retail network.”

Founded in 1987, Sing Kee Foods imports fresh and frozen foods, as well as other oriental commodities, from all over the Far East, which it supplies to restaurants and catering businesses.

The company also operates a chain of oriental supermarkets, which includes city centre sites at the Merrion Centre in Leeds and on North Parade in Bradford, along with its flagship site on Cross Stamford Street.