How an airline caterer expanded cold storage at JFK without building

An airline caterer at JFK Airport, NY feeds 70% of the airlines at the airport from two facing buildings, and both had run out of room. ZGROUP expanded both sites with modular airport cold storage: a 9XL plus extra units at the first building, and a 9XL and a 40' reefer on I-beams at the second. The result is 8,000 ft² of cooler and freezer floor area, without building.

The challenge

Airline catering runs on a clock that does not move. Meals have to be ready for each departure, and the cold chain behind them has to keep up. When cold storage runs out, the whole operation feels it.

This caterer had two buildings facing each other, and both were full. Expanding by construction at an airport is slow and disruptive. The second building added another constraint: floor loads had to be respected, so any new equipment had to spread its weight correctly.

The two buildings also had to keep working while capacity was added. In airline catering, there is no good week to shut down a kitchen, so any expansion had to go in around a live operation.

The solution

ZGROUP designed a separate expansion for each building using ZSTORE XL modular cold storage:

• First building: a ZSTORE 9XL plus extra units.
• Second building: a ZSTORE 9XL and a 40' reefer mounted on I-beams to respect floor loads.

XL modules connect side by side into one open walk-in, and zones can run at different temperatures. That let the caterer set up both cooler and freezer space. Because the modules share the space, fewer refrigeration units are needed per square foot than with single containers.

The I-beam mounting at the second building shows how modular equipment adapts to a site instead of the other way around. Rather than reinforce the floor, the reefer was set on beams that spread its load, and the project moved ahead.

The results

• 8,000 ft² of floor area
• Dual temp: cooler + freezer
• 2× space with less energy per ft²

Both buildings gained the room they needed, and the caterer kept its operation running while the capacity went in.

Airport cold storage: modular vs. traditional construction

Airports are among the hardest places to build. Space is tight, access is controlled, and operations cannot stop. That is why modular airport cold storage is often the better fit.

• Speed. ZGROUP delivers in under 60 days and installs in 2 to 5 days. A permanent cold room means design, permits and a construction schedule.
• Site impact. Modular units need no civil works or permanent construction, only minimal site prep.
• Scale. One ZSTORE XL unit is 320 ft² with about 20 pallet positions. A 9XL is 2,880 ft², and modules can be added as needs grow.
• Flexibility. Cooler and freezer zones can share one system, and units can be moved and reinstalled at another site.
• Control. ZTRACK provides remote monitoring of temperature and alarms.

Units are available to rent or to buy, with a temperature range of -40°F to +122°F (-40°C to +50°C) and a 5-year warranty.

Airport operators should also consider what happens after the first expansion. Modular systems can grow module by module, and a second site can be served by the same approach, as this caterer did with two buildings. That makes it easier to keep cold capacity in step with flight schedules and contracts.

Is it right for your operation?

If your airport operation is out of cold space and cannot wait for construction, modular capacity can go in around your schedule. Explore ZSTORE XL modular cold storage or talk to our team about your site and floor constraints.