What Was the Client Looking For? 

A car parts distribution company operating a busy warehouse in Cannock required a container canteen to provide daily meals for employees.

Their key requirements included:

• A catering facility capable of handling high-volume meal production.
• A container that could be installed within their existing warehouse layout without disrupting operations.

With staff working long shifts, the client needed a robust canteen that could operate seven days a week and maintain strict hygiene standards.

How Did Lion Containers Deliver the Solution?

Lion Containers designed and manufactured a bespoke container canteen using:

• One 40ft high-cube container
• One 20ft high-cube container

These units were integrated to create a spacious and practical kitchen and serving environment.

Internal Modifications

To meet food-service hygiene requirements, the interior was:

• Fully lined with Sani-Clad hygienic wall cladding
• Insulated with 100mm insulation behind the cladding for temperature control
• Finished with durable, easy-clean vinyl flooring

This ensured the canteen met strict cleanliness standards while remaining comfortable for staff working in a high-heat cooking environment.

Catering Equipment Set-up

The client supplied their own commercial kitchen equipment, which Lion Containers professionally installed, including:

• Fryers and griddles
• Two commercial ovens
• Bain marie units
• Refrigeration, freezers, and storage
• Stainless steel sinks and preparation areas

Lion designed custom-built benches around this equipment to maximise efficiency and maintain safe working clearances.

Electrical and Operational Setup

• Installed a three-phase electrical supply to support high-load catering appliances
• Designed to operate without performance issues

Exterior and Access Features

The container canteen was finished externally in RAL 9005 Jet Black, providing a modern and professional appearance.

Access and serving points included:

• Two personnel doors, one at each end of the unit
• Two DDA-compliant serving hatches, allowing safe and accessible food service
• Manual roller shutters installed over the hatches for security when closed

Delivery

The unit was delivered to the client’s warehouse site in Cannock within six weeks of order.

Lion Containers carefully planned the delivery due to narrow access and offloaded the unit from the car park, demonstrating our ability to manage complex site logistics and ensure the safe placement of large modular units.

The Result

Following installation, the container canteen became a critical part of the company’s daily operations.

The results included:

• Capacity to serve approximately 600 meals per day
• Reliable operation 10 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Improved staff welfare and productivity through on-site catering
• A kitchen that meets commercial food preparation standards

The client expressed how impressed they were with the build quality, layout, and speed of delivery, confirming that the unit exceeded their expectations in both performance and practicality.

Why Choose Lion Containers for a Container Canteen?

Lion Containers specialises in designing and manufacturing custom container canteens and catering units for warehouses, factories, and large workplaces.

Our container kitchens are:

• Built to meet food hygiene regulations
• Fully customisable to fit your equipment and workflow
• Designed for heavy daily usage and high meal volumes
• Delivered quickly with minimal disruption to your operations

Speak to us today to get started on your container canteen project.

FAQs – Container Canteens

What is a container canteen?

A container canteen is a converted shipping container designed to function as a fully equipped kitchen and serving area for staff catering in workplaces such as warehouses, factories and construction sites.

Can a container canteen handle high-volume food production?

Yes. Lion designs container canteens with commercial-grade electrics, ventilation and layouts to support hundreds of meals per day, depending on the equipment installed.

Are container canteens compliant with hygiene regulations?

They can be built with hygienic wall cladding, insulated panels, washable flooring and stainless-steel fittings to meet food preparation standards.

Can you install our existing catering equipment into the container?

Yes. Lion can install client-supplied kitchen equipment and design the container layout around it for maximum efficiency.

How long does it take to build a container canteen?

Lion can complete most container canteen projects within 4-8 weeks, depending on the level of complexity and customisation required.