Finance for Cold Storage Facilities for UK Farmers and Agricultural Businesses

UK farmers can fund cold storage facilities through flexible asset finance and agricultural lending. Gable Business Finance provides tailored finance solutions that allow farms and rural businesses to acquire the cold storage equipment, refrigeration systems, insulated buildings, and processing facilities they need—without draining cash flow or delaying essential projects.

Cold storage infrastructure can be expensive to install, especially when it includes temperature-controlled rooms, insulated panel systems, refrigeration plants, or full food-safe production buildings. Asset finance offers a practical route for farmers to secure essential equipment and construction work while spreading costs over time.

---

Asset Finance & Leasing for Cold Storage Facilities

Asset finance is one of the most efficient ways to fund cold storage equipment and construction. It enables farmers to acquire essential infrastructure with manageable repayments rather than large upfront capital expenditure.

What Asset Finance Is

A funding method that lets agricultural businesses purchase equipment, technology, and buildings through fixed, predictable payments.

Benefits

• Preserves working capital
• Allows access to high-performance refrigeration and cold storage systems
• Can include installation, construction, panels, electrics, and refrigeration plant
• Helps with tax efficiency depending on business circumstances
• Suitable for both small farm cold rooms and large refrigerated warehouses

Types of Cold Storage Assets Gable Business Finance Can Fund

• Walk-in chill rooms
• Walk-in freezer rooms
• Modular cold rooms
• Refrigerated warehouses
• Blast chillers & blast freezers
• Ripening rooms
• Temperature-controlled packing & processing areas
• Insulated panel systems
• Refrigeration plants and control systems
• Shelving, racking and internal fittings

Hire Purchase Options

For farmers who want long-term ownership of their cold storage facility, Hire Purchase allows full ownership at the end of the agreement.

---

Loans, Mortgages & Agricultural Lending (Through Gable Business Finance)

Gable Business Finance provides access to a range of agricultural lending products designed specifically for rural businesses investing in chilled or frozen storage buildings, food-safe processing areas, and temperature-controlled facilities.

Long-Term Agricultural Loans

Ideal for large projects such as:

• New cold store buildings
• Refrigerated warehouses
• Food processing and packing facilities
• Controlled environment storage centres

Flexible Repayment Options

Many structures can be aligned with agricultural cashflow, including seasonal or annual profiles.

Brokerage Support from Gable

Gable Business Finance compares multiple funding routes to build a custom finance package tailored to your cold storage project and business goals.

---

Frequently Asked Questions – Cold Storage & Temperature-Controlled Facility Finance (Gable Business Finance)

1. What types of cold storage and temperature-controlled facilities can Gable Business Finance help fund?

Gable finances a full range of cold storage and controlled-environment projects, including:

• Chill Rooms
• Cold Stores
• Ripening Rooms
• Controlled Environments
• Food Factories
• Food Packaging Facilities
• Food Distribution Centres
• Refrigerated Warehouses
• Hygienic Food-Grade Facilities
• Temperature-Controlled Production Buildings

2. Can Gable finance external building works for cold storage construction?

Yes. Gable can arrange finance for all external structural works required for cold storage projects, including:

• Cold Store Construction
• Food Factory Construction
• Chilled Warehouse Construction
• Complete Refrigeration Packages
• Cold Store Extensions
• Food Production Area Extensions
• Hygienic Flooring Systems
• Full Refurbishment Projects

3. Can Gable finance interior works for specialist processing and storage facilities?

Yes. Gable funds internal works across multiple sectors, including:

• Food Preparation & Services
• Meat & Fish Processing Facilities
• Fruit & Vegetable Packing & Storage
• Distribution & Logistics Centres
• Pharmaceutical Storage Rooms
• Precision Electronics Temperature Rooms

4. What are the main considerations when designing a cold store that Gable can help finance?

A cold store must be designed to meet exact environmental, structural and operational needs. Gable can finance all elements, including:

• Temperature, humidity & airflow control requirements
• Floor finishes, insulation & heated slab systems for sub-zero rooms
• Door & access route specifications
• Selection of insulated panels & hygienic surfaces
• Refrigeration plant sized to the correct cooling load
• Forklift, racking & load-bearing requirements
• Ancillaries such as lighting, shelving, rails & drainage

5. What types of cold store construction systems can Gable finance?

Gable funds all major cold store construction methods:

Internal Insulation with External Cladding

Used for converting existing barns or warehouses.

Internal Insulation with Partial External Cladding

Panels installed inside a steel frame with external roof support.

Internal “Building Within a Building” Systems

Self-supporting insulated chambers built inside large buildings.

External Insulated Panel Systems

Fully insulated structures forming both walls and roof of new cold storage buildings.

6. What insulation panel materials can Gable finance?

Gable funds all commonly used cold store insulation systems, including:

• Polyurethane (PUR)
• Polyisocyanurate (PIR)
• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
• Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)
• Mineral Wool (fire-rated applications)
• Phenolic Foam

Panels are typically clad in galvanised steel or food-safe PVC hygienic surfaces.

7. What cold store door options can Gable fund?

Gable finances:

• Manual hinged doors
• Manual sliding doors
• Automatic & motorised sliding doors
• Rapid-rise vertical doors
• Freezer-grade insulated doors

8. Can Gable finance specialist cold store flooring?

Yes. Flooring solutions Gable can finance include:

• Vapour barriers
• Insulated subfloors
• Heated slabs for frost heave protection
• Reinforced concrete for forklift operations
• Hygienic food-safe flooring for processing rooms
• Drainage channels & washdown floors

9. Can Gable finance refrigerated loading docks?

Yes. Gable funds all loading bay equipment including:

• Refrigerated dock coolers
• Dock shelters & insulated wall panels
• Rapid-rise dock doors
• Equipment for cold chain continuity

10. Can Gable finance complete refrigeration packages?

Yes. Gable funds full refrigeration systems, including:

• Compressors
• Condensers
• Evaporators
• Glycol systems
• Pipework & valves
• Control panels & monitoring
• Safety & alarm systems

11. Can Gable finance controlled environments & specialist temperature rooms?

Yes. Facilities include:

• Fruit ripening rooms
• Modified atmosphere storage
• Humidity-controlled rooms
• Pharmaceutical cold rooms
• Precision electronics temperature rooms
• Seed storage & propagation rooms

12. Does Gable finance hygienic food production and packaging areas?

Yes, including:

• Food-safe insulated walls & ceilings
• Washdown-safe electrical installations
• Sanitation corridors & hygiene zones
• Stainless steel fit-out
• LED lighting and drainage

13. Can Gable finance cold store extensions or phased expansion?

Yes. Gable supports:

• Freezer and chill room extensions
• Add-on ripening rooms
• Additional loading bays
• New processing or hygiene rooms
• Multi-phase expansion projects

14. What finance options does Gable Business Finance offer?

Available finance structures include:

• Hire Purchase (HP) – Own the asset at the end
• Finance Lease – Lower upfront cost, flexible terms
• Operating Lease – Ideal for equipment that needs periodic upgrading
• Asset Refinance – Release cash from equipment you already own
• Stage Payment Finance – Perfect for construction-based cold store projects
• Seasonal & annual repayment profiles

Cold Storage Options for UK Farmers

Rural agricultural businesses across the UK can benefit from a wide range of modern cold storage technologies designed to preserve product quality, support food-safe packing, and extend shelf life.

Common Types of Cold Storage

Walk-In Cold Rooms

Fully custom-built chilled or frozen rooms designed to exact size and temperature requirements. Suitable for produce, dairy, meat, flowers, and general food storage.

Modular Cold Rooms

Prefabricated units assembled on-site. These offer fast installation, flexible layouts, and easy expansion as business needs change.

Refrigerated Containers

Portable and temperature-controlled, ideal for seasonal workloads, remote sites, or as temporary storage during peak periods.

---

Key Features & Benefits of Cold Storage Facilities

Extended Shelf Life

Maintains precise temperatures from +1°C to +8°C (chillers) and +1°C to -40°C (freezers) to keep products fresh and market-ready.

Improved Product Quality

Cold storage reduces spoilage, maintains freshness, prevents pathogen growth, and increases market value.

Customisable & Flexible

Cold stores can be tailored with:

• Adjustable shelving and racking
• Humidity control
• Dual-temperature zones
• Food-safe hygienic wall and floor finishes
• Environmental monitoring systems

Food Processing Compatibility

Ideal for farmers who require on-site preparation areas for packing, sorting, trimming, grading or product assembly.

Scalable for Any Operation

From compact packhouse chill rooms to full-scale refrigerated warehouses for large agricultural businesses.

---

Implementation Considerations

1. Site Location

Installing a cold store within an existing building is often more cost-effective than constructing a fully external insulated facility.

2. Cost & Operating Efficiency

Running costs depend on room size, insulation quality, refrigeration performance, and usage levels. Energy-efficient systems can reduce long-term operating expenses.

3. Power Requirements

Cold stores may use:

• Single-phase or three-phase power
• Hybrid or fully solar-powered systems
• Backup generator connections

---

Frequently Asked Questions – Cold Storage Finance

1. Can Gable Business Finance fund a full cold storage building?

Yes. We can finance everything from insulated structures and panel systems to refrigeration plants and food-safe internal fit-outs.

2. Can Gable finance walk-in cold rooms and freezer rooms?

Yes. All types of chill and frozen rooms—modular or custom-built—are eligible for asset finance.

3. Can preparation areas and food-safe processing rooms be financed?

Yes. Gable funds temperature-controlled packing rooms, processing areas, and hygienic facility upgrades.

4. Does Gable finance refrigeration plant installations?

Yes. Compressors, evaporators, condensers, pipework, controls and full plant rooms can be bundled into a single finance agreement.

5. Can insulated panel systems be financed?

Yes. Walls, ceilings, hygienic surfaces, fire-rated panels, and doors are all eligible.

6. Do you finance modular and portable cold rooms?

Yes, including long-term hire or purchased systems.

7. Can Gable fund ripening rooms and controlled environments?

Yes. This includes fruit ripening facilities, humidity-controlled storage and atmospheric control systems.

8. Are refrigerated warehouses eligible?

Yes. From small facilities to large distribution centres, all can be financed.

9. What finance options are available?

Hire Purchase, Finance Lease, Operating Lease and Asset Refinance.

10. How fast can funding be approved?

Most decisions can be made within 24–48 hours.

---

Case Studies – Real Projects Supported Through Gable Business Finance

Case Study 1 – Chilled & Frozen Storage Construction

Client: Large vegetable producer

Project: New chilled and frozen facility for year-round distribution.

Financed:

• Insulated panel building
• Refrigeration plant (-25°C freezer + chilled zones)
• Racking and LED lighting
• Specialist anti-frost flooring

Outcome: Extended storage season and reduced waste.

Case Study 2 – Temperature-Controlled Food Production Facility

Client: Dairy processing business

Project: Chilled production and packaging rooms.

Financed:

• Chill rooms
• Food-safe internal walls and drainage
• Refrigeration plant
• Hygienic preparation zones

Outcome: Enabled the launch of a new value-added product line.

Case Study 3 – Ripening Rooms & Controlled Environments

Client: Fruit importer

Project: Eight-room ripening and conditioning facility.

• Humidity-controlled ripening rooms
• Ethylene control system
• Advanced air circulation systems

Outcome: Improved product quality consistency and supply to retailers.

Case Study 4 – Refrigerated Warehouse & Distribution Centre

Client: Meat distribution business

Project: Large refrigerated warehouse.

• -20°C freezer storage
• Multiple chill zones for fresh products
• Loading bay cooling systems
• Structural steelwork, lighting, and insulated panels

Outcome: Increased capacity and streamlined supply chain operations.

---

Start Your Cold Storage Project with Gable Business Finance

Whether you are building a new cold store, expanding a chilled facility, or upgrading refrigeration equipment, Gable Business Finance offers tailored funding solutions that protect cash flow while enabling long-term growth.

✔ Get a fast, no-obligation quote

✔ Speak with a cold storage finance specialist

✔ Build the temperature-controlled facility your business truly needs