Asian - United Food Service

What Asian - United Food Service does

Asian-United Food Service (AUFS) is a family-owned wholesale food distributor headquartered at 47 Bishop Street, Woolner, Northern Territory, Australia. It supplies the catering industry — restaurants, hotels, cafes, pubs, canteens, and commercial kitchens — across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, and remote Top End communities with more than 10,000 stock-keeping units spanning dry, chilled, and frozen categories sourced from major brand suppliers. The company self-describes as the leading wholesale food supplier to NT caterers and maintains HACCP food-safety certification audited by SGS.

The core technology layer is a recently relaunched e-commerce ordering platform (aufsordering.pepr.app) accessible via web and native iOS/Android mobile apps, replacing the legacy ordering website that is scheduled for retirement on 1 August 2025. The platform supports inventory browsing, instant search, pantry lists (purchase history), saved order forms with subaccount sharing, CSV export, order tracking, and subaccount permission management. Operations are supported by a 760kW solar-equipped warehouse with LED lighting, warm glycol defrost systems, and pallet-based cold storage capacity that is also offered to third parties as a paid service.

AUFS earns revenue through wholesale food sales to registered business customers on credit terms, pallet-based cold storage fees, scheduled delivery within the Darwin/Palmerston/Katherine region, and an InSeason-powered loyalty rewards program. Go-to-market is multi-channel: direct field sales, phone/email, in-store pickup, the online platform and mobile app, promotional catalogues, email marketing, and long-running community event sponsorship (notably the Chief Minister's Cup at Darwin Turf Club, 2014–present). The business is controlled by directors Nelson Lay and David Lay, with the next generation of the Lay family currently working inside the company.

Name

Asian - United Food Service

Legal name

Asian-United Food Service

Website

https://aufs.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Asian-United Food Service (AUFS) is a family-owned wholesale food distributor based in Woolner, Northern Territory, supplying 10,000+ dry, chilled, and frozen products to restaurants, hotels, cafes, pubs, canteens, and commercial kitchens across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, and remote Top End communities via an online and mobile ordering platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Food Distribution

NAICS

Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442), Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers (42444), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ethnic Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale (AFAIAIAB), Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale (AFAIAHAF), Food & Beverage Frozen Storage (Meat, Seafood, Dairy, Produce, Bakery) (TLALACAA)

Keywords

• Wholesale food distribution
• Catering supply services
• Foodservice logistics
• Commercial kitchen supply
• Bulk food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Woolner

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Food Distribution: AUFS generates revenue through wholesale food supply to the catering industry, selling thousands of products across dry, chilled, and frozen categories in bulk quantities to registered business customers.
2. Delivery Services: The company provides delivery services to Darwin, Palmerston, and Katherine regions with scheduled dispatch, offering same-day delivery commitments for orders placed by registered customers.
3. Cold Storage Services: AUFS offers cold storage services charged on a pallet space usage basis, with additional services available for extra charges.
4. Rewards Program: The InSeason Rewards program allows customers to collect points on purchases of awarded products and redeem them for rewards, driving customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Asian-United Food Service (AUFS) is a wholesale food distributor supplying 10,000+ food products across dry, chilled, and frozen categories to catering industry businesses in the Northern Territory of Australia. The company delivers to restaurants, hotels, cafes, pubs, canteens, and commercial kitchens across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, and remote Top End communities, supported by its own delivery fleet, a new online ordering platform with mobile apps, pallet-based cold storage services, and the InSeason Rewards loyalty program.

Product overview

AUFS operates as a wholesale food supplier platform for the catering industry in the Northern Territory. The core offering consists of an e-commerce online ordering platform (with mobile app access) through which customers can browse thousands of products across dry, chilled, and frozen categories. The platform includes complementary features: Pantry List for purchase history tracking, Order Forms for quick reordering of predefined lists, Catalogues for promotional specials, and Order Tracking for shipment visibility. The InSeason Rewards Program provides a loyalty points system. Subaccount Management enables businesses to create staff accounts with configurable permissions. Delivery services cover Darwin, Palmerston, and Katherine regions with cold storage options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Food Products Bulk wholesale supply of more than 10,000 food products across dry, chilled, and frozen categories — including dairy, beverages, oils, flour, confectionery, vegetables, ice cream, meats, fish, spices, and kitchenware — sold to registered catering industry business customers across the Northern Territory.
• AUFS Delivery Services Scheduled company-owned delivery service covering Darwin, Palmerston, and Katherine regions, with on-the-day delivery commitments for orders placed by registered business customers and an in-store pickup option at the Woolner warehouse.
• Cold Storage Services
• InSeason Rewards Program

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InSeasoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAUFS partners with InSeason for the InSeason Rewards program, allowing customers to collect 1 reward point for every $1 spent on awarded products and redeem points for rewards.
• BioPakminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUFS stocks a large range of sustainable and eco-conscious packaging from BioPak as part of their environmental responsibility initiatives.
• SGS in AustraliacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAUFS maintains HACCP food safety certification audited and issued by SGS in Australia for food safety and quality standards compliance.
• Darwin Turf ClubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAUFS has been the title sponsor of the Chief Minister's Cup at Darwin Turf Club since 2014 (10+ years), hosting annual race day events with suppliers and customers.
• SunbuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal construction company that built the NT Oriental Emporium facility, demonstrating AUFS's commitment to using local contractors.
• Lay Family (Nelson Lay and David Lay)coreOthersFamily-owned business with hands-on directors Nelson Lay and David Lay actively involved in daily operations. The next generation is currently working within the company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bidfood Australia: Bidfood Australia is the largest broadline foodservice distributor in Australia, serving hotels, restaurants, cafes, and catering customers nationwide. It directly competes with AUFS in foodservice distribution but operates across all states with significantly larger scale.
• PFD Food Services: PFD Food Services (Performance Foodservice) is one of Australia's largest foodservice wholesalers, supplying restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses across the country. Comparable to AUFS in customer base and broadline product range, but operating nationally rather than regionally.
• Metcash Food & Grocery: Metcash is a major Australian wholesale distributor supplying independent grocers and food retailers through its IGA network. It is a wholesale distribution peer to AUFS but serves grocery retail rather than foodservice catering customers.
• Bunzl Australasia: Bunzl Australasia distributes foodservice packaging, equipment, and consumables to hospitality, catering, and food retail customers. Comparable to AUFS in serving the catering channel but focused on non-food consumables and packaging rather than food products.

Direct peers

• Countrywide Food Services: Countrywide Food Services is a foodservice distributor supplying cafes, restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses with dry, chilled, and frozen products. Closely comparable to AUFS in business model, product mix, and customer segments.
• Big Guns Foodservice: Big Guns Foodservice is a regional foodservice distributor in Australia serving cafes, restaurants, pubs, and clubs with broadline food products. Direct comparable to AUFS in customer segments, product mix, and business model.
• Superior Food Services: Superior Food Services distributes broadline foodservice products across dry, chilled, and frozen categories to restaurants and catering businesses in Australia. Highly comparable business model and product mix to AUFS.
• Service Foods Australasia: Service Foods is a broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, cafes, and catering businesses in Australia with dry, chilled, and frozen categories. Highly comparable business model to AUFS, though operating across multiple Australian regions.

Regional players

• Top Shelf Foodservice: Top Shelf Foodservice is a wholesale foodservice distributor supplying restaurants, cafes, and catering customers across specific Australian regions. Comparable to AUFS in business model, though operating in different geographic territories.

Emerging players

• Simon Johnson Premium Quality Food Retailers: Simon Johnson supplies premium and specialty foods to restaurants, hotels, and catering customers in Australia. Overlaps with AUFS in foodservice distribution but with a more specialty/premium positioning and a narrower product range.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asian---united-food-service

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asian - United Food Service