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Case Study

Samworth Brothers

Transforming workplace dining for a major UK food manufacturer

A full interior design-led refurbishment, combining space planning, lighting, kitchen design, ventilation, fabrication and build delivery to create a more welcoming and flexible staff dining environment.

When Walkers Deli & Sausage Co., part of Samworth Brothers, set out to improve its workplace dining facility, the ambition went beyond a simple refresh. The existing space was dated and ready for investment, with the wider site already undergoing a programme of improvement. The brief was to create a better, more aspirational environment for the people using the space every day, particularly the manufacturing teams who rely on it during and around their shifts.

Our design approach focused on making the existing footprint work harder. Through interior design, zoning, lighting, furniture selection and operational kitchen planning, we helped turn the space into a more practical, welcoming and flexible environment, supporting daily dining, breakout use, retail display, self-vending and future staff events. Behind the finished look, the project also brought together wider Airedale capability across kitchen design, build, ventilation, back-of-house fabrication and equipment specification. 

Samworth Brothers
The Kitchen design for Samworth Brothers
Project Snapshot

A workplace dining project shaped around people, flow and flexibility

 

Project focus
Project focus

Workplace dining, staff breakout, catering and retail foodservice

Services used
Services used

Interior design, kitchen design, build, fabrication, ventilation and lighting design

Design priority
Design priority

Creating a more welcoming, aspirational and flexible environment for a predominantly manufacturing workforce.

Operational priority
Operational priority

Improving kitchen flow, equipment capability and day-to-day usability for the catering team

Project delivered
Project delivered

 A more modern staff environment, with stronger zoning, better lighting, improved service flow and a step-change in the catering team’s working environment 

This project was about creating a better environment for the people using the space every day. The client genuinely wanted something more for their team, and that shaped the way we approached the design and the finished experience.

- Creative Director, Airedale Group

Creating a better space for their team

The brief was to transform a dated staff dining facility into a more welcoming, aspirational and flexible environment for a major food manufacturing workforce.

Walkers Deli & Sausage Co. had an existing workplace dining facility that no longer reflected the standard of the wider site or the needs of the people using it every day. The space was ready for improvement and, as part of a wider programme of site upgrades, the client wanted to create an environment that felt more modern, more considered and more supportive of its workforce.

The project was not driven by a need to dramatically increase catering output. The priority was to improve the quality of the environment, create a better daily experience for manufacturing and office colleagues, and give the catering team a facility that was fit for the next five to ten years. That meant approaching the project as a full interior design and operational planning challenge, creating a space that could support dining, breaks and more flexible use throughout the working day.

A concept video that supported the design process

Making the space work harder

Our design approach focused on improving the existing footprint through zoning, furniture, lighting and flow, creating a workplace dining environment that could support more than mealtimes alone.

The structure of the existing restaurant meant the overall footprint could not be completely reimagined. Instead, the opportunity was to make the space work harder through considered interior design, clearer zoning and better use of the available area.

Defined zones

Defined zones

Airedale developed distinct areas for dining, self-vending and retail foodservice, helping the space support different types of use throughout the working day without feeling fragmented or difficult to navigate.

Samworth Brothers Dining Area

Flexible staff environment

The design moved the space beyond three fixed meal sessions a day, creating a more versatile environment where colleagues could pause, meet, reset or use the area informally between service periods.

Samworth Brothers new kitchen and dining areas

Smarter flow

Furniture choices, layout planning and the relationship between the dining area, kitchen and service points helped maintain clear walkways, support natural movement and create a more coherent staff experience.

Interior design is a speciality

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Samworth Brothers Kitchen

Designing a kitchen that supports the team

The kitchen design focused on improving flow, reducing unnecessary movement and giving the catering team better tools to deliver the same service more effectively.

The existing kitchen equipment and layout placed pressure on the catering team. Rather than designing around increased volume, the focus was on improving how the team could prepare, cook and serve food within the available footprint.

By upgrading the equipment, refining the cookline and improving the relationship between the kitchen, servery and dishwash areas, we helped create a more efficient working environment. The cookline was positioned closer to the service point, a new hatch improved communication between front and back of house, and the dishwash route was reworked to reduce operational clashes.

The result is a kitchen that supports the catering team more effectively day to day, reducing unnecessary movement and giving them greater flexibility to focus on food quality, menu development and service consistency.

Lighting, zoning and atmosphere

Lighting was used as a core design feature, helping define the different areas of the space while giving the client more flexibility for events, campaigns and seasonal moments.

The lighting design played an important role in shaping the finished environment. Different lighting treatments were used across the space, from practical task lighting in back-of-house areas to retail lighting designed to enhance product display and feature lighting used to connect the dining, vending and retail zones.

A key design feature was the use of custom RGB-controlled lighting rigs, giving the client the ability to change the atmosphere of the space for different moments throughout the year. Whether supporting internal events, awareness campaigns or seasonal activity, the lighting adds flexibility and visual impact without compromising the everyday functionality of the workplace dining environment.

Samworth Brothers new kitchen by Airedale Group

Task lighting

Practical lighting was designed into the back-of-house areas to support the catering team with clear visibility, safe working conditions and efficient daily operation.

Samworth Brothers Retail Lighting

Retail lighting

Dedicated lighting underneath the retail elements helped enhance product display and create a stronger sense of presentation within the foodservice offer.

Samworth Brothers Feature Lighting

Feature lighting

Custom RGB-controlled feature lights linked the core zones together and gave the client the ability to adapt the atmosphere for events, campaigns and seasonal moments.

Investing where it mattered

The design process balanced ambition, cost and practicality, protecting the features that would have the greatest impact while finding smarter solutions elsewhere.

From the early concept stage, the project was developed through close dialogue with the client team. Visuals were used to establish the ambition for the finished space, giving everyone a clear destination while allowing the detail to evolve as budget, programme and design decisions were worked through.

The approach was not to strip character out of the scheme. It was about understanding where investment would make the greatest difference. Feature lighting, improved equipment, and carefully considered design details were protected where they added real value, while more standardised solutions were used where they could achieve the right performance more efficiently.

That balance helped create a finished environment that felt significantly upgraded without losing sight of commercial discipline, practical delivery or the client’s original ambition for the space.

New interior design for Samworth Brothers by Airedale Group

Airedale services used

A design-led workplace dining project supported by capability across the Airedale Group, including kitchen design, build, ventilation, fabrication and lighting.

Feature lighting at Samworth Brothers

Interior and lighting design

We developed the look, feel and atmosphere of the space, using zoning, furniture, finishes and lighting to create a more welcoming and flexible workplace dining environment. Feature lighting helped connect the dining, self-vending and retail areas, while giving the client the ability to adapt the space for events, campaigns and seasonal moments.

Samworth Brothers Kitchen

Kitchen design and equipment specification

We designed the back-of-house kitchen around better flow, improved ergonomics and more capable equipment. By refining the relationship between the cookline, servery and dishwash areas, the design helped reduce unnecessary movement and gave the catering team a more efficient environment to work from.

Samworth Brothers new kitchen by Airedale Group

Build, ventilation and fabrication

Our wider delivery included the build works, ventilation, canopy provision and back-of-house fabrication needed to bring the scheme together. Fabricated elements included practical kitchen support items such as sinks, tables and shelving, helping create a robust operational environment behind the finished design.

Samworth Brothers Feature Lighting
The Outcome

A better everyday setting for the client's people

The completed project gave the client a modern, flexible and more welcoming workplace dining facility, designed around the needs of both the workforce and the catering team.

The finished space represents a significant step forward from the previous facility. What had been a dated workplace dining environment is now a brighter, more flexible and more considered space for colleagues to use throughout the working day.

For the workforce, the new environment provides a more welcoming place to eat, pause, meet and reset. For the catering team, the improved kitchen layout, upgraded equipment, and better linkages between back-of-house and service areas support smoother day-to-day operation and greater flexibility in how food is prepared and served.

The result is a workplace catering facility that feels more aligned with the wider site, more supportive of the people using it, and better equipped for the next stage of the client’s operational and workplace needs. 

FAQs

What was the focus of the project for Samworth Brothers?
What was the focus of the project for Samworth Brothers?

The focus was to transform an existing workplace dining facility into a more modern, welcoming and flexible environment for a major food manufacturing workforce. The project combined interior design, kitchen design, lighting, ventilation,  delivery and back-of-house fabrication.

How does interior design improve a workplace dining environment?
How does interior design improve a workplace dining environment?

Interior design helps shape how a space feels, flows and functions. In this project, zoning, furniture, finishes and lighting were used to create distinct areas for dining, self-vending and retail foodservice, while supporting clearer movement through the space.

Why is kitchen design important in a staff restaurant or workplace catering space?
Why is kitchen design important in a staff restaurant or workplace catering space?

Kitchen design has a direct impact on how efficiently the catering team can work. By improving the relationship between the cookline, servery and dishwash areas, the project helped reduce unnecessary movement, improve communication and support smoother daily service.

What role did lighting design play in the project?
What role did lighting design play in the project?

Lighting was used to support both function and atmosphere. Practical task lighting supported back-of-house operation, retail lighting helped enhance product display, and feature lighting helped connect the dining, vending and retail zones while giving the client flexibility for events and seasonal activity.

Can Airedale manage both the design and delivery of a workplace catering project?
Can Airedale manage both the design and delivery of a workplace catering project?

Yes. Airedale can bring together interior design, kitchen design, equipment specification, build delivery, ventilation and fabrication, helping clients move from early concept to finished space through one coordinated project team.

What types of workplace catering environments can Airedale support?
What types of workplace catering environments can Airedale support?

We can support staff restaurants, workplace dining spaces, breakout areas, retail foodservice zones, self-vending areas, production site catering facilities and commercial kitchens for employers that need practical, efficient and engaging foodservice environments.

Planning a workplace dining or staff restaurant project?

From interior design and lighting to kitchen planning, ventilation, fabrication and build delivery, we help employers create foodservice spaces that work better for their people and their operations. Whether the priority is improving staff experience, modernising a dated facility or making an existing footprint work harder, our team can support the full journey from concept to completion.

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