An Incredible Opportunity.
When Kivi and Vicki Lay arrived in Darwin, after fleeing civil war in Timor-Leste in 1975, they brought with them something no border could contain, an instinct for community, a deep knowledge of Asian flavours, and the determination to build something lasting in their new home.
The Territory they found was hungry, literally. Darwin had an appetite for authentic, high-quality Asian food, but very few people were meeting it. Kivi and Vicki saw not a challenge, but an open door.
"45 years ago, not a lot of foods had been explored. So, we had the excellent opportunity to introduce that product and combine it into our business. It was a very good beginning."
— Nelson Lay, DirectorKivi's brothers, Nelson, Jackson and David, soon followed, arriving from Singapore in 1978. Together, four brothers and their families would lay the foundation for what would become one of the Northern Territory's most enduring business success stories.
to Territory Icon.
In 1988, the vision took its first permanent form. Kivi Lay opened a purpose-built retail store and warehouse in Darwin, the NT Oriental Emporium, becoming one of the first businesses to seriously pursue the import and export of premium Asian food products into the Northern Territory.
It was an innovative model built on three principles that would define the business forever: quality, service and flexibility. No customer was too remote, no order too small, no request too unusual. If the Territory needed it, AUFS would find a way to deliver it.
1994 brought another pivotal chapter, the Lay family joined the Countrywide Network, Australia's leading independent foodservice buying group. Shortly after, Nelson became a Countrywide Australia director, bringing the Territory's voice to a national conversation.
"It was a good opportunity to see a bit more about Countrywide and how we can work as a group to become a bigger buying power for the food service sector."
— Nelson Lay, Director
& Customer Service.
In 2009, Asian United Food Services was formally incorporated, built on the twin pillars of a family philosophy: quality, humility and exemplary customer service. The name captured everything the Lay family believed in: a united front, grounded in Asia's rich food culture, serving the Territory with pride.
Together, the Lay brothers sourced the finest products from across Australia and the world, combining international Asian specialty lines with the best of Australian produce. They built an infrastructure that could serve not just Darwin's restaurants and cafes, but remote communities and government institutions that relied on consistent, quality supply.
"Being the first point of contact for the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre showcases our ability to service the Northern Territory and surrounding regions, which is of great pride for us."
— Nelson Lay, DirectorWarehouse Complex.
October 2019 marked a turning point in the AUFS story. Ground was broken on a new, purpose-designed warehouse complex at Woolner, a 21,000m² facility that would become the most sophisticated food logistics hub in the Northern Territory.
With a fleet of over 35 refrigerated and dry goods trucks and purpose-built dry goods and cold storage facilities, the Woolner complex enabled AUFS to deliver across the Territory — six days a week in Darwin and Palmerston, with weekly and freight services to communities beyond.
Continues.
Today, the third generation of the Lay family are making their mark. Yolanda Lay, Kivi and Vicki's daughter, and her brother and cousins carry the same values forward: care, sincerity, integrity and a commitment to the community that took their family in.
"Times have changed, but the core values and morals are the same. If we stand together, we'll be able to overcome challenges and grow."
— Yolanda LayThat spirit of paying it forward is central to the Lay family philosophy. From sponsoring local events and sporting clubs to being the first food supplier called in any Territory crisis, AUFS gives back to the land and community that gave the Lay family their start.
Australia opened its doors to the Lay family when they needed it most. The family's response has been to build something that serves Australia's most remote communities with the same heart and commitment that defines everything they do.
"Pay it forward means our hearts are full and we can do our part for Australia, which welcomed the family after we fled from the civil war in East Timor in 1975."
— Yolanda Lay
Nelson Lay looks to the future with characteristic pride and quiet confidence.
"We are a strong family business, now in our third generation. We have instilled in them, since young, the meaning of hard work, the rewards it brings, ethics, integrity and humbleness. I hope that our legacy will continue."
— Nelson Lay, Director