What keeps Epic's frozen seafood frozen between the warehouse and the buyer?

Four safeguards, all run from one site in Kontich, Belgium: refrigerated warehouses, 24/7 temperature monitoring, frozen transport and cooled loading docks. The distribution centre opened in 1991 and was extended twice, in 1996 and 2005, reaching 4,500 pallet positions for continuous frozen storage. The whole range of more than 350 products passes through that one site.

Epic's own description adds what those four are for: "full traceability and strict freshness checks at every step."

How big is Epic's distribution centre?

Big enough to hold the full range year-round. The Kontich site was inaugurated in 1991, the point where Epic's own history marks the shift from a trading company out of Antwerp to an importer and distributor of frozen seafood from all over the world. The first warehouse extension came in 1996, the year Filip joined the company; the second, in 2005, brought capacity to 4,500 pallets for continuous operation. It has stayed a family business the whole way: Pierre Hottlet founded the company in 1970, and Louis Hottlet joined in 2023 as the third generation.

Capacity is what lets a buyer plan. Because stock sits in Kontich rather than arriving with each catch, the assortment stays available outside the fishing or farming season of any single product, and food processors can take bulk, on-demand deliveries lined up with their own production schedule.

Why does Epic keep the whole chain frozen?

Because frozen is the one format that works for every buyer at once. Epic buys worldwide and uses frozen as the storage and transport format for the entire chain, from the foodservice distributor to the horeca kitchen and the retail store. Supply comes from a worldwide network of fishermen and farmers, many of them partners for decades, and how Epic sources frozen seafood explains that side. Once the product reaches Kontich, it stays frozen in storage and leaves frozen.

Further down the line the same format does different jobs. Individually wrapped pieces let a kitchen thaw only what it needs, while block frozen cartons suit processors working in volume. Neither works if the product thawed somewhere on the way, which is why every handover in Kontich has its own safeguard.

What breaks a cold chain, and how does Epic avoid it?

A cold chain is only as strong as its handovers, the moments when product leaves one cold space for the next. Epic puts a named safeguard on each of them:

• Refrigerated warehouses for storage, built for continuous frozen operation.
• 24/7 temperature monitoring, weekends and nights included.
• Cooled loading docks, so the step between warehouse and truck doesn't happen in open air.
• Frozen transport for the road leg to the customer, in Belgium and across the rest of Europe.

None of these is exotic. What a quality manager checks is whether every handover is covered, and here each one has its own answer.

Does the cold chain cover the whole assortment or specific products?

The whole assortment, because it's a facility and logistics claim rather than a product certificate. Shrimp, calamari, cod loins and surimi all go through the same warehouses, docks and transport. That's the difference with MSC and ASC, which sit on specific references only; mixing the two up is how a buyer ends up assuming a sustainability label that isn't on the product. When comparing suppliers, it's a fair question to put to any of them: does the temperature claim describe the whole site, or only some of the products?

The certification side, including how IFS Logistics audits this storage and distribution activity, is on the certificates page and in IFS Broker vs IFS Logistics.

Where does Epic deliver from Kontich?

To horeca businesses, foodservice distributors, retailers and food processors in Belgium and the rest of Europe. New buyers ask for a quote and a webshop login through the contact page, and the frozen fish and seafood wholesaler page lists the range by category.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Epic's distribution centre?

In Kontich, Belgium. It has operated there since 1991.

How many pallets can Epic store frozen?

4,500 pallet positions, reached with the second warehouse extension in 2005, for continuous frozen operation.

Is the temperature monitored outside working hours?

Yes. Temperature monitoring at Epic runs 24/7.