Mobile catering solutions for aid organisations, fire brigades and civil protection services
Mobile supply units, food trucks and roll-off containers for emergency use
When emergency services and rescue teams need to be reliably catered for over a prolonged period, catering solutions are required that can operate even under challenging conditions.
BORCO HÖHNS develops and manufactures mobile kitchens, catering vehicles and support units for fire brigades, aid organisations, medical services and civil protection.
Whether it’s a compact catering vehicle, a custom-fitted food truck, a trailer or a roll-off container: every solution is tailored to the specific area of application and the requirements of your organisation.
Catering during operations must be reliable
In the event of major incidents, prolonged operations, exercises or events, it is essential to have a catering unit that is quickly ready for action, enables clear workflows and operates reliably even under heavy demand. Our mobile catering solutions help organisations to provide emergency services and support teams with food and drink directly on site. Depending on the set-up, food can be stored, chilled, freshly prepared, kept warm and served.
Typical areas of application include:
- Providing meals for emergency services personnel during fire and rescue operations
- Disaster management and civil protection
- Support and medical services
- Catering for drills, large-scale operations and events
- Mobile meal distribution for teams of volunteers and those affected
Mobile kitchens tailored to your requirements
No two organisations operate in the same way. That is why our catering solutions are not off-the-shelf products, but individually designed units. The solutions we develop in collaboration with you are tailored to your organisation, your operational tactics and your practical requirements.
Together with you, we will clarify the following, amongst other things:
- How many people need to be catered for?
- What sort of food is to be prepared or served?
- How self-sufficient does the unit need to be?
- Which vehicles, carrier vehicles or swap-body systems are already in use?
- What are the requirements regarding hygiene, refrigeration, water, electricity and gas?
- How many people will be working in the unit in the future?
- Which processes need to be particularly quick and straightforward during an operation?
Professional equipment for mobile use
BORCO HÖHNS combines vehicle manufacturing with expertise gained from the professional catering and food truck sectors. This results in mobile catering units that are reliably and thoughtfully designed for on-site use.
Equipment variants:
- Refrigeration and deep-freezing technology
- Combi-ovens, gas hobs, griddle roasters, bain-maries or stock pots
- Dishwasher or separate washing-up station
- Fresh water and waste water tanks
- External water and sewerage connections
- Gas supply with an externally accessible gas cylinder storage area
- LED lighting systems
- Warming cabinets and serving equipment
- hygienic work surfaces and well-designed interior fittings
The supply unit as a roll-off container
A specialised solution for civil protection is the supply unit in the form of a swap body (‘container’). This solution is robust and secure on the outside. Inside, there is a professional commercial kitchen, equipped with its own dishwashing station. The swap body is suitable for use in challenging terrain and can be transported using a conventional swap-body vehicle.
This makes the unit particularly attractive to fire brigades, local authorities and organisations that already use swap-body systems or wish to deploy a high-performance supply unit flexibly.
Mobile commercial kitchen in the form of a roll-off container
The base consists of a standard mounting frame for roll-off containers, fitted with an aluminium frame. This results in a robust, durable and, at the same time, comparatively lightweight structure, designed specifically for demanding operating conditions. The roll-off container can be transported using any standard swap body vehicle and is suitable for rough terrain. On site, the supply unit is automatically levelled and securely positioned using an electro-hydraulic stabiliser system.
With an unladen weight of 5.6 tonnes and a maximum authorised mass of up to 10 tonnes, the system combines high functionality with maximum mobility.
The interior of the container is divided into two clearly separate work areas. The left-hand area houses a fully-fledged commercial kitchen with professional equipment for preparing large quantities of food. The right-hand section houses a complete washing-up area, including storage cupboards and storage space for crockery and kitchen equipment. This allows cleaning, storage and kitchen operations to be organised in parallel and efficiently – a crucial advantage during long periods of operation.
Equipment of the roll-off container (for example):
- professional dishwashing line
- Hot water tank
- Combi steamer
- cooking pot
- Gas cooker
- Bainmarie
- Griddle roaster
- LED strip lights
- Liebherr fridge
The mobile commercial kitchen as a roll-off container: easy to transport, quick to set up and designed specifically to meet the demands of modern operational environments!
Catering solutions for your organisation
Catering vehicles for fire brigades
Robust vehicles are being developed for fire services, tailored to their day-to-day operations. Depending on requirements, they can be designed as mobile kitchens, distribution units or combined supply solutions.
Food trucks for charities
Compact and high-performance food truck solutions can be provided for aid organisations such as the German Red Cross (DRK), Malteser or the Salvation Army. These are suitable for on-site provision, planned operations, exercises or long-term relief operations.
Trailers for civil protection
Trailers can also be a suitable solution if a mobile catering unit is to be used flexibly and does not require its own chassis. They provide space for kitchen equipment, refrigeration, serving areas and other fittings.
Roll-off containers for municipal operational plans
For organisations with swap-body vehicles, a roll-off container offers a particularly practical solution. The unit can be transported and deployed as required, and used as a stand-alone field kitchen.
Why BORCO HÖHNS?
Over 70 years’ experience in vehicle manufacturing
BORCO HÖHNS has decades of experience in the construction of retail, snack bar, food truck and specialised vehicles. This expertise is incorporated into every catering solution for civil protection.
Personalised planning
Every organisation has its own specific requirements. That is why we plan not only the vehicle or container, but the entire functionality of the support unit: from the workflow and the technology right through to its subsequent use in the field.
High manufacturing quality
A mobile catering unit must operate reliably, be robust and be capable of being used for many years. To achieve this, the focus is on sturdy construction, high-quality materials and professional workmanship.
Well-designed kitchen and utility systems
The fittings are designed to meet professional requirements. Cooling, cooking equipment, water, waste water, electricity and gas are planned in such a way that the unit remains practical and efficient in use.
Advice on an equal footing
From the initial idea to the finished solution, we support you with our technical expertise, industry knowledge and a clear understanding of how things will work in practice.
Who are our solutions suitable for?
Our mobile catering units are designed for organisations that need to provide food and drink to people quickly and reliably in an emergency.
These include, amongst others:
- Fire brigades
- The (German) Red Cross and other aid organisations
- Johanniter
- Malteser
- Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund
- THW and THW-affiliated support units
- local emergency management
- Civil protection
- Medical and support services
- Towns, districts and public bodies
Consultancy services at INTERSCHUTZ 2026 and beyond
Are you visiting INTERSCHUTZ in Hanover, or have you already spoken to us there? If so, this page is the perfect place to start if you’d like to find out more about BORCO HÖHNS’ mobile catering solutions.
We would be happy to discuss with you which solution is best suited to your organisation:
- Food truck, catering vehicle
- Trailers, roll-off containers
- tailor-made solution
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Many existing field kitchens and catering units date from a time when different requirements applied in terms of hygiene, health and safety, self-sufficiency and operational logistics. Modern operational scenarios call for solutions that can be set up quickly, are designed with hygiene in mind, and can be used reliably even with reduced staffing levels.
A new mobile catering solution may be a sensible option if existing equipment no longer suits the current operational requirements, if it is difficult to comply with current hygiene standards, or if catering for longer operations needs to be organised in a more flexible and independent manner.
That depends on your operational requirements. For some organisations, a compact catering vehicle is the best option, whilst for others a larger food truck, a trailer or a roll-off container might be more suitable. We’ll advise you based on your specific requirements.
Yes, a roll-off container may be of interest to organisations that already use swap-body vehicles. The supply unit can then be transported flexibly and unloaded at the site of operation.
Depending on the design, electricity, water, waste water, gas and cooling can be planned in such a way as to enable a high degree of self-sufficiency.
Yes. The equipment is designed to suit the intended use. This may include, amongst other things, fridges, combi ovens, gas hobs, bain-maries, stock pots, griddle pans or dishwashing equipment.
Yes. The units can be designed in such a way that even large quantities of food can be prepared, kept warm or served. The key factor is the precise design of the equipment and work areas.
Yes. Mobile solutions can also be hired for specific operational situations or events. This can be particularly useful when additional supply capacity is required at short notice, for example in the event of major incidents, flooding, exercises or events.
This means that trailers or self-drive vehicles can be used as mobile kitchens on a temporary basis, without having to purchase your own unit straight away. You can find our current range of catering solutions available for hire here.
Start planning your mobile catering solution with BORCO HÖHNS now
Whether you’re a fire service, aid organisation, local authority or civil protection agency: we develop a catering solution that fits your operational plan. Talk to us about your requirements. Together, we’ll work out which unit is best suited to your organisation. Get in touch with us now and work with BORCO HÖHNS to plan your bespoke catering solution for your operational situations.
