Advent Catering Equipment has been maintaining the four-door pass-through refrigerator for 13 years.

Nicki Neal of Advent Catering Equipment said: “When our regional business manager Kelly from Foster Refrigerator informed us of the competition they were running for their 50th anniversary to find the longest standing Foster appliance, we immediately relayed this information to our team to help look amongst our extensive client base for older working appliances.

“We were convinced that an educational establishment would be the clear winner; little did we know we would find it at a manufacturing plant. One of our customers was still using a pass-through display chiller there that appeared to be in excess of 40 years old.

“Once Foster verified that this was indeed the oldest reported working appliance, we were thrilled to be the service provider who has helped keep this premier brand in tip top working order. This is proof that a well manufactured appliance combined with rigorous regular maintenance can prolong the life span of equipment. We are proud to be associated with Foster Refrigerator for both their sales and maintenance support.”

Entries ranged from Foster Gastronorms to coldstores dating between 1976 and the early 2000s, and there were a small number of entries that could not even be dated.

“We’ve had lots of entries and are really impressed, though not at all surprised, with just how long a Foster product can work,” said Nick Bamber, European head of marketing at Foster Refrigerator and Gamko. “It just proves that when you maintain your Foster product, it will just keep on going.”

Foster’s sister company, Gamko, recently concluded a similar competition in the Netherlands and found a bottle cooler from 1975.