Plan aims for 100 million meals in 10 years
SecondBite plans to triple its food relief capacity across Victoria over the next decade after securing a $5 million investment from the Victorian Government to expand its Derrimut distribution centre.
Funding will help fit out a new warehouse in Derrimut and contribute to the purchase of the facility. As a result, SecondBite expects a major lift in its capacity to collect, store and distribute rescued food across Victoria.
Over the next 10 years, the charity expects the larger site to lift food relief volume to the equivalent of 100 million meals. It also plans to double support to regional Victoria and reach an additional 316,000 households experiencing food insecurity.
Pressure on household budgets has sharpened the need for food relief. SecondBite cited research showing 54% of Victorians fear they may not have enough money for food over the next six months, while about one in three Victorian households face food insecurity each year.
Regional and rural communities often face extra barriers to fresh, nutritious food. Longer supply chains and fewer services can leave local food relief groups under strain.
Daniel Moorfield on Derrimut expansion
SecondBite chief executive Daniel Moorfield described the Derrimut project as a major upgrade to the charity’s statewide logistics network as cost-of-living pressures keep demand high.
“This investment is a game changer for food relief across Victoria,” Mr Moorfield said.
Moorfield said the site would expand logistics and storage, allowing more fresh food to move more efficiently to more communities. SecondBite expects the project to cut food waste and improve access to nutritious food in metropolitan and regional Victoria.
“The new Derrimut facility will enable us to dramatically increase our capacity, tripling the volume of food relief we provide to the equivalent of 100 million meals over the next decade, doubling our support to regional Victoria, and helping reach an additional 316,000 households experiencing food insecurity,” Mr Moorfield said.
SecondBite expects the upgraded centre to strengthen its statewide food rescue network and build resilience in vulnerable communities across Victoria. Better storage and transport should help keep more surplus food out of waste streams.
Minister for Carers and Volunteers Luba Grigorovitch backed the investment as household pressure grows across Victoria. She said the Derrimut expansion would strengthen food relief infrastructure and support families facing cost-of-living strain.
In a statement, Grigorovitch said, “The investment in SecondBite’s Derrimut expansion will boost Victoria’s food relief infrastructure at a time when more families are facing cost-of-living pressures.”
