Local Hubs Address Food Security Challenges
With grocery prices continuing to stretch household budgets, many Victorians are rethinking how they access food, turning to local, community-led models to make fresh eating more accessible. Initiatives like Box Divvy are becoming vital in Melbourne and beyond as they assist residents in coping with food insecurity.
Scheduled for 22nd May 2026, the Victorian Food Policy Forum will address these challenges by focusing on building a resilient and equitable food system. Local councils are also exploring practical solutions to meet their responsibilities under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act, which prioritises access to healthy, affordable food.
Kellie Wishart, CEO of Carenet, experiences the pressure from multiple directions. She stated, "People are making trade-offs every week, and many feel priced out of fresh food." Wishart operates a Box Divvy Food Hub, connecting locals with affordable fresh produce.
Community Networks Offer Solutions
Box Divvy functions as a community-powered food network, facilitating access to fresh, seasonal produce and pantry staples. The model is designed to be more affordable and transparent than traditional retail methods, with orders coordinated through local Hubs.
Research from Western Sydney University and the University of Wollongong shows that food insecurity among Box Divvy members dropped significantly, from 51% to 28%, after joining the network. This improvement includes better diet quality among participants.
Jayne Travers-Drapes, co-founder of Box Divvy, explained, "Food security isn’t just a supply issue, it’s a system design issue," highlighting the benefits of community-based approaches.
Nick Rose, Executive Director of Sustain: The Australian Food Network, highlighted diverse approaches to strengthening food security. He stated, "Community-based models can help fill gaps by improving access, increasing flexibility, and building resilience closer to where people live."
Box Divvy pre-orders food in bulk, reducing waste and cutting excess packaging. This supports a more efficient supply chain and allows members to see what farmers and suppliers are paid, helping to create a fairer food system.
The Victorian Food Policy Forum will feature contributions from Box Divvy co-founders Jayne Travers-Drapes and Anton van den Berg, among others. For more details, visit the event page at Humanitix.
With more than 350 Hubs operating across NSW and the ACT and a growing presence in Victoria, the Box Divvy model is gaining recognition for its ability to deliver across health, economic, and community outcomes. Councils working with limited resources find this cross-policy impact particularly valuable.
Last updated: 6 May 2026, 1:49 pm
