The Victorian government has invested $5 million to support food rescue organisation, SecondBite, to triple its food relief capacity across the state, by expanding its Derrimut distribution centre.
As the cost of living crisis continues to impact Australian families, and frontline charities struggle to cope with rising demand, the Victorian government is aiming to support the future of critical food relief infrastructure in the state.
SecondBite stated the $5 million investment will contribute to the purchase of the new Derrimut warehouse and support the facility’s fit-out, significantly increasing capacity to collect, store and distribute rescued food across the state, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating transport between its two existing warehouses.
It will allow the organisation to triple its food relief volume and double its support to regional Victoria and Melbourne’s north – the equivalent of around 100 million more meals over the next decade, or an extra 316,000 households.
SecondBite CEO, Daniel Moorfield, said the investment would be transformational for Victoria’s food relief system.
“This investment is a game changer for food relief across Victoria,” said Moorfield.
“Demand for food relief continues to grow as more households face cost-of-living pressures, and this expansion will strengthen our ability to rescue and redistribute more food to the people who need it most.”
SecondBite New South Wales was also recently granted $100,000 to rescue an additional 5000 kilograms of fresh produce each week from the Sydney Markets.
The Victorian investment follows an $11.2 million investment in the 2026-27 Victorian Budget to strengthen the state’s grassroots and large-scale food providers, including $2.7 million in immediate support for charities facing rising fuel costs, and $8.5 million for food relief.
Victorian Minister for Carers and Volunteers, Luba Grigorovitch, said no Victorian should go hungry.
“That’s why we’re backing SecondBite – so more families can get the support they need,” said Grigorovitch.
“We’re securing Victoria’s long term food security so more surplus food can be rescued and delivered to Victorians doing it tough.”
Applications for the third round of the state’s Community Food Security Program are now open, and close on 9 July. Organisations can apply for grants of up to $100,000 to provide vital food relief in their communities.
