Food hub expands into new premises
by Yvette Brand It was all hands-on deck for volunteers at Baw Baw Food Hub over the weekend to pull off a massive relocation effort ahead of tomorrow’s re-opening in a new premises.
In scenes similar to a reality tv show, more than 60 volunteer and staff worked around the clock over a four-day period to enable the food hub to re-open tomorrow.
After running for almost seven years, the organic grocery store had outgrown its warehouse in North Rd, Warragul and has relocated to premises that offers space, scope for growth and easy access parking.
The volunteer effort to refurbish and relocate to the former Aussie Wool Quilts building in Queen St involved food hub customers and supporters who joined with staff and local tradespeople.
Tables once used for sewing quilts have been transformed into packing benches for the community-run grocery store that focusses on fresh and organic produce.
The hub began as a small vegie box pick-up direct from farmers’ front doors and has grown to a full grocery store offering fresh produce and locally sourced bulk foods.
Food hub founder and spokesperson Lynda Hoare said it was an exciting move.
She said she had been looking for four years for a site that ticked all the boxes but the organisation had not been able to afford rent on most sites.
Ms Hoare expects the exposure of a key Queen St site will help to grow the hub.
The new location allows for off-street parking behind the premises, a green space and extensive shedding that will allow for a cool room, storage and packing areas.
Ms Hoare said staff were looking forward to offering more products, extending opening hours and being able to support more local farmers and food producers.
She said staff and volunteers were already throwing around ideas for a café and community space in an area at the eastern end of the building.
Ms Hoare said they also were excited about a range of possible future developments, including roof-top solar energy, to offset the electricity demands of running a freshfood business.
But the immediate focus is on maintaining services for long-term subscribers and members with weekly vegie boxes, deliveries across West Gippsland and discounts for members.
The hub has gone from strength to strength in recent years providing a platform for organic producers as well as an increasing consumer demand for clean green products.
The food hub is a not-forprof it group based in Warragul that sources organic, natural and local produce for its customers.