Project: OzHarvest
Background
In a vacant retail tenancy at 147 Anzac Parade, Kensington, OzHarvest was invited to utilise the space for community benefit and launched Australia’s first free supermarket through a meanwhile use lease. Operating on a simple but powerful premise “take what you need, give if you can”, the OzHarvest Market redistributed rescued food directly to the community from March 2017 to December 2020, turning an idle shopfront into a vital neighbourhood resource.
Challenge
Food insecurity affects hundreds of thousands of Australians each year, yet significant quantities of nutritious food are discarded daily across the supply chain. At the same time, vacant retail properties sit idle, offering untapped potential to deliver community benefit.
OzHarvest recognised the opportunity to offer rescued food direct to the community, and thanks to the TOGA Group donating the space, a new service was created for a community in need, with dignity at the centre.
Solution
A vacant retail tenancy was transformed into a free community supermarket, redistributing rescued food to anyone who needed it. No means testing, no barriers, just open and dignified access to nutritious food for all.
”The OzHarvest Market is more than food on a table, it’s dignity, connection, and the reassurance that someone cares. For many people, it’s the difference between getting by and going without.”
Impact
Catalytic – The OzHarvest Market demonstrated that meanwhile use leases can activate vacant retail space for immediate, high-volume community benefit. Serving 132,600 customers and distributing 132,000 kg of rescued food, it proved a replicable model that has since inspired OzHarvest’s permanent Waterloo Market, now in its sixth year of operation.
Transformational – For 132,600 customers, the market meant barrier-free access to nutritious food in a welcoming supermarket environment available to anyone. By removing stigma from food relief, the project gave people experiencing hardship not just food, but a sense of agency and dignity.
Collaborative – The project united OzHarvest and TOGA Group in a landmark partnership, complemented by 23,000 volunteer hours from individuals and businesses who gave their time in service of the community. This cross-sector collaboration became a model for future meanwhile use partnerships.
Amplified – Beyond its 132,600 direct beneficiaries, the market diverted 536,000 kg of food from landfill, delivering environmental impact alongside social impact. Its legacy lives on in the Waterloo Market and in the growing case for meanwhile use as a tool for addressing food insecurity at scale.
Results
Over nearly four years, the OzHarvest Market served 132,600 customers, distributed 132,000 kg of rescued food, provided 13,000 cooked meals, and diverted 536,000 kg from landfill, all powered by 23,000 volunteer hours.
What began as an empty shopfront became a cornerstone of community life in Kensington, proving that meanwhile use can turn idle property into meaningful, lasting impact.
