SecondBite starts Derrimut cold store for food relief

SecondBite has begun building a new cold storage facility at Derrimut in Victoria, with TMX Transform supporting the project on a pro bono basis.

The 1,500sqm cool room and freezer facility is designed to expand the food relief charity's storage and processing capacity as demand for assistance rises.

Construction is under way alongside SecondBite's existing Derrimut operations, with Harris HMC delivering the site. Completion is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

The new facility will allow SecondBite to receive, store and process larger volumes of surplus fresh produce and other food donations. Because the charity has limited visibility over what stock will arrive on any given day, the site has been designed to manage fluctuating volumes rather than a fixed flow of goods.

The expansion comes as food insecurity increases across Australia. According to figures cited by the organisations, 3.6 million Australians have experienced food hardship for the first time in the past six months, while 94% of the charities supported by SecondBite have reported higher demand than a year earlier.

According to the charity, that increase is being driven more by working families and dual-income households. At the same time, major retailers are sending more unsold and imperfect stock to food relief organisations instead of disposing of it.

In 2026, SecondBite has rescued 26.8 million kilograms of surplus food, equivalent to 53 million meals. The charity distributes food free of charge to charities and community organisations, and also works with FareShare kitchens and farms to produce ready-to-eat meals and fresh produce.

TMX Transform is providing construction project management for the Derrimut development, contributing operational and project expertise to the build rather than making a financial donation.

A key challenge for the project is the unpredictable nature of supply. Unlike conventional retail and commercial supply chains, food relief operations depend on donated stock, which can vary in type and volume from day to day.

As a result, the facility has been planned around flexibility and surge capacity. The aim is to help SecondBite handle larger and more variable deliveries of donated food while maintaining safe storage conditions for fresh produce and frozen goods.

Milan Andjelkovic, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at TMX Transform, said the project was a practical response to growing need.

"An estimated 3.6 million Australians have experienced food hardship for the first time in the last six months, much of it among working families and dual-income households who've never needed this kind of support before," said Andjelkovic.

"Given that, we wanted to offer SecondBite something more useful than a donation: the project management, construction and network expertise we already have, put directly to work on the ground.

"The supply chain challenge here is unique. Because SecondBite's stock is donated surplus rather than planned procurement, it has little visibility over what volume or product will arrive on any given day.

"Designing a facility around that kind of variability, rather than a predictable flow of goods, requires a different approach. It's one we think we can keep supporting as demand continues to grow.

"At TMX Transform, we're extremely proud to be part of a project that will help get more good food to Australian families who need it."

Daniel Moorfield, Chief Executive Officer at SecondBite, said the charity was responding both to growing need and to the greater volume of edible surplus food available for redistribution.

"The need for food relief is growing, but at the same time there is more good food available that can be rescued and redirected to people who need it," said Moorfield.

"The challenge is having the infrastructure and capacity to handle that food safely and efficiently.

"This new facility will significantly increase our ability to receive and store fresh produce and other surplus food, helping us get more nutritious food out to our charity partners and the communities they support.

"We're incredibly grateful to TMX Transform for bringing its expertise to this project. Its support is helping us build the capacity we need not just for today's demand, but for the years ahead."