Construction has begun on a new cool room and freezer facility for national food relief charity SecondBite, with supply chain specialist TMX Transform supporting the project on a pro bono basis to help the charity meet a sharp rise in demand.
The facility, built alongside SecondBite’s existing operations at Derrimut, Victoria, will allow the charity to receive, store and process significantly larger volumes of surplus fresh produce as major retailers direct more of their unsold and imperfect stock toward food relief rather than disposal. In 2026, SecondBite has rescued 26.8 million kilograms of surplus food and provided the equivalence of 53 million meals.
The project comes as recent data shows 3.6 million Australians have experienced food hardship for the first time in the past six months[1], and nearly one in three Australians say they would consider accessing food relief in the next six months.
SecondBite reports 94% of the charities it supports have seen demand rise on the previous year, driven increasingly by working families and dual-income households who have never previously needed food assistance[2].
TMX is providing construction project management for the new facility. Unlike a typical retail or commercial supply chain, SecondBite operates with almost no visibility of what stock will arrive on a given day, meaning the facility has been designed for flexibility and surge capacity rather than a predictable, planned flow of goods.
The 1500sqm facility is being delivered by builder Harris HMC. Construction is expected to be complete by end Q1 2027.
Milan Andjelkovic, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at TMX Transform said:
“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. 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, they have 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 – and 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, CEO SecondBite said:
“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. 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 their expertise to this project. Their support is helping us build the capacity we need not just for today’s demand, but for the years ahead.”
[1] Coles, SecondBite and Foodbank launch Community Food Relief Appeal to help put more meals on Australian tables – SecondBite
[2] https://secondbite.org/94-of-surveyed-food-relief-agencies-report-rising-demand/
