Farm Door Riverina’s Frank Coorey and Zoe Lamont says inviting foreign supermarkets is not the solution to Australia’s supermarket duopoly. Photo: Supplied.
New Riverina not-for-profit co-operative supermarket Growers Hub has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s decision to invite another foreign supermarket chain to Australia as the local group prepares to launch.
Ready-made meal producer Farm Door Riverina’s Zoe Lamont says the imminent arrival of United Arab Emirates-based hypermarket LuLu Group is not the answer, as it will buy produce from whoever can offer the best prices. Spoiler alert: it won’t be local producers, she says.
Ms Lamont started the Growers Hub, a fresh food co-op where 100 per cent of the profits go back to the local producers in our food bowl, after watching prices go up at supermarket chains while being forced to operate at a loss.
She warns that because smaller producers are unable to match the output scales of big factory farms, they’ll be sidelined by foreign supermarkets.
“They can’t buy eggs from 500 different small-scale egg producers,” she said.
“They need to buy from the big factory farms, right? Another big international supermarket is going to be the same, they’re just going to support the high volume [production].”
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that ”Colesworth” has a strong grip on Australia’s grocery market, making up two-thirds of supermarket grocery sales nationally, prompting action to diversify the current market.
However, the Growers Hub believes inviting foreign supermarkets won’t address the issue. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recorded the second-highest median household income in the world ($24,292), while Australia came in at 11th ($17,076).
With stronger buying power, LuLu Group has slightly higher prices for the majority of its everyday goods when compared with Australia.
Ms Lamont is reasonably confident that the Wagga and wider Riverina community will continue to support Growers Hub when it opens its doors in November.
“It takes years for new supermarket chains to roll out,” she said. “We don’t want more international supermarkets coming in.
“Because of the community support … that we’ve had, we’ve been able to get this whole thing up and running in less than a few months.
“I think no big chain can ever do that.”
Aside from ensuring 100 per cent of profits go back to local producers, the Growers Hub can reduce food miles and keep costs down for the community.
Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga’s Thom Paton sees an opportunity for small food businesses in the region as well.
“The Growers Hub’s Friday Night Markets will allow refugee and migrant communities to access a regular market site within a busy precinct at low cost, building family-run micro food businesses and expanding the cultural diversity of food available across the region,” he said.
The Growers Hub is set to launch on 6 November at 180 Forsyth Street, opposite South Wagga Post Office and Butchery, with a seven-week Summer Food Festival, before officially opening to trading in late January 2026.
More details on the Summer Food Festival and vendor applications can be found here. Keep up with the Growers Hub on Facebook.
