Families will soon be able to do their daily shopping at the Growers Hub. Photo: Growers Hub Riverina.
As fuel prices push up the cost of transporting food across Australia, a Riverina co-operative says the answer may be closer to home: buy produce grown locally.
To make that easier, Growers Hub Riverina – a collective of farmers and chefs selling locally grown food – will soon open six days a week to strengthen regional supply chains strained by rising fuel prices.
The collective opened its doors in November 2025 as a group of 20 small businesses who banded together to share resources to afford a central supermarket that could compete with Coles and Woolworths.
The hub brings together seasonal fruit and vegetables, a full protein range, local dairy, daily sourdough and flowers grown within 50 km, all under one roof.
At present, it operates as a farmers market on Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.
“We were getting so much feedback that people want to support local producers, but it’s not convenient in our busy lives,” Hub director Zoe Lamont said.
“We trying to make shopping locally more convenient. So we will now be open six days a week from 19 March onwards.”
Ms Lamont said the timing couldn’t be better as anxiety about fuel price rises and shortages hit consumers and farmers. She said buying food that didn’t need to be transported long distances could be the answer.
“When people start worrying about rising fuel or food costs, they naturally pull back – maybe skipping their second coffee or deciding not to go out for dinner. But when fear changes how we spend, that behaviour itself is what can tip communities into economic downturn,” she said.
“We’re incredibly fortunate here in the Riverina. We live inside one of Australia’s most productive food regions. The most powerful thing our community can do right now to avoid economic distress is to keep spending locally – every dollar spent at a locally owned business stays in local circulation, it just makes economic sense.”
The Farm Door ready-meal manufacturer said local supply chains were often overlooked in everyday shopping habits.
“It’s a bit mad when you think about it – we grow incredible food here, ship it out through corporate distribution networks and then buy it back again through the same system,” Ms Lamont said.
“Farmers markets and places like the Growers Hub allow people to buy food that hasn’t been freighted across the country. Supporting small farms and kitchens here keeps more value circulating in our own community.”
Zoe Lamont sees opportunity in crisis. Photo: Erin Hee.
The new trading hours will kick off with a free community event called Supermarket Spree on Thursday 19 March.
The event will include live music, produce tastings, a multicultural food court, local bar, children’s activities and the official ribbon cutting of the cooperative supermarket. Prizes include $500 of Supermarket Spree Experiences with food leaders Matthew Evans (Fat Pig Farm) and Clarence Slockee (Gardening Australia), 10 $100 Growers Hub vouchers given away weekly throughout autumn and more than 50 local supermarket items given away on the night.
“We’re very fortunate here in Wagga to have the choice to support our local food supply chain,” Ms Lamont said.
“The Growers Hub being open six days a week means there’s really no excuse not to shop local any more. It’s simply a personal choice about whether we want our money supporting small farms and kitchens strengthening food security in our region.”
The Supermarket Spree will take place from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursday 19 March at the Riverina Growers Hub, 180 Forsyth Street. Entrance opposite South Wagga Post Office.
