The Food Justice Truck (FJT) is an award-winning, mobile fresh food market that enhances food security for people seeking asylum in the Victorian community by offering locally sourced produce, grains, legumes, tea and bread at a 75 per cent discount to people seeking asylum. The Food Justice Truck also welcomes general public shoppers who pay local market rates.
It is the world’s first retail model that enables the general public to invest in locally sourced produce (with low carbon miles) and also support the ASRC to re-invest profits into the provision of fresh food for people seeking asylum at a price that they can afford.

The Truck is a social enterprise initiative by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) and was launched this year to tackle the growing food insecurity felt by more than 10,000 people in Victoria who are on bridging visas.

The Food Justice Truck (FJT) is open to everyone. In fact, we encourage everyone to get to know each other, meet our volunteers and be part of the community.

A person who has left their home country due to persecution and is seeking protection from harm in Australia, but have not yet been issued a legal status refugee.

Only people seeking protection from the Australian Government can access a 60 per cent discount because this initiative is part of the ASRC, who only services this community. However, we are dedicated to making ethical and nutritious food more accessible to the wider Victorian community.

People seeking asylum can demonstrate their status by showing the following types of ID; Immigration card, ASRC membership, temporary Medicare card, asylum seeker concession Myki.

You do not need to be a member of the ASRC to access the 75 per cent discount at the FJT – the discount applies to all people who are seeking asylum.

• More than 90% of people who seek protection experience food insecurity, run out of food, and cannot afford to buy more
• 40% have gone to bed hungry in the past month
• 42% have lost weight since arriving in Australia because they did not have enough food to eat
• The ability of people to achieve food security is limited by their restricted access to welfare and government or work related income
• People who are eligible for financial assistance only receive 89% of the Newstart allowance, or $227 per week which typically leaves only $10 to $20 for food per week. The standard of living based on this allowance is below the Australian standard of poverty line.
• Given that the current policy situation is likely to continue, providers such as the ASRC will find continuing demands on their services and increasing pressure to provide more than a `supplemental’ food supply

For more information around food security of people seeking asylum, you can download the research paper performed by Deakin University in partnership with ASRC, `Food Insecurity for Asylum Seekers in Melbourne’ (Mckay & Dunn, ANZJPH, 2015).

Last year, the truck served 6777 customers, up from 820 in 2014-15. Of these customers, 1961 were people seeking asylum, who were given discounts equating to almost $105,000 worth of free produce. Income at the Food Justice Truck increased almost nine times over, from $9100 to $82000 which has been reinvested into the ASRC to support 30 programs that empower and assist 3,000 people seeking asylum annually.

While we provide a 75 per cent discount to people seeking asylum, we haven’t forgotten that filling the fridge with nutritious food can be costly for anyone – so we are careful to ensure that our prices are competitive and you will be able to make us a regular component of your weekly shop. You will be able to ‘pay it forward’ without over-paying!

We do purchase all of the produce we sell on the truck. We source most of our fruit and vegetables from sustainable food wholesalers, such as Aussie Farmers Wholesale, supporting local farmers and reducing crop wastage by selling ‘nature’s grade’ produce rejected by the big stores for not being pretty enough. We also have organic tea leaves from Storm in a Teacup in Collingwood, and artisan sourdough from Dench Bakers in Fitzroy.

Not yet. But we are considering lots of exciting ways to shop at and be part of the FJT community and this is certainly on the list.

All the usual ways! We are happy to take credit card, eftpos and cash.

There will be almost no wages to bill. Like most programs at the ASRC, the FJT will be staffed by one paid coordinator and a significant number of volunteers. We have no rent and only a tiny petrol bill.

When you buy at the FJT your money goes to subsidising the 75 per cent discount we provide to people seeking asylum and helping us to open at more locations in order to reach more people who are in desperate need to secure food, and who are seeking protection from harm in Australia.
We believe in people – not profits.

If you would like the Truck to come to your next event, public market or community gathering, please:

1. Fill in the FJT – Event Request Application
2. Email the completed form to foodjusticetruck@asrc.org.au

The FJT was funded by a massive crowdfunding campaign. We’re indebted to the 900+ supporters who made it happen. On top of these generous financial donations, a number of individuals and businesses gave time or discounts, particularly:

• Vincent Chiodo Foundation
• Young Family Foundation
• Hallam Truck Centre
• Cobalt Niche
• VMS – Vehicle Modification Specialists
• Petrina Turner Design
• Joost Bakker
• Wally de Backer
• Albie Colvin Graphic Design