Temporary Closure of our Carlton and Heidelberg West Markets

Due to financial pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close our Friday and Saturday markets.
We hope to reopen these markets bigger and better later in the year.
Our last Carlton market was June 10 and our last Heidelberg West Market will be July 2

We would like to thank every single one of our customers, particularly those from Carlton and Heidelberg West. Every dollar spent at our markets has allowed us to have more impact in our communities.

We understand these temporary closures may impact many of our customers so if you need information about other local services, please chat to us at our markets or email hello@thecommunitygrocer.com.au.

Our Fitzroy (Tuesdays) and Pakenham (Thursdays) markets will remain open.

Sending everyone love and vegetables

Our 2022 Impact Evaluation

Each year we are lucky enough to partner with students from Monash University’s Master of Dietetics Program and provide an opportunity for students to complete their public health placement. This year’s group of students did an incredible job helping out at our markets by assisting with set up and pack down, serving our wonderful customers and packing our Fruit & Veggie Box orders. If you visited any of our markets between February and April, or follow us on social media there is a chance you may already recognise their friendly faces.

Another very important part of what these students do, and one that we’re super grateful for, is conduct our Impact Evaluation, if you met any of this year’s students, you may have even participated in this survey yourself! The valuable data gathered from this impact evaluation allows us to identify our markets’ successes, as well as areas for improvement so we are incredibly thankful to the students who assist us with conducting customer feedback surveys each year, as well as all of our customers who take the time to complete it!

Our 2022 Impact Evaluation

Affordable Fresh Produce

Each year Monash placement students also conduct price comparisons for our produce, where they compare our produce prices to that of retailers surrounding our market locations. We are glad to see that although there have been quite a few factors that have resulted in the prices of fresh fruit and vegetables increasing throughout Australia, that our markets still provide more affordable produce than other retailers in the areas where are markets are located.

Healthy Connected Communities

We are thrilled that after a year of snap lockdowns, several market relocations and few unfortunate cancellations, that 93% of customers who visit our market said that they felt more connected to the community by doing so! We are also excited to see that 93% of our customers said our produce was of “excellent quality” as it is important to us that our produce is not only affordable, but also high-quality fresh produce, that will last between markets. We love that our markets are helping our customers to increase their intake of fresh fruit and vegetables with 56% of customers saying they consumer more fruit and 64% saying they consumer more vegetables, since shopping at our markets.

Who shops with us?

Everyone is welcome at our markets, and every dollar spent with us means a greater impact in our community, that being said, here is a snapshot of who shopped with us during February and April this year.

Food Security

At The Community Grocer we are all about improving physical, social and economic access to fresh food. Here is information about how our customers experience access to food.

Thank you

A huge thank you again to Casey, Cheryl, Maansi, Marina, Sheng, Steph I, and Steph R for conducting this year’s Impact Evaluation and providing us with this valuable data and another big thank you to all of our amazing customers who took the time to participate in our customer feedback surveys!

Thank You & Good Luck, Isabella!

Friday the 27th of May marked the last market of our amazing Fitzroy and Carlton Market Manager, Isabella, who will be sorely missed.

Bella started with us as a volunteer for two years at our Fawkner Market before she officially joined the team at the end of 2019 as the Carlton & Fawkner Market Manager and Communications Coordinator. After Fawkner closed, she’s been the Fitzroy manager since the start of 2021. It’s likely you’ve seen her, with her big personality and even bigger smile, at any of the markets over the years when she’s stepped in to lend a hand.

Throughout her time, Bella has managed over 250 markets, served over 7,500 customers, and packed over 3,500 boxes. She’s navigated five market location changes, two extended market suspensions, a completely different market model as she led our partnership with Fawkner Commons, helped supervise five groups of students on placement, contributed to feasibility studies for new markets and other projects, and completely expanded the workplace fruit box program from the Fitzroy market - and this isn’t even an exhaustive list. Despite all of the challenges throughout the pandemic, she’s continued to do whatever she can to keep her markets inclusive, welcoming and affordable.

Her customers adore her and we know she loves her markets.

We’re so incredibly lucky to have had her with us for the last 2 and a half years, and while we’re so sad to see her go, we can’t wait to see what she does next. We’re expecting big things! 💚

Meet Leah!

We were so fortunate to have Leah Galvin join our Board in August of this year, bringing with her over 20 years of experience in community food security.
In this post we learn more about Leah by asking her a few questions about her work, how she came to join our team and as always, a bit about her favourite foods. If you would like to learn more about the other amazing members of our Board, head to our Board Members page.

What is it about The Community Grocer that made you want to join the team?


“It is all about the social enterprise business model for me, I am a long-time fan - I love that it takes culturally appropriate food into people’s neighbourhood, right to where they live and offers well priced fresh food to folks who are struggling to eat well, due mostly to financial reasons. And the other thing I admire is the great Team who get it done every week in sometimes extremely challenging circumstances, like during COVID lock downs. From the leadership of Tess to the volunteers and Market managers on market stalls – brilliant, committed, and caring”

You previously worked with Eat Well Tasmania, an NFP promoting seasonal Tasmanian food and supporting Tasmanian food producers. Why do you think local seasonal produce is important? 


“The best answer for this is a favourite quote from the @economicsofhappiness –

“It’s all about local food. Eating local food is a powerful solution-multiplier – it reduces our carbon footprint, pollution, and waste, while creating dignified livelihood opportunities, rebuilding communities and local economies, and strengthening our bodies with healthy fresh food in the process””

Your experience is very impressive - how do you imagine you will contribute to TCG’s strategy?

“I am flattered by that characterisation, thank you. I have worked in and around the issue of community food security for over 20 years. I often do work in other areas of food and regional development, but this is my ‘heart work’. As a Board member you hope to be able to bring strategic mindset to supporting the org to thrive, but I am also happy to add value operationally. I want to make sure that people know about The Community Grocer, how successful its model is and why it should be supported. So, in a practical way I will help with some grant writing.”

What role do you think access to food plays in promoting wellbeing?

“Food is an amazing connector. For wellbeing its part fuelling your body but it’s also about connecting you to place and people. Some of my best memories are from times I sat down and shared food with others. I love our family dinners at home – its not just the food that is nourishing.”

What is your favourite dish?

“Basil pesto with pasta – I have such a strong memory from when I first ate it many years ago. I make a big stash of pesto and freeze it so I can eat it all year round.”

What is something you ate a lot growing up?

“Strangely I don’t have a lot of strong food memories from my childhood, except Dad’s Sunday roast and I was a keen baker. But I do remember that I loved growing and eating strawberries. I still love eating them”

What is your go-to recipe?

“At the moment, my quick midweek dinner for my family is tandoori chicken cooked in the air fryer, with basmati rice and lots of seasonal green veg and local Greek yoghurt. Ready in 30 minutes (not counting the marinating time for the chicken). The reason why I love to cook it is we ALL love to eat it. I bet lots of parents can relate – it’s a high rotation dinner.”

Is there a food you love that other people find a little odd?


“Probably pickled herring. I had Dutch friends who introduced me to it, and I still like to eat it a few times per year.”

If us in Victoria were to pop down to Tasmania- what is the first place you would recommend for a bite to eat? 

“I would probably suggest you pop into the Farm Gate Market in Hobart on a Sunday morning for breakfast where they have a bunch of food stalls – there is something for every taste or for lunch or dinner Tom Mc Hugo’s Pub - everything is locally sourced and seasonal.”

Departure of our Founder and CEO

The Board of the Community Grocer today announced the departure of its founder and CEO Russell Shields. After founding the Community Grocer in 2014, Russell has decided to resign from his position as CEO and Director to focus on new opportunities.

The Community Grocer is a not-for-profit social enterprise that runs fresh produce markets and programs to increase social, economic and physical access to fresh food. Our markets offer choice and nutrition in a dignified setting, creating inclusive and vibrant gathering spaces. With the rising costs of living, many households are struggling to put fresh food on the table and 41% of Victorians now experience food insecurity.

The Board and staff of the Community Grocer wish to thank Russell for his amazing work in founding and growing such an important and impactful organisation and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. Without the work of Russell, the Community Grocer would not be where it is today.

Russell said “I have loved my time working at the Community Grocer. I leave the organisation in the capable hands of a passionate and hardworking team, and a dedicated and committed Board. I have no doubt this next chapter of the Community Grocer will see it grow its impact and continue to deliver positive outcomes for local communities”.

For the full statement, click here.