As the sun rises every Tuesday morning, Hammad carefully packs boxes of fresh produce alongside his young daughter, who’s just woken up to help with the day’s orders.
Together, they arrange tomatoes, leafy greens, and farm-fresh eggs into neat bundles, ready for about 55 families in Sydney's South Turramurra who depend on his 'farm to suburb' food hub for quality produce for about 30 per cent less than what it would cost at his local supermarket.
He gets the in-season produce directly from local producers and spreads the word of his operation through a community Facebook page. Savings come because there are no refrigeration costs.
Hammad says people spend an average of $50 on a box of produce from him.
When he first arrived in Australia eight years ago as a skilled migrant, Hammad said he felt a deep sense of disconnect and isolation and found himself looking for ways to connect in a community where very few neighbours shared his background.
"As a first-generation migrant, it’s easy to feel cut off from the community at large," Hammad said.
"Most of my connections were through work, or through the Pakistani community in Sydney — which was great but it didn't really help me understand other perspectives or cultures.
"There’s an onus on migrants to actively seek ways to connect and contribute to their local communities, I wanted to figure out a way to do that but also bring an alternative solution to ridiculous grocery prices."
How the 'unsupermarket' revolution is helping
The cost-of-living crisis in Australia has significantly increased demand for community food initiatives.
According to the Foodbank Hunger Report 2023, 3.7 million households experienced food insecurity in the past year, a 10 per cent rise from 2022.
This surge has led more Australians to source their fresh produce from community-based programs where farmers also aren't losing out.
The Australian Community Sector Survey has also reported that community organisations are facing unprecedented demand, with many struggling to meet the needs of those affected by rising living costs.
Jayne Travers-Drapes is the CEO of BoxDivvy, a social enterprise that coordinates food hub co-ops similar to Hammad's. She says she's seen a huge demand for hubs, and not just in low socio-economic areas.
"People with mortgages, good jobs are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of fresh produce. More people are realising that the system is broken and are seeking alternatives.
“We call this, the 'unsupermarket' revolution. Food security goes beyond filling bellies; it’s about creating a food system that is fair, transparent, and resilient."
BoxDivvy CEO Jayne Travers-Drape. Source: Supplied / Jayne Travers-Drape
Taking on the giants
Dr Rebecca Lindberg is a senior lecturer at Deakin University's School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.
She says Australians are finding it increasingly difficult to access healthy food at an affordable price.
"As many as one in eight Australian households are food insecure, and that’s probably a conservative estimate … The problem is growing, and it’s clear we need a coordinated approach to tackle it," she said.
"The reality is that most Australians are forced to shop in the typical mainstream duopoly retail environment. So whilst it's great to have some community-led models, they’re still pilot scale, small reach when there are 27 million Australians to feed."
Sharing the love
For Hammad, running his own co-op didn't just provide an alternative fresh food option to his local community, it allowed him to make meaningful friendships and share his culture with people he says he would have otherwise not have connected with.
When his daughter was born, the majority of the customers that accessed his home-run produce hub didn't know until they found a surprise in that week's delivery.
"In Pakistan, when you have a joyous occasion … you pass on some sweets to your neighbours. My wife cooked a traditional sweet called kheer, and we put one serving in every order that week," Hammad said.
"So often, migrants are used as political pawns and are blamed for things such as the housing crisis and a dependency on the social security system. This was our way to make a stand against those that choose fear and ignorance by inviting our community to share a bit of our traditions with us."
