Thursday 5 November 2020: Woolworths Group’s supply chain arm - Primary Connect - has today unveiled its new Melbourne Fresh Distribution Centre (MFDC) in Truganina. 

The next generation supply chain facility will allow Woolworths to deliver fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and chilled products to more than 230 Victorian supermarkets fresh, faster and more efficiently.

At 38,000sqm, the distribution centre will provide employment to over 400 Melburnians, including many from the local area, and process around 1.5 million cartons per week from more than 500 fresh food suppliers.

The MFDC is linked via an automated airbridge with Woolworths’ meat supplier Hilton Foods Australia’s production facility, and replaces existing operations at the Mulgrave Produce DC. 

Primary Connect’s Supply Chain General Manager for Southern Region Justin Dowling said: “The importance of a strong, responsive and resilient fresh food supply chain has come into sharp focus during the pandemic.

“This state-of-the-art distribution centre will take our supply chain to the next level - allowing us to get fresh food into our stores much faster for our customers. The opening is a welcome boost for local employment and will help us deliver what is expected to be our busiest Christmas ever.

“The site has the latest in banana and avocado ripening technology, along with world-class refrigeration systems to ensure top product quality and freshness on the shelf.

“A fully integrated warehouse and transport management system will also help reduce freight movements as we optimise inbound and outbound deliveries. This will not only reduce the lead time for fresh food deliveries to stores, but also help cut our carbon footprint.”

State Member for Tarneit, Sarah Connolly added: “To have this site open in Wyndham today is great news for our community. It will help generate local job opportunities, especially at a time when we know job security is so important for our local families.”

The opening of the MFDC will take around 600 truck movements off the West Gate each week as Truganina is located closer to more Woolworths suppliers than Mulgrave. Co-location with Hilton Meats will take a further 3,000 truck movements off Melbourne roads each year as it eliminates shuttle runs between Mulgrave and Truganina.

The MFDC is also targeting a Five Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, with a solar panel system on the roof, charge points for electric trucks, and fuel savings of more than 400,000 litres each year from transport efficiencies. 

The investment on the MFDC is majority funded by landowner Charter Hall, with Woolworths signing an initial 15-year lease on the site. This builds on an extensive national relationship between Woolworths and Charter Hall across both industrial and retail properties.

Vaughan Constructions was the appointed builder and they employed around 200 people throughout construction.