A store providing free fresh food and supplies to international students currently experiencing food insecurity due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been set up in Melbourne.

Located at UEM Sunrise’s Aurora Melbourne Central development on LaTrobe Street in the Melbourne CBD, the pop-up store is currently helping almost 2,000 international students a week, from over 50 different countries and over 100 different learning institutions.

Foodbank Victoria operates the pop-up grocery store three days a week, re-stocking it daily with fresh, culturally-diverse food supplies and ensuring a COVID-safe environment.

At a glance: 

• UEM Sunrise Berhad and Foodbank Victoria have partnered to create Melbourne’s very first International Student Pop-Up Grocery Store.
• Located at UEM Sunrise’s Aurora Melbourne Central development on LaTrobe Street in the Melbourne CBD, the pop-up store is currently helping almost 2,000 international students a week.
• Foodbank Victoria operates the pop-up grocery store three days a week, re-stocking it daily with fresh, culturally-diverse food supplies and ensuring a COVID-safe environment.

The easy-to-access, central retail space at Aurora Melbourne Central is provided rent-free by UEM Sunrise, as part of an initiative to leverage available retail space for positive community impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Dave McNamara, CEO of Foodbank Victoria, said the store represented a new concept in food relief, where dignity and choice played a powerful role in helping international students who’ve been the forgotten victims of this crisis.

"It's an incredible space, in the heart of our international student district, and we couldn’t be more grateful for UEM Sunrise and their generous support," he said.

Students Arum Kumar, Akar Gupta, Nitin Kumar and Shravan Kumar at the Aurora Melbourne Central Foodbank International Student Pop-Up Store. Source: Foodbank Victoria. 

Ong Chee Wei, Director of UEM Sunrise in Australia said his team wanted to give back by working with a non-profit organisation to use one of our retail spaces to create a positive community impact in Melbourne.

“The property industry has immense resources at its disposal and innovative partnerships, such as this, are instrumental in supporting the community in challenging times,” he said.

The pop-up store initiative has received support from the City of Melbourne and tertiary educational institutions including the University of Melbourne, RMIT University and Kaplan Business School. 

Many international students accessing the service have been referred by student welfare departments at these institutions, simply requiring their student iD and a shopping bag to enter the store.

Fiona Henderson, Melbourne Campus Manager of Kaplan Business School said the pressures faced by international students in Australia continued to be challenging, particularly in Melbourne.

“Many students arrived in Australia just before the pandemic hit, making it near impossible to secure work," he said.

"Our students are most appreciative of the work Foodbank are doing and have found this initiative to be invaluable in helping them stay on their feet during COVID-19,” she said.

Coles has also supported the delivery of the unique pop-up store by providing a ‘supermarket style’ fit-out free of charge.

The fit-out gives the students a dignified and quality experience when collecting supplies.  

The International Student Pop-Up Grocery Store will be operating at Aurora Melbourne Central until the end of December 2020. 

Click here for more information about the store.

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