This Week in the Market – 28 January 2020

Market News

TV commercial now live

The first TV commercials in Victoria promoting A Better Choice retailers and the supply chain associated with the Melbourne Market have been playing on Channel 9 during the tennis coverage, for just over a week now.
Four different ads make up the campaign, which encourages consumers to “Go to those who know.”
The ads demonstrate that greengrocers and independent supermarkets offer the best in service, knowledge and fresh produce sourced directly from wholesalers and growers at the Melbourne Market.
Mangoes and tomatoes are the in-season produce featured in the advertising with more than 1000 TV commercials airing on metro and regional TV throughout Victoria.
Check out the two mango commercials currently on air below.

Pick up your point of sale material
Retailers can make the most of the campaign by picking up complimentary point of sale material, in the form of floor decals and recipe cards, from the Customer Service Centre.

Almost $35,000 raised so far for Melbourne Market bushfire appeal

To support those who have been affected by the recent bushfire disaster, we have set up a bushfire appeal fund, to allow the Market community to come together with a combined donation.

With donations rolling in from across the Market, combined with proceeds from the Australia Day BBQ, the total is currently at $34,350.

The Melbourne Market bushfire appeal will be open until January 31. Please visit melbournemarkets.com.au/Melbourne-market-bushfire-appeal if you would like to contribute.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

On Thursday, we welcomed the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne to the Market, to celebrate the start of the Year of the Rat.
More businesses got involved than ever before, and had blessings performed on their stores.
Dominique from Melba Fresh went to extra effort creating some exquisite money bag cookies as part of the offering to the lion (pictured below).
Thank you to all those who got involved.
We wish you a Happy Lunar New Year filled with joy and prosperity.

Australia Day BBQ

To celebrate Australia Day, the MMA hosted a sausage sizzle for the Market community on Friday 24 January.
During the BBQ we collected donations to go towards the Melbourne Market bushfire appeal and raised just over $1,300!
Thanks to everyone who bought a sausage and donated to the appeal.

Food Fellas cafe now closed

In some tenant movement news, Food Fellas café traded for their final day on Friday 10 January.
Food Fellas has been a fixture in the Melbourne Market for many years. It has been a multi-generational family business with a presence in the Market since West Melbourne days.
We wish Steve and the team all the best for the future and thank them for their involvement in the Market community.
With four existing cafés already on site, the MMA will convert the space left vacant from Food Fellas, into a fruit and vegetable trading store. Keep a lookout for more information in the coming months, where interested parties will be able to submit an expression of interest.

Golf day registrations now open

On Friday 13 March the annual Melbourne Market Charity Golf Day will run with funds raised going to DEBRA Australia.
Book your team this week and receive two free drink cards per player.
Visit the Fresh State website to secure your spot on the course today.

Fire Warden training

Business principals can nominate themselves or a representative from their business to attend a fire warden training course, free of charge.
Those who attend the training will gain the skills needed to be a fire warden for their business in the event of an emergency.
When: Wednesday 12 February, 5.30 – 6.00 am
Where: Conference Room, Ground Floor, Administration Building
Cost: Free of charge

Alcohol breathalyser installed at Gate 1 security office

As part of the induction process, persons without an access card, wishing to enter the Melbourne Market, are required to undertake an alcohol breath test.

A person must return a zero-alcohol reading before being able to enter the Market. This includes contractors, visitors and truck drivers without an access card. This process also applies to those Market users who have forgotten their access card and require temporary entry access through the gate 1 security office.
The MMA will not take any disciplinary action for positive alcohol readings taken at the gate 1 security office breathalyser; apart from refusing access to the Market.

You can read more about drug and alcohol testing on the Melbourne Market website.

Industry News

Kaufland pulls plug on Australian expansion

German discounter Kaufland announced last week that it has pulled the plug on its Australian expansion.
The retailer dropped the bombshell despite having invested over $500 million in the local arm, having purchased 23 sites, recruited 200 people, and all before opening a single store.
The question is ‘why?’, and ‘why now?’.
Click here to read more.

Key Dates

• Wednesday 12 February – Fire Warden Training
• Friday 13 March – Charity Golf Day

Ask the MMA

If you’ve got a question for the MMA email it to: submissions@melbournemarket.com.au.