Brisbane property deal cooks up Australia’s biggest charity kitchen

IT’S the Queensland property deal that will just keep giving — paving the way for a Brisbane facility to become Australia’s biggest charity kitchen producing five million meals a year.

FareShare Queensland general manager Kellie Watson says the charity’s new Brisbane facility will cook up to five million meals a year.

IT’S the Queensland property deal that will just keep giving.

A Brisbane facility that formerly housed a biotech laboratory/warehouse is being converted into Australia’s biggest charity kitchen after changing hands for $2.35 million.

The acquisition by Melbourne-based food charity FareShare was settled in the lead-up to the festive season.

The property at 46 Steel Place, Morningside, comprises a 1592sq m freestanding facility, previously occupied by GE Healthcare Australia, on a 2798sq m site.

FareShare is expanding into Brisbane in a collaboration with Foodbank — Australia’s largest food relief organisation — to reduce food waste and provide nutritious, cooked meals for people in need.

Colliers International’s Anthony White and David Gibson negotiated the deal.

Mr Gibson said the Morningside location was ideal for FareShare given its proximity to its partner Foodbank and surrounding food service providers.

FareShare Queensland general manager Kellie Watson said settlement of the deal had paved the way for the establishment a $4.5 million custom-built, production kitchen.

Its plans involve removal of the existing laboratories and the installation of a 900sq m kitchen, two 45-pallet freezers, 40-pallet cool room, 400sq m of warehousing and a multipurpose function room overlooking the kitchen for events and meetings.

“The kitchen is being designed with the capability of cooking up to five million meals a year, making it easily Australia’s largest charity kitchen,” Ms Watson said.

“We aim to open the high-volume kitchen in the second half of 2018 and cook at least one million meals in our first year of operation for Queenslanders in crisis.

“With the support of local volunteers, we will cook around 5000 nutritious meals a day including casseroles, curries and stir fries.”

FareShare uses rescued food, which is perfectly edible but would otherwise be destined for landfill. Its meals are designed to be easily reheated with no need for full cooking facilities.

Ms Watson said FareShare also chose the Morningside facility because it needed to be within 10km of the CBD to ensure full participation of businesses in corporate volunteering as well as being convenient for the regular volunteers it will rely on to run the kitchen.