Silly Solly’s rolls out frozen food section to support NQ during cost of living crisis
To help North Queenslanders through the cost of living crisis, a business at Domain Central has introduced a frozen section, where nothing costs over $5. See why there’s ‘huge’ demand.
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As cost of living pressures continue to stress household budgets, North Queenslanders looking for creative ways to stretch their dollars further during the Christmas season are being urged to consider the frozen food option.
The ACCC’s 2024 Supermarket Inquiry heard how households facing hefty grocery bills were spending more time shopping around for savings, substituting fresh food with frozen, and cutting back on non-essential items, while recently released research from ALDI Australia revealed that 66 per cent of Aussies were flocking to the freezer to pull their Christmas feasts.
Responding to Townsville’s hunger for cheap frozen food, Queensland-owned and operated discount variety store chain Silly Solly’s recently introduced a frozen food section to its Domain Central store, which has operated for the last three years.
Silly Solly’s founder and spokesman Solly Stanton wanted to create greater awareness about their frozen food expansion, saying it was well-received by the community, especially those looking to “save money and live better”.
“Our customers are struggling … as the cost of living has skyrocketed and inflation has skyrocketed, we’re trying to do our bit to help our punters … (with) 10,000 products, nothing over $5 under one roof,” Mr Stanton said.
“It’s been a massive challenge for us as we work on very low margins, but we’ve responded to the consumer demand for a new range of products, and that’s why we’ve tried to focus on everyday, essential items, and … to bring in the frozen.
“Most of our customers survive week to week on a budget and rely on us … (where items were) between 20 to 50 per cent cheaper than what you buy in normal supermarkets.”
While the major supermarkets were charging around $9 for a four-pack of Four’N Twenty frozen pies, Mr Stanton proudly offered the same product for $5, with a long use-by date.
“There’s not too many discount stores in Australia that sell frozen. It’s a hard job … especially up (in NQ) with the logistics of getting the stuff there from places like Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to Townsville. It’s a big ask, but we’ve responded to customers’ needs,” he said.
“We’re building on the range every day right across the board … we’re adding pizzas, ice cream … and we’ve got prepacked meals for $5.
“(The community response) is huge, we can’t keep up to tell you the truth.”
For those looking for stocking stuffers, Mr Stanton said they also had 2000 Christmas lines available for under $5.
For more information, visit: www.sillysollys.com.au.
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