Food drops and trucks arrive to restock bare grocery shelves
For days the independent grocery stores keeping shelves filled while supermarket giants were unable to restock has brought supply chains into the spotlight as deliveries at last get through by air and road.
Cairns
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For days the independent grocery stores keeping shelves filled while supermarket giants were unable to restock has brought supply chains into the spotlight as deliveries at last get through by air and road.
Trucks unloading at Coles and Woolworths loading docks throughout the city spurred a buzz of activity on Thursday as staff rushed to stock shelves.
At 12.30pm an Australian Defence Force cargo plane touched down at Cairns Airport, supplementing the arrival of stock in the north via an inland freight route.
Though empty shelves have been replenished, buying limits will still apply until flood-impacted supply routes return to normal.
Woolworths Cairns Central store manager Holly Jackson said on Tuesday 40,000 cartons on 448 pallets arrived from the company’s Townsville distribution centre.
“On the pallets, we have grocery loads, essentials like nappies, cereal, water, we also have meat and fruit, veg as a guide as well, so all the essentials are starting to flow into the store today,” she said.
“The load volume we got today, we also are expecting tomorrow as well, and the logistics team are working hard to keep that stock flowing.”
Until grocery supply returns to normal a two pack per transaction limit has been applied to toilet paper, rice, bread, noodles, deli products and poultry products at Woolworths stores from Mackay north.
Woolworths made it clear any increases in transport costs due to trucks travelling longer distances would not be passed on to customers.
Coles stock including cereal, long life milk, rice, tuna, fruit, vegetables and toilet paper also arrived in Cairns on an ADF supply drop.
After days of consumers complaining of an essential supplies shortage and posting photos of empty shelves on social media Hill MP Shane Knuth said independent and “truly local” supermarkets and butchers were able to largely avoid bare shelves by sourcing produce directly from farmers in the state’s northern food bowl.
“Across our region we are blessed to have a number of independent, truly local and community minded supermarkets,” he said.
“In comparison, giant supermarket chains rely heavily on having produce sent to distribution centres distantly located before going to the supermarket.
“It pays to support businesses who support the community.”
Rusty’s Markets on Sheridan St was one outlet that accommodated the needs of Cairns families and opened a day early on Thursday at the request of Cairns Mayor Amy Eden.
Finding bare shelves at the big supermarket giants, Edge Hill resident Tiarna Ahwang was at Rusty’s early on Thursday to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables.
“I heard it was opening early so I thought I better get in because Coles and Woolies have no fruit and veg and that’s the main part of my meals,” she said.
Rusty’s manager Justin Welch said there had been a steady stream of customers through the door on Thursday to take advantage of stock leftover from last week.
“Hopefully it’s helping people until we get our stock in tomorrow morning,” he said.
As the severe wet weather event continues to impact Far North Queensland, Community
Enterprise Queensland, Sea Swift, and Torres Strait Island Regional Council are
working together to ensure food, fuel, and other essential supplies reach remote communities lying right at the end of the Queensland supply line.
Light aircraft have been dispatched to Gulf, Cape York and Torres Strait communities to
get around flooded supply routes.
Originally published as Food drops and trucks arrive to restock bare grocery shelves
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