Please note that the Open Food Connect program has now finished. We experienced high levels of demand for our brokerage services, and were successfully able to connect many farmers with community food enterprises.

Other services that we offer can be seen here.

Due to COVID-19, our food system has faced some serious challenges over the past few months. The Open Food Network has been contacted by farmers with ‘stranded’ produce, while buyers have experienced empty shelves – one of the challenges of a centralised food system. Farmers have had to work hard to connect directly with buyers, and buyers have had a hard time finding the produce they need and want.

In June 2020, Open Food Network obtained funding from Moving Feast – a collaboration of Victorian organisations working to create a pandemic food response that is just, sustainable and resilient. This funding is to support us to launch the Open Food Network Connect – a brokering service provided by the Open Food Network that connects farmers directly with community food enterprises to fulfil the unmet supply and demand needs of our users and partners. We’re essentially a match making service for food!

If you are a farmer with fruit, vegetables, dry goods, dairy or meat that you would like to move, send us an email at hello@openfoodnetwork.org.au and let us know what you have, how much and the price you are seeking. We will actively introduce your produce to community food enterprises and help you sell it.

If you are looking for produce that is sourced in a transparent way that supports our local food system, send us an email at hello@openfoodnetwork.org.au and we can try to source this produce within the Open Food Network platform. 

For more general information on Open Food Network Connect, contact Georgia Savage at georgia@openfoodnetwork.org.au