By Alesha Capone
A $135 million supermarket distribution centre in Truganina will provide more than 400 jobs.
The 38,000 square metre Melbourne Fresh Distribution Centre (MFDC) in Foundation Road was unveiled by the Woolworths Group’s supply chain arm, Primary Connect, earlier this month.
Woolworths supply chain general manager for southern region, Justin Dowling, said they were in the process of hiring people for store-type roles, such as those in the warehouse and forklift operators.
“Each week we have 20 or 30 new people starting, which will likely continue until February next year,” Mr Dowling said.
“To me, being a local to Point Cook, it’s just good to be able to open up in the area and provide jobs to locals.”
Fruit, vegetables, meat and chilled products from the MFDC will be delivered to 230 Victorian supermarkets.
The centre will process around 1.5 million cartons of groceries per week from more than 500 fresh food suppliers.
In opening the MFDC, Woolworths has moved its operations from Mulgrave to Truganina. This will take an estimated 3600 truck movements off Melbourne’s roads each year.
The MFDC is also hoping to receive a five star green rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, with a solar panel system on the roof, charge points for electric trucks and fuel savings of more than 400,000 litres each year.
Mr Dowling said the Truganina facility featured banana and avocado ripening technology, which gives bananas a longer shelf-life and more even colouring.
The fruit sits in climate-controlled rooms, each of which can hold around 36 pallets, as the ripening process is monitored across two to three days.
Tarneit resident Renee Watene started working at the MFDC in August.
Ms Watene, a workplace coach, was previously based at Woolworths’ Mulgrave facility.
Ms Watene said it was “terrific” to now be employed at the Truganina MFDC, which has cut her work commute from 45-60 minutes to just 15 minutes.
“I love the job, the people here are really good to work with,” she said.
