The team behind Aussie Farmers Direct has opened The General Store, an online-only supermarket stocking a huge range of Australia’s most loved and trusted grocery brands at low prices, with hundreds of bulk value lines not available in current supermarkets.
According to Aussie Farmers Direct CEO Keith Louie, The General Store perfectly complements the hundreds of all-Aussie fresh produce lines offered through Aussie Farmers Direct and addresses a long-standing customer need.
“Our customers love getting their fresh produce delivered from smaller Australian farmers and local suppliers direct to their door, but until now they still needed to visit the supermarket for all their pantry staples,” he said.
“Now shoppers can visit one website, shop into one basket from Aussie Farmers Direct and The General Store, and receive one doorstep delivery. No more trudging to the supermarket.”
Launching in Melbourne ahead of a planned national rollout, the combined product range from Aussie Farmers Direct and The General Store will far exceed the average ALDI or IGA, and provide real competition to Coles and Woolworths.
“Every week we’ll have low prices across The General Store, as well as hundreds of specials,” Mr Louie said.
“And unlike Coles and Woolworths, there is no minimum spend, and we offer free delivery for all but the smallest orders.”
The General Store will also remain true to the strong social purpose behind Aussie Farmers Direct, offering customers much greater transparency about the origin of products sold.
“Sadly, many packaged groceries are no longer made in Australia from Australian ingredients, but they are necessities we all need to buy,” Mr Louie said. “In The General Store we will look wherever possible to support Australian food and grocery manufacturers, and we’ll also donate 10 per cent of the profits from imported products to the Aussie Farmers Foundation, which supports charities and grassroots community groups making a real difference in rural Australia.”
Mr Louie said the combined offers gave Australian food and grocery manufacturers an alternative path to market that bypasses Coles and Woolworths, and gave prominence to Australian-grown and Australian-made products.
“With Aussie Farmers Direct and The General Store becoming the third pillar in the online grocery market, local grocery manufacturers are no longer in the grip of an online supermarket duopoly,” He said.
The General Store is available through the Aussie Farmers Direct website.