Box Divvy ACT - Giralang - Chuculba

01/07/2025

Market Update

Another mixed-bag-week, with banana prices sliding – but many vegetables are still struggling.
In fruit, the 2 biggest movers are Imperial Mandarins ($2.50 a kilo) and bananas (down nearly 20% to around $3.50 a kilo). Cara Cara oranges also dropped nearly 30%, with a growing number of farms joining the bandwagon.

01/07/2025

NZ King Salmon on strike - fpr those with a Chill run.

Cold weather in NZ – really?? – is slowing down hatchlings and fish growth at the Ora King Salmon fisheries. We’ve had little warning and the impact is immediate. This week’s order was cut back to a little over half, and the next 4-6 weeks won’t see much improvement. We’ve therefore taken the difficult decision to remove King Salmon from Marketplace.

We cannot bring ourselves to go back to Tassie salmon: that boat has sailed.

However, farmed Ocean Trout is a sustainable alternative that looks and eat remarkably similar to Atlantic salmon. Ocean Trout has a milder, more delicate flavour and a high oil content compared with the robust flavour of salmon – but often, you’ll notice the difference only when eaten side by side.
We will list the same pack sizes as for salmon:
• Four-pack skin-on
• Twin-pack skin-on
• Sashimi-grade skin off
We’re just waiting for a price from Pyrmont before listing these later today, but one thing is certain: they will be cheaper than the Ora King Salmon.

30/06/2025

Product News

Aussie SPC Ardmona tomatoes making their Box Divvy debut
McKenzie Canned Tomatoes remain a big-seller, but as they use imported Italian tomatoes, we contacted SPC Ardmona several months ago to re-balance our offering with Australian-grown and owned canned tomatoes. However, in order to compete effectively with the imports, we drove a hard bargain. In the end, SPC came to the party – allowing us to undercut Colesworths by between 36% and 47%. They’re gonna hate us…

30/06/2025

Did you know that being a Hubster, running a Box Divvy food Hub, is rewarding in so many ways?

We love our community. Why? Because we, together, are making changes to the food system.

How?

Making sure everyone down the line is paid well, fairly, and the end user, you, benefit.

Spread the word and if you know someone who'd like some income from home, wanting to be a community leader, then this is their chance.

Check out more information here:
https://www.boxdivvy.com/run-a-food-hub

30/06/2025

Sandhurst Marinated Artichokes - What artichokes? You'll love them. Try this.

Ever heard of Artichoke Basille Pizza? It’s an institution in New York city, where people line up for…you guessed it: Artichoke Pizza. Who would have thought the humble artichoke would be the star?? But you can have one too – with this 170g jar of Sandhurst marinated artichokes. This pack size has been discontinued, and we bought the lot because the Best Before Date is not until 2027. And at $1.25 a jar, they are 63% cheaper than the equivalent pack in Colesworth.

Here are 10 artichoke ideas:
1. Add them to your next pizza, with ham, mozzarella and olives
2. Add them to a Greek salad with feta, tomatoes and olives.
3. Add them to a Mediterranean charcuterie board, with olives, chargrilled capsicum and eggplant, salami and cheese
4. Puree them with olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese: makes a pesto-like pasta sauce
5. Add them to a cheese melt: artichoke hearts and cheddar cheese on crunchy Shepherd’s Italian sourdough
6. Add them to a marinara mix and toss over pasta.
7. Add artichokes and Gorgonzola (or any other blue-vein cheese) to puff pastry, bake until the pastry is crunchy. Makes for a great snack.
8. Puree them with olive oil, white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to make the best-ever vinaigrette.
9. Add them to smoked salmon, aioli and capers on a crunchy bread roll.
10. Eat them straight from the jar.

3boxdivvy

25/06/2025

In this latest episode, we chat with Andrew from Handlers Meats — a proud Sydney butcher since the 1950s! Andrew shares stories from decades in the business, a bit of family history, and what really goes on behind the scenes in the meat industry.

Watch the full episode here. https://youtu.be/ltdRodWLK64?si=IfE3DNYH1QASGxpp

Then Dooges takes the reins with a mouthwatering Slow-Cooked Beef Rump Cap topped with zesty Chimichurri. It’s a must-try, perfect for a hearty family dinner!
Grab the recipe here:
https://www.boxdivvy.com/beef-rump-cap-with-chimichurri

24/06/2025

Pimp My Snack Super Seed Clusters

Now, here’s for something completely different: Honest to Goodness Pimp My Snack are clusters of seeds from sunflowers, pumpkins and more – as well as tamari. Not only are they delicious, but they also contain 20% plant protein. They normally retail at $4.95, but at Box Divvy they’re just $2.50 a pack.

24/06/2025

Kuringai is well known for its high tree canopy cover, so much so our rhubarbs are providing the same cover 🤣

Can anyone spot the rogue lot? 🧐

24/06/2025

Wombok and Red Cabbage

Asian slaw recipe tin eatsMaroota, inland from the Central Coast, is the location of George Portelli’s farm – and it seems he has his own warm micro-climate, judging by how much he grows. He says he needs our help moving his small wombok and red cabbage this week, so he’s offering them exclusively to Box Divvy members for $1 each. Here are some recipes for Asian coleslaw:

Asian Slaw
https://www.recipetineats.com/asian-slaw/

Red cabbage and apple Slaw
https://thesidesmith.com/red-cabbage-and-apple-slaw/

24/06/2025

23/06/2025

23/06/2025

Watermelon

Yes, the weather has been chilly – but the Bureau is forecasting above average temperatures for next week. And that can mean only one thing: WATERMELON time! Plenty of supply coming in from up north, but no-one is buying – so prices have come right down to $1.60 a kilo. That’s nearly half price compared with the supermarkets. Refreshing!

22/06/2025

Market Update

We’re seeing green shoots here and there, but especially vegetables are not out of the woods yet – despite warmer weather in NSW and especially north Queensland.
WatermelonIn fruits in particular, we’re seeing a bunch of price drops – some more pronounced than others. For example, banana prices have dropped a little, but blueberries have come right down – and there’s new season blackberries to boot. Word on the market is that strawberry supply will ramp up in earnest in 2 weeks’ time: over 100 Queensland strawberry growers have refused to renew their contracts with Driscoll’s (who mainly supply Colesworth). From 1 July, they’ll be free agents – supplying the wholesale markets. This is expected to improve available supply considerably.
In other fruit, apples and pears are good value; tropicals have tightened, but citrus is mainly cheap – with Imperial mandarins expected to drop in price in a week or so, now that southern regions have started picking in earnest.
This week’s star however will be seedless watermelon at $1.60 a kilo.

Wombok and Red Cabbage $1Vegetables are still problematic, despite some really cheap local produce – and very cheap avocadoes (87c each).
Cabbages and kale are cheap, but other brassicas will be pricey, especially broccolini – whilst the cold has also slowed down zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, leafy greens and herbs. Tomatoes and chillies are still super expensive, but capsicums remain reasonably priced.
Even root veggies – from carrots and beetroot to daikon and parsnip – have tightened right up. Potatoes, pumpkin and onions are stable – but leek is off the chart.

22/06/2025

Market Update

We’re seeing green shoots here and there, but especially vegetables are not out of the woods yet – despite warmer weather in NSW and especially north Queensland.
WatermelonIn fruits in particular, we’re seeing a bunch of price drops – some more pronounced than others. For example, banana prices have dropped a little, but blueberries have come right down – and there’s new season blackberries to boot. Word on the market is that strawberry supply will ramp up in earnest in 2 weeks’ time: over 100 Queensland strawberry growers have refused to renew their contracts with Driscoll’s (who mainly supply Colesworth). From 1 July, they’ll be free agents – supplying the wholesale markets. This is expected to improve available supply considerably.
In other fruit, apples and pears are good value; tropicals have tightened, but citrus is mainly cheap – with Imperial mandarins expected to drop in price in a week or so, now that southern regions have started picking in earnest.
This week’s star however will be seedless watermelon at $1.60 a kilo.

Wombok and Red Cabbage $1Vegetables are still problematic, despite some really cheap local produce – and very cheap avocadoes (87c each).
Cabbages and kale are cheap, but other brassicas will be pricey, especially broccolini – whilst the cold has also slowed down zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, leafy greens and herbs. Tomatoes and chillies are still super expensive, but capsicums remain reasonably priced.
Even root veggies – from carrots and beetroot to daikon and parsnip – have tightened right up. Potatoes, pumpkin and onions are stable – but leek is off the chart.

22/06/2025

Box Divvy consolidates Pantry range

In the last 6 months following the Crowd Funding initiative, we have been feverishly working to help you ‘Un-Supermarket’ by bringing you more pantry staples to your weekly Box Divvy shop.
We’ve added over 160 new products during this time ranging from Aussie classics to international cuisine ingredients through to household essentials, covering breakfasts, lunches, snacks, dinner and drink options.
New pantry brands launched since Jan 2025
We’ve included over 50 authentic Asian grocer products to the line up as well as adding quality Mexican tortillas and corn chips complimenting Aurelio salsas and new spice mixes from Belicious. Our breakfast cereal range has grown with the additions of H2G granolas, the extremely popular GF Orgran cereals and of course SPC baked beans.

The Bonsoy range of plant-based milks and sparkling coconut waters have been flying off the shelves not only because they taste so good but also because they are cheaper at Box Divvy than in the supermarkets.
Lunches, snacks and filling the kid’s lunchboxes has gotten a whole lot easier with crispbreads from Spliits and a new and growing range of healthy snack options from DJ&A landing in Marketplace recently.

We now have available Australian made essential household and personal care products including toilet paper, tissues and super absorbent paper towel from About-A-Dog and a range of toothbrushes and toothpastes to suit the whole family from Grant’s of Australia as well as the ever popular ‘No Pong’ deodorants.

Our pantry offering in Marketplace is now over 700 lines and growing weekly. Did you know we also stock significant ranges of meal bases, stocks and broths to make healthy cooking simpler along with herbs & spices, bulk grains and cereals to baking ingredients and sweeteners. We are regularly reviewing the endless requests for new products, and we have some exciting new products in development with well know and trusted Australian brands including SPC and Three Three’s to name just a couple.

Pantry salesNot only do we have a focus on bringing you more quality, well priced and competitive pantry products, but we also have new additions in the pipeline for the chilled service including fresh cut salads and some speciality yoghurts. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletters to see what’s coming next.

Unsurprisingly, weekly pantry sales have trebled since early 2024.

22/06/2025

Box Divvy consolidates Pantry range

In the last 6 months following the Crowd Funding initiative, we have been feverishly working to help you ‘Un-Supermarket’ by bringing you more pantry staples to your weekly Box Divvy shop.
We’ve added over 160 new products during this time ranging from Aussie classics to international cuisine ingredients through to household essentials, covering breakfasts, lunches, snacks, dinner and drink options.
New pantry brands launched since Jan 2025
We’ve included over 50 authentic Asian grocer products to the line up as well as adding quality Mexican tortillas and corn chips complimenting Aurelio salsas and new spice mixes from Belicious. Our breakfast cereal range has grown with the additions of H2G granolas, the extremely popular GF Orgran cereals and of course SPC baked beans.

The Bonsoy range of plant-based milks and sparkling coconut waters have been flying off the shelves not only because they taste so good but also because they are cheaper at Box Divvy than in the supermarkets.
Lunches, snacks and filling the kid’s lunchboxes has gotten a whole lot easier with crispbreads from Spliits and a new and growing range of healthy snack options from DJ&A landing in Marketplace recently.

We now have available Australian made essential household and personal care products including toilet paper, tissues and super absorbent paper towel from About-A-Dog and a range of toothbrushes and toothpastes to suit the whole family from Grant’s of Australia as well as the ever popular ‘No Pong’ deodorants.

Our pantry offering in Marketplace is now over 700 lines and growing weekly. Did you know we also stock significant ranges of meal bases, stocks and broths to make healthy cooking simpler along with herbs & spices, bulk grains and cereals to baking ingredients and sweeteners. We are regularly reviewing the endless requests for new products, and we have some exciting new products in development with well know and trusted Australian brands including SPC and Three Three’s to name just a couple.

Pantry salesNot only do we have a focus on bringing you more quality, well priced and competitive pantry products, but we also have new additions in the pipeline for the chilled service including fresh cut salads and some speciality yoghurts. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletters to see what’s coming next.

Unsurprisingly, weekly pantry sales have trebled since early 2024.

22/06/2025

Food for Thought

A UK study published this month shows that ‘only’ 31% of adults eat the recommended 5 serves of fruit and veg day – largely unchanged from previous years. NSW eating fewer fruit and vegAlthough the methodology and definitions are different, a comparable measure for Australian adults is almost certainly worse: whilst 44% ate the recommended 2 serves of fruit per day, only 6.5% ate the recommended 5 serves of veg per day.
For NSW, the numbers are even worse – and the trend is not encouraging.

The reasons are many and varied:
Fresh produce is expensive, and hard to access in some areas. Extreme weather – or even cold snaps like the one we’re having this month – regularly disrupt supply chains.

Prepping and cooking vegies conflict with busy lifestyles and long work hours, which drive consumers towards ultra-processed, ready-to-eat foods and food delivery.

Many people opt for ultra-processed, ready-to-eat foods over prepping and cooking veggies. Busy lifestyles, long work hours, and family demands reduce time to prepare fresh meals.

Heavily marketed foods are often processed and low in fruit/veg. Fast food and snacks are more accessible and appealing, especially for children and teens.

333 Box Divvy Hubs - Box Divvy is doing its bit by prioritising fresh produce and improving both affordability and accessibility: by the end of June, we expect to have 333 Hubs – a net increase of 37 Hubs since the start of January.

That being said: do we actually grow enough vegetables in Australia for all of us to meet our 5-serves-of-veg-a-day target? The answer is no, says a CSIRO report released this month. Well, how’s that for an eye opener? We’re not surprised though: as Box Divvy grows, we often run into supply challenges – from eggs to mushrooms – and part of the reason is the degree of concentration in both growing and retailing. A heavily centralised food system is more vulnerable to shocks such as extreme weather events, zoological pandemics (e.g. avian influenza) and imbalances in supply and demand.

22/06/2025

Food for Thought

A UK study published this month shows that ‘only’ 31% of adults eat the recommended 5 serves of fruit and veg day – largely unchanged from previous years. NSW eating fewer fruit and vegAlthough the methodology and definitions are different, a comparable measure for Australian adults is almost certainly worse: whilst 44% ate the recommended 2 serves of fruit per day, only 6.5% ate the recommended 5 serves of veg per day.
For NSW, the numbers are even worse – and the trend is not encouraging.

The reasons are many and varied:
Fresh produce is expensive, and hard to access in some areas. Extreme weather – or even cold snaps like the one we’re having this month – regularly disrupt supply chains.

Prepping and cooking vegies conflict with busy lifestyles and long work hours, which drive consumers towards ultra-processed, ready-to-eat foods and food delivery.

Many people opt for ultra-processed, ready-to-eat foods over prepping and cooking veggies. Busy lifestyles, long work hours, and family demands reduce time to prepare fresh meals.

Heavily marketed foods are often processed and low in fruit/veg. Fast food and snacks are more accessible and appealing, especially for children and teens.

333 Box Divvy Hubs - Box Divvy is doing its bit by prioritising fresh produce and improving both affordability and accessibility: by the end of June, we expect to have 333 Hubs – a net increase of 37 Hubs since the start of January.

That being said: do we actually grow enough vegetables in Australia for all of us to meet our 5-serves-of-veg-a-day target? The answer is no, says a CSIRO report released this month. Well, how’s that for an eye opener? We’re not surprised though: as Box Divvy grows, we often run into supply challenges – from eggs to mushrooms – and part of the reason is the degree of concentration in both growing and retailing. A heavily centralised food system is more vulnerable to shocks such as extreme weather events, zoological pandemics (e.g. avian influenza) and imbalances in supply and demand.

19/06/2025

You know the farmer packed it yesterday when the ice is still ice when you get it!

Box Divvy sources a lot of their product straight from the farmer. Meaning less middle men, and less handling of your fruit and vegetables.
Resulting in super fresh produce that lasts longer than shop bought things.

That's a win for me, even if I do have to unpack with ice!