A message from Chris
Hi, team. Over the past few months, I've had the pleasure of visiting several of our sites and participating in some wonderful events, ranging from team BBQs to service anniversaries. I was even lucky enough to get some BBQ-ing help from Hinnay at Heathwood! We had a great chat, and she shared why she finds Primary Connect such a rewarding place to work, particularly highlighting the training and development opportunities that allowed her to become a certified forklift driver. It was a great reminder of the many pathways and opportunities available to everyone at Primary Connect.
I'm consistently impressed by the dedication of our team members who work diligently to serve our stores and customers every day, while prioritising safety. During a recent visit to Brisbane RDC, I witnessed the incredible volume of Mother’s Day flowers being prepared for despatch. The site received 27 truckloads four days before Mother’s Day and successfully dispatched nearly 5,000 cartons to stores the following day.
SAFETY
A big thank you to all our DC and transport teams for their dedication to making this special day a success for our stores and customers.
This month, we will be hosting our annual Primary Connect Awards. We received so many outstanding nominations, and I extend my best wishes to all our finalists. You can see all the finalists and award categories on page 12.
The recent flood event on the MidNorth Coast of NSW caused significant challenges for Primary Connect with highway closures and impacts to supply. A big thank you to everyone involved in supporting our stores, communities, transport partners, and teams.
Chris Brooks
Acting Managing Director Primary Connect & Chief Supply Chain Officer Woolworths Group
COMMUNITY
Our teams show their support for R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds.
YOUR PICK
See what our teams have been up to over Easter and Mother’s Day.
Wayne Mann from Perth RDC celebrates 45 years of service.
We get to know the team from Warwick DC.
DIVERSITY
Thank you for celebrating Harmony Week.
Team members enjoy an open day at Heathwood Chilled & Frozen DC.
ALH extends its meals and beverages offer.
Construction starts on Sydney Chilled and Fresh DC.
Morsl Market is making meal time easier.
Woolworths
Chris Brooks with Brisbane RDC Team Leader, Regan Burgess.
Supporting each other: R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds
For the fourth year running, our sites have shown their support for R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds, an annual national day of action run by R U OK? and Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds.
Held on 6 May, this year’s theme, "Ask R U OK? – No qualifications needed," aimed to break down the stigma around mental health and remind us that we don't need to be experts to check in with a mate. A simple, genuine "R U OK?" can make a world of difference.
Across our Primary Connect sites, teams embraced the day with a variety of activities designed to spark conversations and connection. BBQs and morning teas brought team members together to catch up and check in with each other.
Our Melbourne National DC on-site maintenance team went above and beyond, crafting impressive wooden R U OK? letters from recycled materials which team members signed, making a visible commitment to supporting their teammates.
At Hoxton Park DC, team members and drivers enjoyed healthy smoothies that they made with their own two feet in a Bike n’ Blend activity.
Drivers at our Melbourne Liquor DC were treated to gift bags to show our appreciation for the work they do and to let them know they are not alone.
R U OK? in Trucks & Sheds is a powerful reminder of the importance of connection and support within our workplace. Thank you to all of our sites for getting involved and keeping the conversation going to help create a healthier and happier environment for everyone.
“It was a really great day to bring the whole team together, stop for - Stephen Holmes, Supply Chain Manager, Hoxton Park DC a moment and remind ourselves that it’s ok not to be ok and the importance of checking in with our teammates.”
Melbourne Liquor DC connecting with their driver community.
Robbie Stewart and Lachlan Thomson from Hoxton Park DC.
Lea Laws and Andrew Uluninabou from Sydney NDC.
Portia- Ann Segers, Lia Campbell, Harmeek Singh, JP Haddad, Ivan Trbusic, Samantha Manuel and Troy Goldfarb from Melbourne NDC.
Chris Mouhtaris and Sagayaraj Raju from Sydney NDC.
Stephen Holmes, Hoxton Park DC.
Your Pick
1. Team members from Wodonga RDC visited our Canberra stores.
2. Wishing Darryl Carter from Hazelmere DC all the best in his retirement after 35 years of service.
3. The team from Melbourne Fresh DC enjoyed a visit from the Easter Bunny.
4. The team at Hoppers Crossing DC donated a gazebo to support BIG W Port Augusta’s ongoing charity work.
5. Team members from Melbourne Fresh DC celebrated Mother's Day. LtoR: Renee Watene, Pasemaca Salawaqavuka, Karen Lim and Ari Suwandewi.
6. Team members at Auckland Fresh Distribution Centre raised awareness on bullying by taking part in Pink Shirt Day.
7. Shelby and David in front of Melbourne Fresh DC’s spectacular Easter colouring competition.
8. The Wyong RDC team celebrated Mother's Day with hampers to team members. Pictured is Leanne Williams.
9. Some of the lucky Easter prize draw winners at Heathwood Chilled and Frozen DC.
10 The team at Perth RDC had a visit from not one but two Easter Bunnies!
11. Malia Iuta, Renee Watene and Kelly Melvin from Melbourne Fresh DC handed out hot cross buns to team members to celebrate Easter.
12. The team at Melbourne LDC had a special Easter visitor. Pictured is Jake Pascoe with Joseph Busuttil dressed as the Easter Bunny.
13. Maua Pau, Shiseido Edwards (Easter Bunny) and Valyen Lolesio from Auckland NDC enjoying some Easter treats.
Got some news from your site? It could feature in the next edition of The Pick magazine. Email comms@primaryconnect.com.au
Service
Anniversaries
1. Andrew Garland (15 years), Cory Blazey (15 years), Glenn Arkell (15 years), Kari Tuppurainen (15 years), Hona Dansey-White (10 years) and Mariu Thompson (10 years), Yatala DC
2. Joanne Pingitore (35 years), Melbourne South RDC
3. Adam Brockbank, Nathan Kershaw and Hamish Robertson (10 years), Wyong RDC
4. Mehul Patel (10 years), Adelaide RDC
5. Chinh Nguyen (40 years), Dean Calhoun (30 years) and David Blanch (30 years), Brisbane RDC
6. Brian Surrey (30 years), Adelaide RDC
Wayne celebrates 45 years with Woolworths
Perth RDC team member Wayne Mann recently celebrated his 45-year service anniversary with Woolworths Group. Congratulations, Wayne!
What was your first job at Woolworths?
My first job was in February 1980 at Woolworths Distribution Centre on Fenton Street in Kewdale WA. I began as an Order Picker for the first couple of years. I was then asked if I'd like to train as a Reach Truck Operator. From there I moved to Food Receiving duties, checking, loading and unloading the trucks and learning the computer.
What are some of the biggest changes you've seen?
The expansion of Perth RDC and keeping up with the new technology (always a challenge) has provided the biggest changes.
What have been some highlights in your 45 years?
The highlights of the job is the security of employment and meeting and working with new team members.
What are you most proud of?
I feel proud to have remained with Woolworths for 45 years. When I began at the age of 16, I could never have imagined I would have achieved this goal.
What advice would you give someone starting at Woolworths today?
It’s a good place to start your working career with plenty of opportunities for advancement.
LtoR: Ambient Receiving Team Leader Karl Brown congratulating Wayne Mann.
Our site teams praised as Cyclone Alfred hits land
Primary Connect and Woolworths have praised their teams for their exceptional efforts after Cyclone Alfred brought significant disruption to communities in South East Queensland and Northern NSW.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall just north of Brisbane on 8 March, unleashing heavy rainfall and widespread flooding.
The severe weather led to power outages to around 240,000 homes and businesses, with some areas of Brisbane recording over 200mm of rain in a 24-hour period.
As Cyclone Alfred headed towards land, our Brisbane DCs were temporarily closed to ensure the safety of our team members. This included Brisbane RDC, Heathwood Chilled & Frozen DC, Yatala DC and Parkinson Cross-dock.
Mattie Ryan, QLD General Manager Supply Chain, said he couldn’t be more proud of the team during this period.
“In the face of these challenges, we want to express our deep appreciation for the resilience, dedication and teamwork shown,” Mattie said.
“Many of them faced difficult conditions and balanced personal challenges while still showing up to work. Times like these really highlight
the essential role our teams play in supporting our communities.”
Recovery efforts involved Transport teams rerouting deliveries to overcome road closures and prioritising essential goods to the most affected and vulnerable communities.
Thank you to our teams at Melbourne South RDC, Wyong RDC, Sydney RDC and Erskine Park DC who supported our stores with increased volumes and our DC Operations, Transport and Resilience teams for their contingency planning and recovery efforts.
Sydney RDC diverting waste, delivering change
Sydney Regional Distribution Centre (SRDC) is joining Adelaide RDC, Melbourne Fresh RDC and Wodonga RDC in reducing waste with a new pilot program aimed at reclaiming and diverting waste from landfill.
This initiative is a key part of Woolworths Group’s 2025 Sustainability Plan, which makes a commitment to have all food waste from our operation diverted from landfill by 2025. Starting with Supermarkets and New Zealand, we have uplifted diversion to ~90% diversion and now are turning our focus to Primary Connect.
The program builds upon our existing reclaim and diversion process by introducing food waste recycling.
By prioritising reclaim and diversion, we're not only reducing waste but also maximising the value of our products, supporting those in our community and helping our planet.
The pilot program is already showing promising results. After just two weeks SRDC diverted 1.1 tonnes of organic waste from landfill.
As the pilot continues, new educational materials have also been shared across our network, so check out your site’s reclaim and diversion process today!
Heathwood CFDC held a BBQ to thank the team for helping our stores recover from Cyclone Alfred. Pictured LtoR: Alan Kilburn, Chris Brooks, Dale Acton and Hine Tapsell.
New organic recycling bins at SRDC.
A hopping good Customer & Team Connect
Thank you for taking part in Customer & Team Connect from April 7 to 13.
The theme was ‘Helping Customers celebrate Easter’. Across the Group, we focused on three key areas - availability, fast and friendly service and fresh. These are the things that really make a difference to our customer experience.
Thank you for everything you do to make us better together for our customers and teams.
End-toend pay review update
We appreciate your continued patience as we work through the Primary Connect Enterprise Agreements Review.
We have completed the initial site visits for 15 sites. The sites are: ARDC, BRDC, PRDC, MFDC, MLDC, MSRDC, WoRDC, SNDC, EPDC, WyRDC, BLDC, HCFDC, ToRDC, BIG W Hoxton Park, and BIG W Hazelmere.
Part of this program of work involves engaging with our team and with the various unions.
Impacted team members at ARDC, BRDC, WyRDC, BIG W Hazelmere, ToRDC and MFDC, Heathwood and PRDC have now received remediation payments. Our next planned sites for engagement are MSRDC, Hoxton Park and SNDC.
We remain committed to the program and are focused on doing the right thing by our team as we continue our journey towards pay confidence. We will continue to provide regular updates.
Spotted in stores!
Check out some of our Primary Connect thank you pallet labels spotted by our Supermarket teams.
HHTS launches How Ya Travellin’? podcast
A new podcast called How Ya Travellin’? launched in May to explore mental health in the trucking industry.
Hosted by TV personality Shane Jacobson, the podcast is produced by Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds (HHTS), a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving mental health and physical wellbeing in the road transport, warehousing and logistics industries.
With the help of its partners like Woolworths Group, HHTS provides resources and programs to create safe and supportive workplaces.
The How Ya Travellin’? podcast includes deep conversations with people from the industry, expert insights and inspiring personal stories from drivers who’ve overcome mental health challenges.
Check out episode 4 with Rick Dani, Primary Connect’s General Manager of Store Delivery. Rick talks about having open and honest conversations to help build a culture of care in the logistics industry.
Search for the podcast through the HHTS app, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
Rudolph McFarland with the Easter Bunny (Peter Bovington) from Yatala DC.
Peter Kolovinos with the Easter Bunny (Tamara Nowicki-Koch) from ARDC.
Getting to know the team at Warwick DC
In this edition of The Pick, we’re getting to know some of the amazing team members at Warwick DC. Thank you Molly Scotney for asking the questions!
Morgan Dumigan Team Member
How long have you been with Primary Connect? Three years
What sport do you like to watch or play? Basketball
What are you binge-watcing on tv? Narcos
What do you like to cook? Italian
What song would you sing at a karaoke night? Gangsta’s Paradise
Jaylee Pitt Team Member
How long have you been with Primary Connect? 10 years
What are you binge-watching on TV? 1923
What music do you like? Modern Country
What do you like to cook? T-Bone steak
Chloe Green Team Member
What is something you are good at? Drinking
What are you binge-watching on TV? You
What music do you like? Bit of everything, mainly country
Do you have any bad habits?
James Craperi Team Member
How long have you been at Primary Connect? 11 years
Do you have any pets? Four dogs and five cats
What NRL team do you go for? Storm
What do you like to do in your spare time? Racing remote control cars with my son
What do you like to cook? Pizzas
What song would you sing at a karaoke night? Chicken Fried
Nikita Turpin Team Member
What is something you are good at? Touch football
What is your favourite colour? Purple
What are you proud of? My kids
What celebrity would you like to meet? Tom Hardy
What's your go-to-dance move? The shuffle
Smoking, drinking and being stubborn
What song best sums you up? ‘I Got Friends in Low Places’ by Garth Brooks
Peter Gynther Team Member
How long have you been at Primary Connect? Two weeks
Who is in your family? My wife, 2 daughters and 2 grandsons
What sport do you like to watch or play? Lawnbowls
Where would you go on an overseas holiday? Hawaii
What song would you sing at a karaoke night? ‘Comfortably Numb’ by Pink Floyd
Lights, camera, safety!
Recently some of our team members stepped into the spotlight, taking centre stage in photoshoots for our brand new Our Place safety banners.
These new banners and posters will feature team members from across the network and will be popping up in your DC soon.
Launched last October, Our Place is Woolworths Group's promise to prioritise the safety, health, and wellbeing of every team member, and what better way to bring that promise to life than by showcasing the faces of those who champion safety every day!
With the help of talented photographers, we travelled to five sites – Moorebank National DC, Hoxton Park DC, Brisbane Regional DC, Yatala DC and Melbourne Fresh DC – to capture the energy and commitment of our amazing team members.
But it wasn't just the local teams getting involved! We also invited team members from neighbouring DCs to join the fun and represent their sites. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to connect, share experiences, and celebrate our shared commitment to safety.
We caught up with some of the stars of the photoshoot to hear why they were excited to be involved. Read their comments below.
care about safety and so said yes to the opportunity.
It was nice to try something different for the day, meet lots of good people and see a different site."
Katarina Donnelly, Wyong RDC
“We all have families to go home and we want to ensure everyone goes back to theirs.”
“I wanted to be part of the photoshoot as I find a big part of me enjoys the safety side of things and that’s why I took on the HSR role.
It was a really good opportunity to get my face involved in safety, so I’m sort of backing what I play a role in. It was also exciting to go to a new site to see what it’s like.”
Brisbane RDC & Heathwood CFDC Team Members
Arna Vella, Sydney Regional DC
Behind the scenes at Yatala DC.
Nathan Spiteri, Stacey Barry, Henry Malu, Cherayn Cranson, Tuan Khuu, Jamie-lee Kahika, Hayley Newman & Flik Watson - Brisbane RDC & Heathwood CFDC.
Behind the scenes at Melbourne Fresh DC.
Arna Vella, Sydney Regional DC.
"I
Katarina Donnelly from Wyong RDC.
Malik Ousmand in the spotlight at Melbourne Fresh DC shoot.
Empowering women on IWD and every day
Thank you to everyone who participated in the International Women's Day in March.
International Women’s Day is a key day of significance across the Woolworths Group. This year’s theme was ‘Everyone Belongs – empowering women this International Women’s Day, and every day.’
We recognise empowerment is not just about celebrating women - it’s about providing women with the agency for career growth, removing barriers, and creating opportunities that enable them to thrive at Woolworths Group.
Sydney RDC
Warwick DC
Melbourne LDC
Erskine Park Cross-dock
Adelaide RDC
Melbourne South RDC
Hoxton Park DC
Moorebank NDC
Melbourne Fresh DC
Thank you for celebrating Harmony Week
A big thank you to all our team members who took part in Harmony Week in March as we celebrated our different cultures and backgrounds.
1. Team Leaders from Melbourne Fresh DC celebrating Harmony Week.
2. Marcus Watts, Moana Tekopua, Ruby Raimona, Harmony RenataRaimona and Lanuola Sega from Melbourne Liquor DC
3. Ashleigh Kinter and Francine Carloss from Adelaide RDC
4. Kelly Digney and Kellie Connellan from Hazelmere DC
5. Melbourne NDC afternoon shift team members Sacha Robinson, Lia Cambell and Samantha Manuel.
6. Team members from Melbourne South RDC.
7. Sharon Krahe, Justin Grothen and Ashely Samuels from Moorebank NDC
8. Dean Jones, Richard Ezekiel, Sahil Bhullar, Muhammad Ismet, Varinder Singh, Narjit Singh and Venkatesh Janardhan from Perth RDC
What is your cultural background?
To help us better understand and celebrate our rich cultural diversity, please take a moment to update your cultural identity and language in SuccessFactors. You can do this at woolworths.my/sf
Starting a new life in the land down under
We’re recognising Refugee Week (June 15 -21) by getting to know Tawar Qayssar from Moorebank NDC. Where were you born? I was born in Iraq but lived in Lebanon before arriving in Australia in 2019. I had to wait four years in Lebanon for a visa to Australia.
What are some fond memories you had in Iraq before you came to Australia? The nature, the history and my first job which was in Lebanon.
What do you enjoy about living in Australia? Safety, quality of life and healthcare.
Is there anything you'd like Australians to understand better about refugees? We are peaceful and want a better life.
What message would you like to share with other refugees new to Australia? Work hard and the country will provide opportunities and skills.
Tawar Qayssar. Photo left: Before leaving Lebanon.
Who will take out the 2025 Primary Connect Awards?
It's that time of year again! Primary Connect is gearing up for the annual Primary Connect Awards, honouring the amazing work of our team members and distribution centres.
Operations Rising Star
Operations Leader of the Year
Chief Supply Chain Officer Award
With so many nominations from all over, we're ready to announce the winners across 11 categories. Mark your calendars for the special awards ceremony on Monday, 23 June where we'll celebrate all our fantastic finalists and winners!
Our Place Safety Award
This award recognises initiatives that embody the values of the Our Place safety movement. The initiatives establish, improve, inspire and maintain best practice in health, safety, wellbeing, injury management, or the environment.
Finalists:
Troy Goldfarb - MNDC
Sally Maartensz - MSRDC
Simone Zerafa - MFDC
Team Member of the Year
This award recognises a DC team member who embodies the Primary Connect values and ways of working.
Finalists: Anthony Micallef - SRDC
Gurjot Singh - HCDC
Samuel Ward - BRDC
Saji Sreenivasa - ARDC
Micky Phan - MNDC
This award recognises an outstanding individual effort by a member of our DC or Transport Operations team who has gone above and beyond, resulting in a substantial benefit to the business and our customers.
Finalists:
Sarah Valletta - SRDC
Ashleigh LanghamMSRDC
Alvin Kumar - BRDC
Rob Smiles C1C Award
This award recognises an individual or team who are passionate about putting our customers 1st and lives and breathes our Customer 1st Champion culture.
Finalists:
David Pendleton - MSRDC
Tom Sturme - BRDC
David StephensonSupport
Continuous Improvement Award
This award recognises an individual/group who were able to make a significant positive impact to the level of service, engagement of the team, and/or value of the business.
Finalists:
Chris Gower - SRDC
Harmeek Singh - MNDC
Rohan Lawrence - BRDC
Robbie Stewart - HPDC
This award recognises an outstanding individual effort by a member of our Operational Leadership team who has gone above and beyond, resulting in a substantial benefit to the business and our customers.
Finalists:
Landen Ukyab - MLDC
Jonathon Neasey - EPDC
Shane Beech - HCDC
Community Award
This award recognises an individual or DC who demonstrates our purpose through their community work. This could be a person with a strong volunteering background or a DC that support charities throughout the year.
Finalists:
Jess Matthews - MoNDC
Ronald Grimble - MLDC
Lisa Smith - SRDC
This award is selected by the Chief Supply Chain Officer for an individual who displays our values and ways of working to the highest level across our whole Primary Connect team.
Finalists:
Rick Xerri - Support
Ric Villani - MNDC
Damian Johnson - MFDC
Foodbank Award
This award recognises a DC’s contribution to our charity partner, Foodbank.
Finalists:
Perth RDC
Adelaide RDC
Wyong RDC
Most Improved Operation
This award recognises the combined effort of a DC to deliver an improvement to the level of service, engagement of the team, and value to the business.
Finalists:
Hoxton Park DC
Hoppers Crossing DC
Hazelmere DC
Operation of the Year
This award recognises the combined effort of an Operation to deliver a high level of service with an engaged team, delivering quality to our customers in a way that maximises value to the business.
Finalists: Wyong RDC
Hoxton Park DC
Hoppers Crossing DC
Heathwood CFDC holds inaugural family open day
On 5 May, team members from Heathwood Chilled and Frozen DC and their family members brought their warmest clothes to the DC (or borrowed freezer jackets!) to take part in the site’s first family open day.
Mark Ryan, HCFDC Supply Chain Manager, said it was great to be able to open the 42,000sqm temperature controlled site to family members and showcase what their loved ones do every day.
“The day was a huge success!” Mark said. “Our team had been asking for some time when we could hold an open day to show their families where they worked and especially how cold the freezer is.
“With the help of our Diversity and Inclusion committee, led by our Operations Manager Dani Lostroh, the team put together a great day.”
The open day featured a range of attractions including jumping castles and children's activities, Material Handling Equipment (MHE), truck displays and an engaging train ride through the site, including the -22 degree freezer!
“I can't thank our team enough for coming along and to the committee for the time that went into organising the day,” Mark said.
Team members and their families touring Heathwood Chilled & Frozen DC in style.
Brian and Harmon Do, children of Tien and Thi checking out the MHE. Children enjoying colouring in activities.
Will Ashwell, Dajuan Manase and Sai Manase firing up the BBQ.
Team member Scott Denham (right) with his son Jordan Denham.
Paige Rangitaawer, daughter of Sai Manase, sitting in the MHE.
Team member Eduardo Leon with son Emmanuel and daughter Jasmin.
Team member Natalie Burgis with husband James and children, Ally and Kayson.
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Sonder provides financial, medical, wellbeing and physical support for team members and their family. Support is 24/7, confidential and free!
Family members: Download the app, register with your personal email address and use the code "IAMHEREFAMILY."
Call 1800 234 561 or download the Sonder app.
MAY TO OCTOBER TEAM OFFER
Simply
Christchurch Regional DC extension announced
New Zealand’s Primary Connect distribution network is poised for further growth, having received all the necessary approvals that will enable an extension to the Christchurch Regional Distribution Centre (CRDC).
This project has been a long-held ambition for Primary Connect New Zealand as part of the journey to improve supply resilience in the South Island.
Closely following the 2024 opening of the Christchurch Fresh DC, the extension of CRDC is a win for both team and customers, meaning:
Space for 3,800 additional lines to be ranged in the South Island
An additional 12,500 reserve pallets (that’s an increase of 63%) will be held, enabling an increase of 180,000 cartons per week through the site
The site will be less congested and more fit for purpose, enabling optimal DC operations
National supply resilience will be improved, with less product traveling from North Island to South Island. This allows a better response and recovery from network issues such as unreliable ferries and natural disasters
Upgraded facilities and team amenities, resulting in a vastlyimproved team experience
The extension is a result of the outstanding collaboration by the entire project team, including members from New Zealand and Australia Primary
Connect Transformation teams, Finance, DC Operations, and Property who achieved a successful business case within the agreed investment plan.
This exciting build is scheduled for completion and go-live in August 2026.
Farewelling some of our Sydney NDC team members
As Sydney NDC starts to wind down, the site has been saying goodbye to its team members as they start a new chapter of their lives. We thank you for your amazing service.
Christchurch Regional Distribution Centre is getting an extension.
Construction starts on Sydney Chilled and Fresh DC
Construction is officially underway on our new Chilled and Fresh DC in Eastern Creek.
The progress of construction at SCFDC marks the next significant milestone in Primary Connect’s national supply chain transformation.
To mark the beginning of this flagship project, we welcomed NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car MP along with Dr Hugh McDermott MP, State Member for Prospect, and Councillor Brad Bunting, Mayor of Blacktown City Council to the site in April.
Tamara Manasserian, Director of Supply Chain Development and Program Delivery, said the gathering reaffirmed our commitment to delivering the freshest produce to customers across New South Wales.
“It was fantastic to officially mark our progress at SCFDC and discuss what’s to come and the benefits this site will bring to millions of customers across NSW,” Tamara said.
“SCFDC is a real game-changer for fresh food logistics and it was wonderful to see that the excitement for this futurefocused site is shared within the community.”
Set to become the Southern Hemisphere’s largest temperaturecontrolled distribution centre, this 93,000+ sqm, two-level facilitystrategically located at the intersection of the M4 and M7 - will process over 6,000 tonnes of produce daily.
The project is expected to create 4,000+ construction jobs and 700 permanent roles by mid-2027.
Rebecca Kyle, Program Manager said: “Whilst we’re still early into this project, it’s progressing well. Construction is now underway and we’re really excited to see this site start to take shape.”
Auburn CFC is now live!
We’ve officially launched our first automated fulfilment centre in the Woolworths network!
On 6 May, an official opening celebration was held at Auburn CFC, ahead of the official go-live on 7 May. This exciting occasion acknowledged the next big step toward setting ourselves up for future success, and recognised the years of hard work that has gone into setting up this fulfilment centre.
Tamara Manasserian, Director of Supply Chain Development and Program Delivery, said: “It was wonderful to take part in the opening of Auburn CFC and celebrate this exciting milestone and wonderful example of partnership and collaboration.
“Through our KNAPP partnership, the site will revolutionise our eCommerce capabilities with best-in-class technology and automation, delivering huge benefits to our customers.”
The site is set to begin operating from the second half of 2026 and will be built to deliver faster, fresher produce to millions of customers across NSW.
Tamara Manasserian, Rebecca Kyle & NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car MP.
KNAPP gift Auburn CFC and Woolworths Group leaders a celebratory plaque at the site opening.
NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car MP, Dr Hugh McDermott MP and Councillor Brad Bunting levelling a commemorative concrete slab.
Site visitors overlooking the construction progression at SCFDC.
New Morsl Market providing 24/7 meal solutions
A new initiative called the Morsl Market is providing team members with around-the-clock access to food and beverages.
The Morsl Market acts as a convenience shop, offering a wide range of options for team members to purchase items themselves at any time, day or night.
This initiative aims to enhance convenience, allowing the team to grab snacks, beverages and fresh meals whenever needed.
Unlike standard canteens with limited operating hours, the Morsl Market is available 24/7. It is designed to complement, not entirely replace, existing canteen services.
Morsl Market service providers regularly restock the market, ensuring a fresh and diverse selection. Food options cater to various dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan and glutenfree. More items can be added depending on the need so feedback is always welcome!
All purchases are made through cashless methods, such as card payments or mobile payment apps.
What our teams had to say - Moorebank NDC
“The fresher choices have been a real success at Hoppers Crossing DC. Out with the old vending machine and in with Morsl. Great fresh sandwiches and sushi have been a real winner.”
- Adam Dunbar, Shift Operations Manager AM, Hoppers Crossing DC
“The team at Moorebank have been really excited by the installation of our Morsl Market. It’s providing the teams with plenty of food and beverage options at all hours of the day and night, from sandwiches and wraps to health snacks, drinks, cheeky treats, and even on special occasions with yummy Asian style street food like bao buns, sushi and gyoza.”
- Melanie Willott, Administration Lead, Moorebank NDC
LtoR: Inoke Seru, Cobi Iuta, Leon Dalgleish, Charles Danford and Elizabeth Savavau from Melbourne Fresh DC enjoying the Morsl Market.
LtoR: Mark Francis, Melanie Willott, Kelly Buckley and Don Sutherland from Moorebank NDC.
Hoppers Crossing DC
Haidyn McConvile (front) and John Maciek (back) from Hoppers Crossing DC.
Diamondhill Chi, Oguzalp Bolak and Hubert Nin from Melbourne South RDC with Onel David, Morsl Victorian Area Manager.
Primary Connect+ expands cross-docking to regional areas
Since our commercial supply chain business, Primary Connect+, started back in 2003, the team has continued to expand their domestic transport, warehousing and international solutions for their business customers.
In 2023 Primary Connect+ acquired three new cross-dock sites, providing a new solution for customers.
“Essentially, cross-docking is a superefficient pit stop for freight,” Caroline Giller, General Manager of Business Development and Customer Experience at PrimaryConnect+, said.
“Instead of sitting around in a warehouse, goods from different trucks are quickly sorted and transferred to other trucks heading to specific stores or regions.
“Cross-docking means we can fill trucks more efficiently. Instead of a supplier sending a truck which isn’t full, we consolidate orders at our cross-dock sites and send out full truck loads. This helps save on fuel and reduces emissions.”
Fast forward to 2025, and the Primary Connect+ team can cross-dock not just to big cities, but also to regional areas. This means faster delivery of products with less handling, which is a big win for our customers.
“We're getting products out to stores faster, which means customers in stores get what they need when they need it. Less handling also helps to maintain the quality of the goods, especially important for fresh food,” Caroline said.
FUN FACT: Our Primary Connect team members at our cross-dock sites now handle a massive 30,000 pallets every week.
AI streamlining pallet docket processing in DCs
Did you know our Primary Connect DCs handle more than 25,000 pallet transfer dockets every week? That's a lot of paperwork!
These dockets, which come in all sorts of formats, tell us about the pallets moving in and out of our DCs.
The Unit Load Device (ULD) team used to spend around 100 hours a week checking these dockets. This meant checking for things like missing information, incorrect details, and even removing staples. It was a timeconsuming job.
But now, we've got a new helper: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Automation team is now using AI to read and process the dockets. Instead of someone manually checking every docket, we now scan them, and AI does the initial processing.
Casey Papal from the ULD team said AI picks out all the important information and puts it into a computer-friendly format. It even flags any potential errors, so the team can quickly check and fix them.
“This has made a huge difference,” Casey said.
“This is significantly reducing time for the ULD team and minimises paper usage. We’re seeing about a 50% reduction, and this will increase as we roll out the next iteration of the AI.
“We're also seeing a reduction in team burnout as the need to perform repetitive tasks for extended periods is eliminated.
“We're currently focused on enhancing the process with an optimised AI code deployment in May. This will see the team benefit further from improvements in processing time and accuracy.”
Using AI for large-scale tasks like this has freed up the team to focus on more meaningful work in Primary Connect, and also improves our data accuracy.
Robert Blanchard and Wayne Edwards from Erskine Park Cross-dock
Woolworths Group News
Woolworths lowers shelf prices on hundreds of items
In May Woolworths dropped the prices on hundreds of products including over 400 of its quality own brand range with the launch of Lower Shelf Price (LSP).
Lower Shelf Price is focused on making a real difference to the everyday shop for all our customers and is part of Woolworths' commitment to offer greater value on the products our customers buy most.
Families spending $150 on their weekly shop will now save on average $15 a week when buying Lower Shelf Price products.
Woolworths releases new Art Bag series
Woolworths has released a new series of reusable $2 art bags with the collection also now available in BIG W stores for the first time.
Made using at least 90 per cent recycled materials, the art bag collection showcases the work of emerging Australian artists while supporting local communities through a donation from each bag purchased.
The new series has been designed in collaboration with Australian artist, Ryhia Dank. The designs celebrate fresh food, connection to the land and family gatherings.
Woolworths report shows growing trend of digital health tracking
More than half of all Australians are now using digital tools to track their overall health, from food intake to steps and sleep.
The research comes from the latest Living Healthier Report from Woolworths Group health and wellness platform, Healthylife.
The report also found 44 per cent of Australians believe improving their sleep as a health priority and 21 per cent of people seek advice from qualified health professionals on social media to find health information.
Woolworths announces Baker of the Year
Over Easter, Woolworths celebrated its 10th annual Baker of the Year competition, featuring two exciting bake-offs and crowning two new baker champions.
Thomas Parker from Woolworths Indooroopilly in Queensland was crowned 2025 Baker of the Year. Judges praised Thomas Parker for his winning hot cross bun, giving him top marks for taste, texture and fruit to dough ratio.
Nicol Strang from Woolworths Forest Lakes in Western Australia was crowned inaugural Woolworths All Star Baker of the Year.
Woolworths sells more than 12 million individual hot cross buns during Easter week.
Kelly Melvin, MFDC