Farmthru is a new kind of grocery store — built on high-efficiency warehouse hubs, stocked with products sourced from local farms, and designed to give customers something supermarkets can't: real transparency on where their food comes from and why it's worth buying.
Register Your InterestTwo companies control 67% of Australian grocery — and families are paying the price.
Grocery costs in Australia have surged over 24% in the last five years — the highest increase in the developed world. Coles and Woolworths, currently facing Federal Court proceedings over "illusory discounts," have created a system where neither producers nor consumers win.
For producers, the duopoly squeezes margins and locks out smaller operators who can't meet punishing supply chain terms. For consumers, the result is rising prices, declining trust, and a frustrating lack of choice.
Families who want quality are forced into two bad options: overpriced boutique stores, or the time-consuming trek to a big-box warehouse 40 minutes away. The system doesn't need another supermarket. It needs a different model entirely.
Australians are trading down on staples — and reinvesting in what matters.
Something interesting is happening: 80% of shoppers have switched to private labels for pantry staples, but they're redirecting those savings into categories they care about — particularly quality proteins. Wagyu beef is now the 4th most-ordered food item on delivery apps, even under cost-of-living pressure.
This isn't about being a premium health store. It's about being the place where people come for quality products they can trust — and stay for everything else, because the value and transparency are better than what they're getting now.
90% lower overhead than traditional retail. We pass every dollar of that back to the customer.
Farmthru is based on the French "Drive" model — Chronodrive pioneered grocery drive-thru collection and now commands 32.7% market share in France. The concept: small-format urban warehouse hubs (3,000–10,000 sq ft) replace expensive retail storefronts. No aisles to staff, no shelf displays to maintain, no prime retail rent.
Customers order online, and their groceries are picked, packed, and ready for a 5-minute drive-thru collection — or local delivery. Within 30 minutes of ordering, groceries are loaded into the customer's car.
Where Costco needs 140,000 sq ft destination stores on city fringes, our compact hubs sit inside the neighbourhoods where families actually live — what we call the "wealth belts."
This isn't about making people drive to a warehouse. It's about bringing the warehouse to them.
We stock products from local producers — farms that can't access the major supermarket supply chains but produce exceptional products. By keeping supply chains short and cutting out unnecessary layers, we reduce costs while supporting producers who do things properly. Every product on Farmthru comes with its origin story: who made it, where it's from, and why we chose it.
Carton-first pricing gives customers warehouse-level prices on quality products. No membership required to shop, though an optional membership tier drives recurring revenue — modelled on Costco's 90% renewal rate.
No retail theatre means lower overhead. Our automated hubs pick at 700–800 units per hour versus 60–70 in traditional retail. AI-driven demand forecasting reduces waste on perishables — the category where shrinkage kills margins.
Every product earns its place through a clear vetting process — "Why It Made the Cut." This isn't about being preachy; it's about giving customers the information the supermarkets don't. What's in it, where it's from, and why it's worth your money.
Turning grocery's biggest cost centre into a margin advantage.
The economics of grocery fulfilment are brutal for traditional supermarkets. Home delivery loses them roughly 15% margin. Click-and-collect loses 5%. Farmthru's hub-first model achieves a positive 2% margin on collection from day one — because the entire operation is designed around it, not bolted on.
| Metric | Supermarkets | Farmthru |
|---|---|---|
| Home delivery margin | −15% | N/A (pickup-first) |
| Click & collect margin | −5% | +2% |
| Pick speed | 60–70 UPH | 700–800 UPH |
| Premises | Prime retail rent | Warehouse / light industrial |
| Perishable waste | Industry standard | AI-forecasted, reduced |
Three forces are converging to create the perfect window.
The ACCC's 2026 crackdown on shrinkflation and greenwashing has put the duopoly under a spotlight. Consumer trust in major supermarkets is at historic lows, creating a massive opening for a transparent, authentic alternative.
Curbside grocery collection has doubled since 2022, with 1 in 8 Australian consumers now choosing this method. The "Drive" model that's standard in France is arriving — and no incumbent owns it here.
High-income households are shifting toward "intentional spending" — they want to know where their food comes from and they're willing to change how they shop to get it. They don't need a health food store. They need a grocer they can trust.
Live since January 2026 — starting where the demand is strongest.
Our pilot is running from a Brookvale hub, serving Sydney's Northern Beaches — where 41.8% of households earn A$3,000+ per week (median income $2,592/wk vs $1,829 NSW average). These are families who care about what they feed their kids, have the income to act on it, and are frustrated by their current options.
A tight-knit community with strong word-of-mouth dynamics, active local Facebook groups, and a concentration of farmers' market shoppers — the exact audience most likely to trial a new model.
We're leading with relationships, not ad spend. Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown — who run a regenerative farm on the NSW Mid-North Coast — provide immediate brand credibility and media access across publications like Country Living, Gourmet Traveller, and Qantas Magazine.
Community-first: geo-targeted social content around school zones and gyms, partnerships with local voices, and a Founding Member launch offer (early access + 6-month free membership). "Try-One" pricing lets new customers test quality before committing to bulk volume.
A repeatable hub model designed to expand across Australia's wealth belts.
4+ years in food supply chain, warehouse systems, and building relationships with local producers.
Background in technology, eCommerce, and food supply chain. Hands-on builder of the Farmthru platform — from Shopify development and AI-powered customer support to automated supplier onboarding. Bringing a tech-first approach to a category that desperately needs it.
Deep experience in food operations, logistics, and warehouse management. Built and managed supply chains connecting local producers to customers. Focused on operational excellence — the purchasing, quality, and fulfilment that make or break a food business.
Rachel Ward & Bryan Brown — regenerative farmers on the NSW Mid-North Coast, brand ambassadors, and among the first suppliers on the platform. Their public profile provides launch credibility and opens doors to high-impact PR across national media.
Confirmed supplier partners: Rachel's Farm, Bellamy & Sons, Gillinghall Farmer Brown's Pastured Eggs, Happy Hens Healthy Eggs, Block 11 Organics.
Raising capital for launch and an 18-month runway to hub breakeven.
Purchasing Lead, Warehouse Manager, Ops/Admin — the people who make the hub run.
Fit-out of Brookvale hub, initial inventory float for launch categories.
AI demand forecasting, platform automation, supplier management tools.
Community launch, influencer partnerships, founding member campaign.
Farmthru is raising its pre-seed round from angels, private investors, and aligned backers who believe Australian families deserve a better grocery option. Leave your details below and we'll be in touch.
1. ACCC Supermarkets Inquiry — Final Report (2026). accc.gov.au
2. ACCC Supermarkets Inquiry 2024-25. accc.gov.au
3. Market Research Future — Organic Beef Meat Market Forecast 2035. marketresearchfuture.com
4. Purdue University — Consumer Food Insights: U.S. and Australia (2025). purdue.edu
5. Financial Models Lab — Butcher Shop Owner Income Analysis. financialmodelslab.com
6. UWA Research Repository — Food Provenance & Willingness to Pay. uwa.edu.au