Foodbank WA serves up mobile meals with Isuzu

Gliding down the highways of Western Australia, the unmissable purple trucks of Foodbank WA are a balm for hungry bellies and a welcome sight for the hundreds of people who rely on a visit from one of the charity’s ‘Mobile Foodbanks.’

Established in 1994 under the national Foodbank banner, Foodbank WA has its headquarters in the central suburb of Perth Airport with five other branches in Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Bunbury, Peel, and Albany.

The refrigerated Mobile Foodbank trucks are loaded with fresh produce, meal ingredients, meat, dairy, and pantry staples donated from local businesses and charities, and distributed to community hubs where Foodbank card holders will come to collect.

Donations are first pre-processed at the head office facility where they are checked and safely stored until transportation. This process is overseen by Senior Manager of Infrastructure and Logistics, Mike McLaren.

“Feeding the participants of the Foodbank program is first and foremost what we do at Foodbank WA, but we also shout from the rooftops across Western Australia, telling everyone about what we do here,” said Mike.

“Advocating for access to healthy food for Western Australians is a big part of our mission, because we believe no one should miss out on meals.

“Education is also vital so that people can eat well—our in-house nutritionist works hard at making sure information is also available on healthy eating.”

Combined effort

The national Foodbank charity is the largest food relief organisation in Australia, recording a staggering 51 million kilograms of food and groceries sourced during 2023, equivalent to 92 million meals.

While the weight of donations is great news for those in need, Mike also said it highlighted the number of households in Australia experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity.

This is estimated by Foodbank to be around 36 per cent of households in 2023 and includes a range of situations, from families having to skip meals to the quality and nutritional value of food in weekly groceries.

Foodbank WA currently receives between 80 to 120 tonnes of food donations on a weekly basis.

“Five years ago, we were providing hampers and meals for roughly 200 to 300 Foodbank card holders per day… we now look after over 800 card holders each day,” explained Mike.

As not every card holder has a reliable mode of transport to access one of Foodbank WA hubs, the Mobile Foodbanks are utilised to reach a wider range of people in the program.

“The idea is to take the food out to the people that need it, in areas that wouldn't necessarily have access to public transport,” Mike explained.

“In Perth alone, we have around 32 locations that we visit each week, which means two trucks out on the road, five days a week.

“We need trucks that are easy to drive, comfortable to be in for long periods of time, and a transport partner that can offer us service and coverage across the state—which is what we get from Isuzu Trucks.”

Nutrition you can bank on

Foodbank WA requires an agile transport fleet to move produce safely, quickly, and at the correct temperature between branches and onto the plates of hungry Foodbank card holders.

They have just collected their newest light-duty truck, a freshly outfitted NNR 45-150 with a medium-wheelbase and automated manual transmission (AMT) from their Isuzu dealership of choice Major Motors Isuzu.

The truck, dubbed ‘Eddie’ was procured after a donor kindly left money for a new truck in his deceased estate. ‘Eddie’ joins the existing Mobile Foodbank fleet and another N Series Isuzu truck recently donated by local businesses in Western Australia.

Foodbank WA’s newest NNR 45-150 AMT is underpinned by a four-cylinder 4JJ1-TCS engine, producing peak power of 110 kW @ 2,800 rpm and 375 Nm of torque @ 1,600 – 2,800 rpm, complemented by a generous payload to handle the weight of produce.

Combined with the NNR’s compact cab chassis footprint which allows easy access to carparks, loading bays and community hubs, Foodbank WA are ably supported for long hours and large distances out on the road.

Sitting at the 4.5-tonne GVM mark, the NNR 45-150 AMT can be also driven on a standard car licence, with a two-pedal automated manual transmission that makes getting behind the wheel accessible for Foodbank WA drivers.

“Our Isuzu Mobile Foodbank trucks travel all over Greater Perth, from Rockingham to Two Rocks, to Joondalup and even further,” said Mike.

“We generally use full-timers for driving those trucks and the volunteers travel with them to help with set up and serve our customers.

“They're great, nimble trucks for driving around on a car licence.”

The Foodbank WA team is ready to support the needs of Western Australians

Fleet standard

While the new refrigerated NNR is starting off on the rounds, Foodbank WA’s existing Isuzu fleet already includes a range of light-and medium-duty models: three medium-wheelbase NLR 45-150 AMTs, a short-wheelbase Ready-to-Work NLR 45-150 AMT Traypack, an extra-long wheelbase FSR 140/120-260 Auto, and another NNR 55/45-150 truck.

While model variety is the spice of life—and a ticket to better efficiency for the business—Mike said that fleet standardisation was a primary reason why the charity selected Isuzu Trucks as a transport partner.

“We’re trying to get that consistency across the fleet to make it easier for our drivers, so they can get into any vehicle whether it’s a light-duty truck or a medium-duty truck and have everything standard for them.”

Mike has been pleased with trucks’ performance and is keen to expand Foodbank WA’s Isuzu line-up—with a long-wheelbase FVL 240-300 Auto now on order with Major Motors.   

“Comfort, reliability, and the accessibility of the cab interior were very important factors when planning the fleet with Major Motors,” Mike noted.

Sales Manager at Major Motors, Peter Dewar and Senior Manager of Infrastructure and Logistics at Foodbank WA, Mike McLaren

Dealer network support

Service coverage is another key measure for Mike, who wants fast access to genuine parts come time for replacements.

Isuzu’s large network of dealerships and Approved Service and Parts Outlets across Western Australia ensure any trucks housed at branches away from the Perth Airport depot are rigorously maintained.

“We have Major Motors who are two doors down from us here at Foodbank head office; their service department has been invaluable to us, and they offer overnight servicing which is very convenient,” said Mike.

“In Bunbury, we are supported by South West Isuzu.”

The two dealerships work in conjunction to deliver a fleet maintenance schedule to keep Foodbank WA reliably on-road, with an open line to Major Motor Sales Manager, Peter Dewar, when new trucks are needed. 

“These trucks are fantastic vehicles that keeps our produce and hampers moving to where they are needed most,” Mike said.

“Isuzu’s reputation for reliability has delivered for us.”

Further information on Foodbank WA including opportunities for support, donation, and volunteering can be found at www.Foodbank.org.au.