The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne has launched a Circular Economy Precinct, a bold experiment in sustainability. The precinct aims to reduce food waste by giving market leftovers a second life, supporting jobs, social enterprise, and community education. The Moving Feast Kitchen recovers unsold food from traders and turns it into fresh meals and products, which are sold at the Moving Feast Pantry. A STREAT café is also part of the precinct, creating a “mini circular economy in action.” The initiative builds on the success of a similar project in Kensington, which diverted over 18 tonnes of waste from landfill. The Queen Victoria Market generates over 800 tonnes of food waste each year, and the new precinct aims to reduce this significantly. The project also serves as a testing ground for innovation, with three projects to be trialled, including a packaging reuse pilot and a program of events to engage the community. The city aims to divert 90% of waste from landfill, and the precinct is a key step towards achieving this goal.
Local Victorian entrepreneurs transform discarded produce into valuable resources at the historic Queen Victoria Market through innovative waste reduction initiatives
