Access to local food produce is set to receive a major boost with a long-term $700,000 investment to help build and expand the North East fresh food system.

The Grow Local Food North East Project, incorporating Bright and King Valley food hubs, were recipients in the latest $6.5m VicHealth Local Partnerships for Food First program grant round, which aims to strengthen local food systems with a focus on fresh, local produce over the next three and a half years.

Of the $6.5m investment, the North East project will receive $714,952 over three years.

Bright Food Co-op, Sustainable King Valley Food Hub and Corryong-based Acres and Acres Coop make up the North East project and work together in partnership to increase access to fresh, regeneratively grown local produce for communities in the region.

Bright Food Co-op president Julie Savage said the investment will see the food hub scale its distribution and reach more households, including from towns further afield.

“The producer network component will strengthen Bright Food Co-op’s connections with other growers in the region, enabling shared resources, knowledge transfer, and collective marketing efforts,” she said.

“Community engagement activities will be expanded, enabling Bright Food Co-op to deepen its role as a local food hub, build greater community awareness of healthy and sustainable food choices, and foster stronger resilient local food culture.

“For the local region in North East Victoria, the project means improved access to high-quality fresh food, more viable local producers and building community.”

Bright Food Co-op is a volunteer-led, not for profit, community organisation operating in the Alpine Valleys.

It focuses on providing organic, chemical-free and regeneratively grown produce, supporting local farmers, reducing food miles and packaging waste, promoting a circular economy and linking producer and consumer to increase local food system resilience.

Over the past year, Ms Savage said the food hub had achieved significant growth: a 400pc increase in sales and a 75pc growth in membership.

“The Grow Local Food North East project’s emphasis on sustainability aligns strongly with our co-op’s mission - and will help embed those values more widely across the community,” she said.

Eight other food hubs across the state shared in the state government initiative to establish multiple local partnerships across metropolitan and regional areas and strengthen local food systems.

Under the VicHealth program, the food hubs will work to achieve three key objectives, health, equity and sustainability with their investments.