Community and
suppliers

Coles supermarkets supports Australian businesses to innovate and grow through the $50 million Coles Nurture Fund.

The Nurture Fund was established in April 2015 and supports small-to-medium businesses in the food and grocery sector with the development of new market-leading products, technologies and processes.

Innovation is one of the primary drivers of competitiveness. Coles recognises that smart, energetic and agile small businesses can be a launch-pad for great product innovation, with Australian customers reaping the benefits of new and exciting ventures in the food industry.

From Australia’s first quinoa processing facility, to chickpea tofu, to home grown garlic and to Australian first prawn farming technology, the Coles Nurture Fund is helping Australian producers bring their big ideas to life.

More information on the Nurture Fund, including application forms, can be found here .

In partnership with SecondBite, Coles supermarkets and distribution centres donate unsold edible food to 1,300 community groups supporting disadvantaged Australians. Through the national partnership, Coles supermarkets have donated unsold edible food equating to more than 100 million meals since the partnership began in 2011. In addition to food donations, Coles supermarkets and Coles Liquor raise funds for SecondBite through the sale of $2 donation cards and reusable shopping bags.

Between 2003 and 30 June 2019, Coles supermarkets also donated the equivalent of more than 29.9 million meals to Foodbank.

Coles partners with national cancer charity Redkite to help children and young people with cancer and their families to cope with the emotional and financial stress of cancer. Since 2013, Coles and our customers have raised over $35 million for Redkite which has transformed what Redkite can do to support families across Australia when their child has cancer.

Coles is providing support to disaster affected communities in the following ways:

NATIONALLY

Donation to Rural Fire Brigades:
As a thank you to all volunteer firefighters, Coles is providing over $3 million in gift cards to more than 6000 rural fire brigades across.

Red Cross:
We are collecting for the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund at checkouts in all Coles supermarkets, Coles Express, Liquorland, First Choice and Vintage Cellars. For every one of the $522,010 donated so far, Coles is donating another $2, taking these funds to over $1.5 million.

Emergency Services leave:
The majority of permanent Coles team members already have access to unlimited paid leave to participate in emergency response efforts under their enterprise agreements.

So that we can further support their efforts in protecting our communities, Coles has also increased the paid emergency services leave available for other permanent team members to 20 days.

NSW

• Coles donated 20 pallets containing UHT milk and long-life food essentials to the State Government, which have been dispatched to Merimbula and Eden.
• Coles donated 37 pallets of food and essentials to Foodbank in Sydney for distribution to the Cobargo, Bega and Bermagui evacuation centres.
• Coles donated four pallets of fruit and vegetables for animals at the Mogo Zoo near Batemans Bay.
• In Batemans Bay, Ulladulla, Bega and Eden Coles donated meals and essentials to police, fire fighters, marine rescue, nursing homes, traffic crews and emergency teams as well as evacuation centres.
• In Batemans Bay, some team members came in despite the store being closed to bake bread rolls and roast chickens to donate to relief centres, and donated supplies as needed to local relief centres and emergency services, including over $2,000 of supplies to people sheltering at the Coachhouse Marina Resort in Batemans Bay, which is located next to the relief centre.
• Twenty two team members travelled from Sydney to Batemans Bay to relieve tired local team members, help restock shelves, and serve customers.
• Coles Express donated 200 cartons of drinks and a pallet of water to volunteers in Batemans Bay.
• The Willowdale team donated 56 cases of water bottles to the Mount Keira RFS brigade, matching a donation by local community members.

VICTORIA

• Coles delivered 20 pallets of water to RAAF Sale for distribution to emergency services and relief centres.
• Coles donated 10 pallets of food and essentials to Foodbank, which was distributed to emergency centres in Gippsland.
• Clyde North and Bairnsdale donated bread, long life milk, shampoo and other essentials, with many team members volunteering their time in community halls and donating clothing.
• In North East Victoria, team members have organised barbecues and other activities to raise money and collect donations. In just five hours, the team at Birallee Park raised over $1,100 and filled six trolleys with food and supplies, while a sausage sizzle at Shepparton raised $1,300 for firefighters. The team at Mooroopna purchased 17 bales of hay to be provided to a temporary animal refuge in Wangaratta.
• The Victoria/Tasmania state team held a fundraising morning tea, raising more than $3,900 to donate to the relief effort.
• Coles Express donated 100 cartons of supplies and a pallet of water to CFA and SES volunteers in Bairnsdale.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

• Coles donated 10 pallets of food and essential to Foodbank for distribution to communities in need.
• Coles donated fruit and vegetables to the Adelaide Koala and Wildlife Hospital to feed animals injured in bushfires.
• The state team is holding a trivia night with proceeds raised going to the Cudlee Creek Bushfire Appeal.
• The team at Ingle Farm personally purchased and donated supplies to the Salvation Army to prepare meals for exhausted firefighters.

WA

• Coles donated food for the department of Fire and Emergency Services to fly in to for travellers stuck at the Caiguna Roadhouse, where around 100 people were waiting for roads to reopen after authorities closed them due to bushfire.