A cafe run by students, for students aims to tackle food insecurity

The Tasmanian University Student Association has opened a new social enterprise cafe run by students in Hobart, where profits go towards its food hub services for university students experiencing hardship. The hubs, where students can access free items such as fresh produce, bread and frozen meals, are funded by grants and stocked by donations from food banks and charities. What's next? The association is seeking more funding as it hopes to open a social supermarket within the next year to provide more free food for students and discounted items for the broader community. It might look like a regular cafe, but a new student-run business in Hobart's CBD has a different goal than turning a profit — a chance to feed their struggling peers. The Grounded cafe is the Tasmanian University Student Association's (TUSA) new social enterprise in Hobart's city centre. All profits made go back into the association's broader food insecurity programs for students. TUSA's food hubs offer students free ticket items such as fresh produce, bread and frozen meals. Students can also purchase five or eight-dollar bundles, which get them pantry items such as rice or canned goods for a dollar each. The association does not want to rely on grant funding going forward to keep these services available, so the cafe is a part of sustainable funding. Cafe made by students, for students It employs students who will learn hospitality skills while serving affordable meals and drinks to the community. Along with students getting a 20 per cent discount, the cafe also has a pay-it-forward system for student coffees and meals. For some, the cafe has created a new third space in the city that is welcoming and student-friendly. "It's been missing in recent years, a soul and a gathering place for students to come," mature-aged UTAS student Mark said. First-year student Sophia said she enjoyed the space because it was "so close by to everything" and was "very affordable". Former student Dylan said when he was studying, there weren't many places like the cafe that were affordable and convenient in the city. "There wasn't really any nice spaces to just sit down and potentially meet other students," he said. Third of students face food shortages A 2024 survey by the University of Tasmania found 53 per cent of its students faced food insecurity, with one in three skipping multiple meals a week. "These are dire times for our university students," TUSA president Jack Oates Pryor said. "If we're not able to eat as students, then we are not able to engage with study, we're not able to graduate and contribute to the Tasmanian workforce more broadly. Mr Oates Pryor said cost-of-living pressures were among factors contributing to students reducing their study load to part-time. He said students are "working an average of 29 hours per week in addition to their studies", which was "mammoth". But he said he has seen a decrease in students skipping meals in 2026, with an increase in students accessing the food hubs. Food hubs keeping students at uni TUSA food hubs started in 2023 at the University of Tasmania's Sandy Bay Campus. Since then, the association has opened four hubs across the state and one at its New South Wales campus in Sydney. They are funded by grants and stocked by donations from food banks and charities. Volunteer and student Jhumu said the service was essential, as it could be "difficult to survive" as an international student. "It has variety, it has free items and very cheap payment for the pantry items. So, it's very convenient," she said. Catherine also accessed the service and said, "it's a great way to make sure that I have a stock up of food at home". "It's helpful and it's lovely to feel like you're well cared for," shared student Jj, after going into Hobart's weekly food hub. According to TUSA, in 2025 about one-quarter of UTAS students accessed the food hub. "We constantly hear from students [that the] food hubs have kept them enrolled in uni, and they are experiencing less stress because they know that there is a place to go for food every week," TUSA's food security project lead Kim White said. "Without food hubs, we'd see a lot more students dropping out of uni and needing to work to sustain the cost of living." Following the opening of Grounded, the association plans to open a social supermarket within the next year. This would provide more free food to students, along with discounted items to people in the broader community.