Captains Flat opens first grocery store in 15 years, run as not-for-profit
Mama Tierra, a not-for-profit grocery and cafe, opened after 15 years without a supermarket.
Captains Flat residents can now buy fresh food at home after 15 years without a local grocery store. Angela Davey and Paul Mills opened Mama Tierra on Foxlow Street, converting an old art gallery with a mosaic floor into a shop selling affordable produce, household items and local crafts.
The pair moved from Canberra in mid-2025 with no business plan, but Angela's experience running a not-for-profit food co-op made the idea natural when locals spoke of hunger. The community built it together: 12 women created the mosaic, volunteers helped rebuild walls and build the commercial kitchen, and neighbours made tip runs.
Angela and Paul both work in Canberra, which lets them run Mama Tierra as not-for-profit, returning all profits to stock and staffing. They aim to match Coles and Woolworths prices while selling in smaller, affordable quantities.
A cafe comes next, planned for December.
- 15
- Years without supermarket
- mid-2025
- Opened
- 12
- Women who made mosaic
- Foxlow Street, Captains Flat
- Location
Why it mattersSmall towns without supermarkets force residents to travel for groceries, costing time and money; local shops keep money in the community.
AustraliaCaptains Flat residents no longer need to drive 30 kilometres to shop; locals on tight budgets gain access to affordable food and the town gains a community hub.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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