Two Australian transport operators have grown from delivery drivers into fleet owners after receiving practical business support and regular work through community food network Box Divvy.
When Sugan arrived in Australia in 2013 after being displaced from Sri Lanka, his immediate priority was rebuilding his life and finding work.
After arriving by boat, he spent time in detention centres on Christmas Island and in Weipa before beginning a new life in Australia. He took on a range of jobs, including farm work, tiling and rendering, before eventually moving into transport.
An opportunity with Box Divvy would later help reshape his future.
After saving enough money to purchase his first truck, Sugan approached Box Divvy founder Anton van den Berg seeking regular delivery work. Within months, he had secured consistent work with the organisation.
More importantly, he found someone willing to encourage him to invest in himself and build a transport business of his own.
“Anton always encouraged me to build something of my own,” Sugan said.
“He would talk to me about when it made sense to buy another truck, how to set things up properly and what I needed to do if I wanted to grow.”
Sugan now owns two trucks, works with three drivers and contractors, and undertakes additional transport work on weekends.
The support he received also extended beyond business.
When Sugan applied for Australian citizenship, 11 local Box Divvy Hub members provided character references in support of his application.
“It meant a lot because those people knew me through my work and through the community,” he said.
“It made me realise how much my life had changed since arriving in Australia.”
A similar path was followed by Auburn resident Sahil, who arrived in Australia on a student visa in 2014 to study information technology.
He worked in food delivery, trolley collection and transport before joining Box Divvy in 2017 after responding to an advertisement on Gumtree.
Sahil spent several years learning the transport industry and saving money before purchasing his first truck with encouragement from van den Berg.
He later established Ivaan Transport, which now operates five trucks and employs six drivers.
“I knew how to drive, but I didn’t know how to run a business,” Sahil said.
“Having someone willing to share their knowledge and give practical advice made a huge difference.”
Van den Berg said helping people grow alongside the organisation had always been central to Box Divvy’s approach.
“We’ve always believed business success should create opportunities for the people around us as well,” he said.
“If someone wants to build something of their own, we’d rather support that than keep them in the same role forever.”
As Box Divvy has expanded, several drivers have gone on to purchase trucks, establish transport companies and employ other drivers.
The model has helped create new employment and business opportunities beyond Box Divvy’s direct workforce.
“Over the years we’ve seen drivers purchase trucks, build businesses and create employment opportunities for others,” van den Berg said.
“That’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
Box Divvy operates more than 360 neighbourhood Hubs across New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, supporting more than 14,000 households with access to fresh produce and groceries through local community networks.
For van den Berg, the growth of the network is only part of the measure of success.
“Success isn’t just about growing the network,” he said.
“It’s about creating opportunities for other people to succeed as well.”
