Greenstreat Click the company's first digital-only model opens in Lavington

Restaurants have downsized or specialised their menus, butcheries have opted for self-service models and fast food stores have refined contactless service delivery.

In a post-COVID-19 global pandemic world, a staff shortage has tested the hospitality sector like never before.

This week Albury eatery Greenstreat opened its first digital concept store, Greenstreat Click, in the heart of Lavington.

As the name Greenstreat Click suggests, patrons are just a click away from sorting lunch or dinner.

Co-founder Jackson McGrath said the digital-only model helped them build on their mission to reach more people with their salads, warm bowls and burritos.

"Everyone is super busy," he said.

"Fast food can and should play an important role in providing the right nutrition for everyone.

"Digital platforms provide that service even faster."

With stores in Albury, Wodonga, Brisbane and Melbourne, Mr McGrath said they had watched the hospitality landscape change since the global pandemic hit in early 2020.

"In the last two years, customers have become very comfortable placing orders via digital devices," Mr Grath said.

"We can't always open a full-scale store, so Greenstreat Click offers a format that lets us continue our mission of delivering fresh greens to more communities.

"We can't do a full-scale restaurant in every suburb of Australia but we can use the platforms we've got to allow us to get our food to more people."

Located at the front of the eatery's central kitchen at 1/343 Urana Road, Lavington, where their salad dressings were made fresh daily, customers could now source Greenstreat salads and warm bowls tossed-to-order without the queues.

The store offers two, digital order options.

Meals can be pre-ordered via the Greenstreat app for pickup. In the app, patrons can customise their meal, while also collecting rewards that can be redeemed any time at any Greenstreat stores.

Meals can also be ordered in store via the kiosk. Similar to the kiosks at major fast food venues, customers can make their selections and pay at the kiosk.

All orders, placed via the app or the kiosk, will be processed right before the designated pick-up time, then placed on a green shelf for the customer to pick up and go.

Further along Urana Road, Thurgoona regenerative farmer Jacob Wolki runs a 24/7 self-service butchery.

Opened in 2021, the Wolki Butchery runs year-round without any retail staff.

After a TikTok video explaining his business model went viral in January, Mr Wolki said online criticism about the business model and farming overall was minimal.

He said his 24/7 self-service butchery at Lavington was never viable to sustain a retail job.

"I'm pro-jobs," said Mr Wolki, who employs 50 people between his farm and Albury ventures Cafe Musette and Cycle Station.

"I want to take every bit of capital, energy and labour I have and put it on the farm; not sitting in a butchery."

McGrath Fine Foods founders Laurence and Jan McGrath and their sons Jesse and Jackson opened Greenstreat in City Walk Arcade early in 2018.

Since then, Greenstreat has added stores in Wodonga, Brisbane CBD and Swan Street Richmond.

Two new stores will open at Brunswick and Melbourne CBD within weeks.

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