Adrian Portelli’s $150,000 Coles grocery giveaway turns sour after Aussies who lined up for hours in the sweltering heat miss out
Hundreds of Australians braved the heat outside Coles stores in Sydney’s west for a chance to win a shopping voucher from billionaire Adrian Portelli – but not everyone walked away happy.
Portelli, also known as ‘Mr Lambo’, announced on social media that he would be handing out $150,000 worth of Coles vouchers to 1,000 families and shared the locations where they would be distributed on Tuesday morning.
Shoppers queued for hours at Coles stores in Penrith and Fairfield West, enduring the sweltering 33 degrees Celsius heat as they waited for the billionaire’s arrival and the chance to receive a $50 voucher 100 or $200 to secure.
A woman, who waited four hours to get to the front of the queue at the Fairfield West store, expressed her delight after receiving an envelope containing the $200 Coles gift card.
‘This is great. I’ve been waiting for this since eight o’clock,” she said.
As the day went on, more hopeful Aussies joined the line, which eventually stretched around the block.
While many were thrilled to receive a $200 voucher, others left feeling disappointed after walking away empty-handed.
One woman said she had queued for hours but was turned away when staff announced the queue had reached the 500-person limit.
Hundreds of people turned out in Penrith and West Fairfield as billionaire Adrian Portelli (centre) handed out $150,000 Coles vouchers to 1,000 families
One customer, Lubna Habssh, told Daily Mail Australia she was ‘angry’ after being turned away because the queue had reached the 500-person limit
Above is a group of women who missed the grocery giveaway despite queuing in the 33 degree Celsius heat
“I’m angry – they told us to leave, and now two hours have been lost,” one customer, Lubna Habash, told Daily Mail Australia.
Others complained about the heat as they waited for hours in the slow-moving line, while some tried to find relief from the sun by using umbrellas for shade.
A Fairfield West resident told Daily Mail Australia he was hopeful of the free groceries, but said it was “very hot” queuing as temperatures soared to 33 degrees Celsius.
Portelli handed out the first twelve gift cards before passing the task to Cole’s staff.
‘It’s great to be able to offer families some help before Christmas. Why not? I can help people, so I might as well spend the money,” Portelli said.
The billionaire claimed the response to his voucher giveaway only showed how ‘desperate people are in these times’.
It comes as Australians across the country struggle amid a national cost of living crisis.
A survey earlier this year found that one in five Australians work a second job to make ends meet, while a further 18 percent work more overtime to afford basic needs.
Shoppers waited for hours in the 33 degree Celsius heat
An Aussie family claims their Coles voucher courtesy of Adrian Portelli
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank’s thirteen rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 were the most dramatic since the late 1980s to combat a post-Covid inflation wave.
Borrowers are now paying 64 percent more on their monthly repayments than they did two and a half years ago.
That’s almost $19,000 extra per year on an average home loan of $600,000. However, in some Sydney suburbs, mortgage holders would conservatively pay $23,000 more.
To add to their frustration, the Reserve Bank kept the cash rate unchanged at a 12-year high of 4.35 percent on November 5.
Others were luckier and walked away with $100 or $200 vouchers after waiting in line for hours
Pictured: Lee-Arnna Austin-Fasham 25, (right) with husband Christopher Hodges 32, (center) and his mother Jenni Harrison 53, (left) all scored a $200 voucher
Portelli is the founder of the online company LCMT+ which regularly gives away huge cash prizes and luxury cars and offers its members discounted products at retailers.
LMCT+ makes money by charging subscription fees to users, who gain access to exclusive competitions, with prizes such as houses, bikes, cars and boats.
It has about 100,000 customers who pay a monthly subscription.
Subscribers also receive exclusive offers from more than 1,000 partners such as Beaurepaires, Patriot Campers and Prestige Autoworks.
Portelli’s net worth is estimated by the AFR to be more than $1 billion, taking into account his collection of properties and luxury cars and the paper value of his company LMCT+.
Dozens of shoppers hoping to get their hands on a $100 or $200 Coles voucher
Portelli is also a regular on The Block, appearing on the show every year at auctions and regularly buying houses – although he has taken time off on the Channel Nine reality TV show after buying all five houses during the competition of this year.
Portelli’s net worth is estimated by the Australian Financial Review to be over $1 billion, taking into account his collection of properties and luxury cars as well as the paper value of LMCT+.
The entrepreneur was seventh on the Financial Review Young Rich List this year.
The car enthusiast made international headlines when he had a rare $3 million McLaren towed to his $39 million Melbourne penthouse in May last year.
Portelli has also announced plans to build a private hospital in Penrith.