Highland man launches new food delivery service with local businesses and community groups at its heart

Inverness Eats is a brand new meals supply app set to launch within the Highland Capital subsequent month.

A Highland entrepreneur is including a brand new enterprise to his portfolio which can put the neighborhood and the wants of native eating places on the coronary heart of it.

Chris Mather, who lives in Inverness, has revealed plans to launch supply enterprise Inverness Eats in mid March, which can see hospitality companies and native retailers be capable to signal as much as the supply service with out having to pay extortionate charges.

A direct competitor to nationwide meals supply apps and web sites working within the native space, Chris, who runs luxurious concierge and journey firm Private Concierge Scotland, will give 50% of the earnings of the enterprise to native teams and charities, to not point out reinvest the opposite 50% into advertising and marketing the companies listed on his app and web site.

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The extra reasonably priced mannequin will see companies join on a 7.5% fee foundation which can enable them to be listed on the web site and profit from advertising and marketing which is bespoke to their agency.

Neighborhood on the coronary heart

Impressed to do one thing for the area people having not been in a position to function his luxurious agency since final March, Chris feels you will need to give again and take care of the native hospitality scene which has fallen sufferer to the continual restrictions as a result of coronavirus pandemic.

He mentioned: “I’ve one other enterprise which I run, a luxurious concierge and journey firm, which isn’t operational simply now due to Covid-19.

“I used to be occupied with what I might do whereas issues weren’t transferring a lot with my different agency and I began occupied with meals supply companies. I used to be taking a look at how some have been treating their workers and the way they have been working with companies. Some companies get hundreds of thousands from huge quick meals takeaways which they at all times function and I knew the native companies, who have been additionally paying charges, wouldn’t be featured in the way in which these huge guys can be.

“So I thought of making a service which advantages the companies of Inverness, the native economic system, the native folks and the neighborhood, then there’s an actual feel-good issue there.

“Covid-19 is killing companies throughout the nation and I’m in a lucky sufficient place that I can do one thing like this. I needed to assist the opposite companies in Inverness thrive a bit extra, so this platform permits inns, pubs, bars and eating places and even nightclubs the possibility to reopen on a supply or assortment foundation.”

Fee

Engaged on a smaller fee compared to the opposite nationwide meals supply chains working within the space, Chris is decided to provide again as a lot as he can and has chosen to assist an area psychological well being charity and the Royal Nationwide Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

He added: “We’ve got saved the fee as little as we are able to and are actually low compared to the large meals supply companies. Of the 7.5% fee we cost, we donate 50% again to the enterprise proprietor in promoting to assist them with advertising and marketing their providing through our social media and adverts. The opposite 50% we give to charity and this 12 months we’re donating it to Mikeysline and the RNLI Loch Ness and North Kessock Lifeboat Stations.

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“It’s a feel-good issue for the client in order that they know when they’re ordering they’re giving to the enterprise and donating to charity. The enterprise doesn’t take a lot of successful as it’s pennies as a substitute of kilos, and they’re getting extra assist. This enterprise isn’t about making plenty of cash shortly, it’s about giving again and serving to folks. It’s extra of a community-based enterprise.”

Signed up

With greater than a dozen eating places listed on the web site, which is about to launch quickly, Chris is adamant there’s a variety of delicacies which can guarantee everybody’s tastes are catered for.

“We’ve got greater than 10 companies signed up already and we’re rising each week which is nice. We’re launching on March 10 and can have a complete host of companies on the web site,” mentioned Chris.

“We needed to verify we had a minimum of 15 to 20 companies on there so there’s selection. We wish to preserve folks utilizing the platform, so we’re simply getting increasingly more folks signed up. Some companies have lined up already, together with Little Italy, Ness Mahal, Nessie Treats, Baked by Jen, George’s Thai and Indian Restaurant, Trome, La Tortilla Asesina and The Black Isle Smoke Pitt to call a couple of.

This enterprise isn’t about making plenty of cash shortly, it’s about giving again and serving to folks.”

Chris Mather

“The likes of Simply Eat solely delivers two or three miles outwith town centre whereas our agency will ship anyplace. The restaurant must be assured that they’ll ship to those areas with their very own drivers, and a few have mentioned they’ll go down so far as Dingwall and to Nairn and Elgin. We’re beginning within the metropolis centre however we’ll be working our method out in order that smaller cities close to Inverness can take benefit.

“Inverness Eats ought to ultimately be enormous and I wish to take the idea to locations like Skye. We’ll simply proceed to develop it.”

Restaurant supply drivers

Whereas those that join both want to supply their very own devoted supply driver, or select to be launched to a 3rd celebration driver by Chris, the companies who join have a say in the way in which their meals is delivered and have full management over these working for them, as a substitute of risking working with drivers who could not have their greatest pursuits at coronary heart.

Chris mentioned: “The vast majority of the supply strain is on the restaurant. There’s a greater high quality customary whether it is somebody that the restaurant is aware of. We might help with supply, however a driver who’s employed by the restaurant is extra probably to make sure the meals will get there safely, reasonably than getting unbiased drivers or taxis to take the meals who don’t perceive how fragile it’s.

“We’re blissful to recruit drivers for the eating places however we’re probably not providing a supply service ourselves. I’ve acquired folks I can introduce to the eating places. That’s the reason huge supply companies value to a lot as they should pay the drivers. It helps preserve prices low, too.

“The restaurant will get a pill and can obtain all of the orders by means of this. It’ll print a receipt and the kitchen can then make it up. It is vitally slick and straightforward to make use of for each the businesses and clients. The companies dictate after they take the orders and it offers them full management. They will pause it or flip it off when they’re too busy.

“The best way it’s arrange, the restaurant may also be capable to take pre-orders on-line for the subsequent day or no matter.”

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