Waste food catering business to launch in Manchester

18 July 2018 by
Waste food catering business to launch in Manchester

Nonprofit social enterprise Real Junk Food Manchester (RJFM) is launching a waste food catering company.

RJFM opened a pay-what-you-feel restaurant on Manchester's Oxford Street in September 2017 sourcing food from supermarkets, wholesalers, and other businesses. The restaurant was a not for profit, funded by a £20,000 crowdfunding campaign.

This September, the group will start using waste food to provide catering services to individuals and organisations from a commercial kitchen, including buffets, canapés and hot meals. The project will also supply meals to vulnerable people across the city through partnerships with local charities and public sector groups.

The current restaurant is set to close at the end of August with the intention of reopening elsewhere in the city, with further details yet to be confirmed. The group confirmed that all equipment, furniture and decorations that were bought with the proceeds of the crowdfunding campaign will be moved to the new site.

Founder and director Corin Bell said: "We've been astounded by the welcome that we've received locally. What we want to do now is take everything we've learned and do more."

The move is also hoped to offer more structured and significant volunteering and back to work support.

Project director Chris Haydon added: "The volunteering opportunities we've been able to offer at the restaurant are social and engaging, and we've loved working with a huge range of people, but we feel like we can do more… we're in a position to offer people who have become marginalised more structured and significant opportunities to learn, train and work in hospitality."

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