Firm has a taste for helping good causes
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Chris Mather wants to take a bite out of the food delivery market, with a fairer deal for local businesses and spin-off benefits for local charities.
The businessman, who also runs a bespoke travel company, has set up Inverness Eats, which is pitched as a direct competitor to big name takeaway and food delivery platforms such as Just Eat.
Designed to offer a more affordable alternative to local business, Mr Mather also wants to ensure Inverness Eats gives back to the wider community with customers knowing that every time they make an order a local good cause will benefit.
Unlike its national equivalent which charges restaurants and takeaways between 15 and 30 per cent plus VAT per order, Mr Mather wants to offer a more affordable alternative.
“We charge 7.5 per cent because we want to give back as much money as possible to the local business owner,” he said.
“We want to save the business owner money by giving them the smallest fee that we can manage and from that fee we will reinvest back into their business by doing their advertising and their marketing so that the business owner wins two-fold.”
Mr Mather also intends to give up to 50 per cent of profits to local community groups and charities, with mental health support charity Mikeysline and the RNLI Loch Ness and North Kessock stations the first recipients.
“There is a feel-good aspect for customers because you are supporting a local business, but also because you know some of that money is going to a charitable cause,” Mr Mather said.
“We are supporting local charities so the money spent in Inverness is being spent back on Inverness and back into the Highlands, so that everybody wins because when everyone is winning, everyone is happy.”
During lockdown, an affordable food delivery option can be even more important, Mr Mather added.
“This gives restaurants a platform where they can offer deliveries and we can do all the marketing for them. All they need to do is keep creating amazing food,” he said.
A number of local businesses have already signed up to the web platform, invernesseats.co.uk, and app. As well as restaurants and takeaways including Ness Mahal and Black Isle Smoke Pit, they include craft baker Baked by Jen and sweet shop Nessie Treats.
“We want to support all
local businesses so if you have something that can be delivered or collected, you can be featured,” Mr Mather added.
“We are trying to make this platform as big as possible and once we have done that, everyone will be using it because it ticks a lot of boxes. It gives people the food they want fast and it gives something back.”
