By Kenny Mei
Mealshare is an organization with a mission to end youth hunger. Although it is a relatively new company – launched in the spring of 2013 and currently consisting of 17 team members – the founders Bryant and Hall were inspired by the Western world’s tendency to eat out all the time. In Canada, they report that 9 million citizens eat out while there are 1 million youth still struggling from food insecurity. 15 years ago, 1 out of 3 kids were malnourished, but Mealshare is moving in the right direction because it is now 1 in 4 kids. So far, they have served 2,353,907 meals to date.
Mealshare’s BOGO Business Model
So how does Mealshare work? First, they find a partner restaurant in an area – some restaurants may include Stella’s, Me-n-Ed’s Pizza Parlor, Original Joe’s, etc. Restaurants can choose how many items and which items on their menu will be marketed with the Mealshare capability. When one of the items is ordered an additional simple and nutritional meal is given to a food insecure child, following the buy one give one model. Additionally, each restaurant donates $1 for each Mealshare their customer has purchased, helping to fund nutritional programs globally.
