The face of food is changing. Whilst Deliveroo and Uber eats are still popular amongst Manchester students, a new independent delivery company is making waves across the city. Foodstuff is pioneering this ethical business model. Partnering solely with ‘indie’ restaurants and paying its workers a living wage. A rolling banner on its website boasts that it has 100% emission free delivery: all riders use bikes, making the service both environmentally-conscious and a realistic job for students. Foodstuff currently operates in Manchester, Cambridge, Bristol, Bath and Oxford, so whilst it’s not worldwide yet, it’s certainly growing fast. Currently, the business has a 25% off offer for students with the code BACKTOUNI, so why not try today!
Where to eat:
Herbivorous Vegan: Vegan comfort food has never been so tasty. Cheesesteak sandwiches, loaded fries and moreish buffalo wings a plenty. Get yourself down to HATCH on Tuesdays for their £5 meal & drink deal if you can, or have it delivered straight to your door using Foodstuff.
Bondi Bowls: This place has the monopoly on bowls: rice, salad, soup, they’ve got it all. ‘Aussie inspired’, the bowls brim with veg and goodness. A tasty lunch option for students needing to stave off that Fresher’s flu with some healthy nutrients.
House of Habesha: Winter nights are drawing in, and what better way to fend off the cold than with a hot homemade stew from House of Habesha. With a wide selection of vegan and non-vegan East African dishes, this restaurant has something for everyone to try.
Comment from Foodstuff
“As passionate foodies, we knew there was a big problem in the industry, even before the pandemic struck. The takeaway industry was booming but we felt independents were unable to make the most of it. High fees, unrepresentable riders and low quality brands were the areas we wanted to start addressing.
We started to build the platform 20 months ago – nothing flash but something to get going with. We set out to ring-fence local independent eateries with proper foodies to make supporting local super easy. We believe one model can’t work for all and we’re proud to craft our product to serve solely the smaller guys in the industry.
If you’re looking for a cool flexible job that pays national living wage with loads of cool perks, hit us up to become a rider!”
Wondering what it’s like to be a rider? Meet Jazz and Celia, both UoM students, who work for Foodstuff:
How is Foodstuff as an employer?
Celia: They’re very empathetic and actually chat to you like an equal human being! We’ve had a few hiccups e.g. running out of phone charge on shift, but the company’s always reassuring and friendly. Their living wage system makes sure you get a decent pay for your work, as you get an hourly rate plus extra for any orders you deliver. I was ill last week. They told me ‘sorry you’re feeling crummy’ and let me leave work early- very understanding.
How do you find balancing work and life as a student?
Jazz: It’s very easy to fit in work around socialising and uni- as well as getting exercise in whilst on shift!
Celia: It’s a very flexible job- zero contracts are obviously not always great but they’re really handy for student jobs like this.
What’s the most eventful shift you’ve had?
Jazz: Probably the time I was in Piccadilly Gardens and had to help a boy who said he’d run away from his foster carers. I had to wait there until the police and social services came and tried to make sure that they helped him in the right way.
Downloading Foodstuff is a way of ensuring the people delivering your food have a fair living wage. It keeps fewer cars on the streets of Manchester. Finally, it supports independents in our city, passionate about the food they make.
