Eat Well MCR
Set up by acclaimed chef Mary-Ellen Tague, Eat Well MCR is a charitable collective formed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Comprised of volunteers and hospitality professionals, Eat Well MCR has – as of November 2020 – prepared and delivered over 24,000 meals to people in need of some nutritious culinary comfort.
The Challenge
Eat Well MCR needed to formally secure its future, and it needed a strong revenue stream that would allow it to continue its unique and vital work without relying on grants and donations.
My response
Mary-Ellen Tague invited me to become a member of the Eat Well MCR board, and to take charge of the collective’s marketing strategy. Our first major fundraising push consisted of a live-streamed online auction. Supported and cross-promoted by local celebrities, it raised £75,000, allowing to us to bolster our foundations and widen our ambitions.
Eat Well MCR was formalised as a community-interest company. In order to make it self-sustaining, we devised Eat Well MCR Marketplace, an online store for people passionate about quality food from independent traders and suppliers.
This model allows us to work directly with local restaurants, farmers and producers, supporting these businesses while creating a revenue stream to plough straight back into Eat Well MCR.
The results
Eat Well MCR has delivered over 30,000 meals to vulnerable people between April 2020 and January 2021.
Within a month of launching Eat Well MCR Marketplace, the store had more than 1,400 sign-ups, with an average email click through rate of 8% compared with an industry benchmark of 2.4%.
We’ve had national press coverage and a growing highly engaged following of 6,800 in January 2021 across our social-media channels.
Strategic.
Strategic, sustainable change borne of creative thinking and real insights. The kind of change that requires a fresh perspective on your business.
Sustainable.
I’m not about one flashy campaign to live or die by. That’s not my area of expertise. I’m about strategic plans that are realistic, based on your budget and resources, so that my impact on your business is sustainable.
Successful.
That’s what it’s all about after all, making a positive impact and getting a return on your investment. That’s what I’m here for, what I’m invested in, making your business the success it deserves to be.