McCain Foodservice invests £46,000 in street food start-ups

McCain Foodservice Solutions (McCain FS) has invested a further £46,000 to support disadvantaged individuals hoping to break into the street food market sector.

The McCain FS Streets Ahead programme was launched in 2022 in partnership with Kerb+, the social enterprise arm of London-based street food organisation Kerb, with the aim of encouraging a more diverse pool of applicants to consider a career in foodservice.

Over the past 18 months, more than 200 people have participated in the upskilling programme, with 12 businesses successfully receiving a portion of the £100,000 grant last summer, as well as training opportunities under Kerb+.

Four teams were subsequently enrolled on Kerb’s Inkerbator programme and now serve at Kerb’s central London markets.

This year, the judges at Mission Kitchen in London’s Covent Garden were impressed by all seven participants, which resulted in each team receiving up to £10,000 to help fund their business.

The winning concepts included homestyle Bengali cuisine, vegetarian Nigerian street food, gourmet mac and cheese, Iranian charcoal-smoked potatoes, ‘BolTaiFan’ Chinese clay pot rice, Welsh tacos and traditional vegan and vegetarian Lebanese cuisine.

Two teams received the maximum investment of £10,000, while the remaining five businesses secured between £2,000 and £6,000, taking the total additional investment from McCain FS to £46,000.

Mark Hodge, vice-president of marketing at McCain Foods, said: “The exceptional food innovation I’ve seen on display at Mission Kitchen makes everyone at McCain proud to push forward with more plans to further develop and support these people on their journey to become successful foodservice operators.”

Stella James, a successful Streets Ahead participant, said: “I was so excited when I arrived. Cooking brings me joy. It makes me truly happy to recreate all the dishes my mother taught me to make. I remember her through this. I just want to spread that joy. Streets Ahead guided me here. The support has meant everything.”

McCain FS are due to host another event at Mission Kitchen in June that is open to those seeking entry into the street food market sector.

McCain was founded in Canada in 1957 and has since become the UK’s largest purchaser of British potatoes.