Uber Eats launches Black Business Fund for third year

Uber Eats has launched a £250,000 grant for Black-owned restaurants across the UK under the Uber Eats Black Business Fund.

Since the award scheme started in 2021, businesses have received a share of the £300,000 fund, which has been organised in collaboration with Enterprise Nation.

This year, 25 Black-owned restaurants – over half of which will be based outside of London – will receive £10,000.

Black-owned restaurants with fewer than five sites are able to apply for the fund.

Rachel Olatoke (pictured), who runs Harvest Afro Caribbean in Windsor and is a previous winner of a Black Business Fund grant, said: “I started my restaurant almost as a form of activism – there isn’t much diversity in Windsor so during lockdown we decided to change that and bring African and Caribbean cuisine to the high street.

“We’re a fusion restaurant so we have two signature dishes, Jerk Chicken on the Caribbean side and Egusi on the African side. We used cash from the Black Business Fund to upgrade our equipment and expand our buffet service – we’re really excited for the future and are always thinking about what the next thing could be. I’d definitely recommend other restaurants to apply for the fund.”

Previous winners have used the investment to upgrade equipment and train new staff, according to Matthew Price, general manager at Uber Eats UK & Ireland.

Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, said: “I am pleased to see the return of the Black Business Fund for a third year. Uber Eats are continuing to leverage insights to drive action by ongoingly investing in Black Businesses in hospitality.

"My hope is that recipients thrive, due to the assistance of the fund, despite the continual barriers faced.”