Everybody Eats, one of the country’s most innovative food rescue and food poverty organisations, has hired a new General Manager to guide and expand the restaurant-driven charity.
Ryan Flynn, the former CEO of Baseball New Zealand and the Founder and first General Manager of the professional baseball team, the Auckland Tuatara, has been hired to lead the award-winning charity as the nation and hospitality sector rebounds from 2+ years of Covid restrictions, according to Nick Loosely, who founded Everybody Eats in 2017.
“Ryan is the go getter and breath of fresh air our organisation needs at this critical juncture as we open up and expand to various other locations across New Zealand,” said Loosely, who has joined the Board of Directors during the handover to Flynn.
“Ryan’s track record of raising money and expanding organisations is a welcome addition to lead our talented team.”
Everybody Eats is a pay-as-you-feel dining concept for everyone. The organisation’s restaurants serve delicious, chef-prepared meals that feed bellies, not bins. Food waste, food poverty and socialisation of diners are central themes of the unique charity, where dignity is a cornerstone of the nonprofit.
Currently with locations in the Wellington CBD and Onehunga in Auckland, Everybody Eats has brought Flynn on board to guide a planned expansion of locations, Loosely said, adding that numerous community and public officials have requested an Everybody Eats in their region or suburb in all corners of the country, a development that has Flynn excited about expanding what he calls an important New Zealand organisation for many reasons.
“I couldn’t be happier and more humbled to take over for the Founder of such an innovative and vital series of restaurants that we operate,” said Flynn, who recently returned from overseas.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to help guide an organisation with such an innovative and important ethos that has already built up a world-class reputation through Nick’s vision, along with a talented staff and supportive board of directors.
“I’m more than motivated to do our part in addressing the major issues of food poverty, food waste and social isolation, issues all exacerbated by the global pandemic and inflationary rises in recent months and years.”
Flynn said the foundation for Everybody Eats has already been built and now it’s time to expand to help more Kiwis across the country in various ways.
The team at Everybody Eats has got it down to a fine art; a $5 donation can fund one 3-course meal for a vulnerable Kiwi.
They aim to be part of solving three huge problems we have in NZ: food waste, food poverty, and social isolation. Everybody Eats is not a soup kitchen; they provide their diners with beautifully plated meals served at shared tables, which encourages them to interact with Everybody Eats volunteers and other diners in a dignified, safe and stigma-free environment.
Since starting at the end of 2017, they have diverted over 75 tonnes of food from landfill, engaged over 4,500 volunteers and have served over 95,000 individual 3-course meals.
If you’d like more information, to donate or register to volunteer head to: everybodyeats.nz
