A local non-profit has expanded into the food service industry.
Burnaby Family Life, an organization that provides social services to children, families and vulnerable immigrants and refugees, now offers catering out of its new BCIT café.
The non-profit began operating the café in the school’s applied research and innovation building last September. (The shop was previously run by Chartwells, with BCIT now offering the space free of charge to Burnaby Family Life.)
The idea is to make the café into a social enterprise venture, according to executive director Michel Pouliot, with all proceeds re-invested back into the non-profit.
Pouliot believes catering to Burnaby’s business community is one way to do that.
“We’re not really equipped to do big weddings and those kinds of things,” he said with a laugh. “It’s more lunch and dinner meetings, breakfast meetings as well.”
Pouliot pointed to a Christmas luncheon the café catered for the Knowledge Network last month.
“Probably the sweet spot for us is 20 to 60 people,” he said.
So what’s on the menu? Everything from green chickpea salad and mac and cheese to creamy pesto chicken.
As for pricing, Pouliot said Burnaby Family Life won’t be charging less than its competitors. Platters range from $25 to $160.
“We can’t do it cheaper than anyone else. ... We have to make sure we pay our staff. We can’t run a social enterprise café and lose money year after year because then it’s not just sustainable.”
Besides catering and feeding the building’s tenants, the café also provides employment to some of its most vulnerable clients. (Two staff members are newcomers who have been helped by Burnaby Family Life’s moving ahead program.)
Pouliot noted meal preparation for the organization’s pregnancy outreach program, which provides meals to participants three times a week, has also moved to the café.
It appears Burnaby Family Life is in it for the long haul when it comes to staying in the food biz.
“It’s not a pop-up thing. We have a great partnership with BCIT. They’re excited to have us there; they like what they see,” said Pouliot. “As long as it’s financially doable and people are happy with the food and keep buying it, then our plan is to keep doing it.”
The café, open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, is located at 4355 Mathissi Pl. For more, visit bflcafe.com, call 778-231-8227 or email [email protected].
