Nordic Startup News Early Stage Startup News From The Nordics
EatinCommon: a new social meal concept enhancing community spirit and promoting the creation of delicious food.
EatinCommon is a platform used to connect people who enjoy sharing their cooking expertise and meeting new people. A user can choose to either be a guest or a host. A host must plan a menu and create an event, specifying the date, price per seat and the number of guests. The event will visible to the EatinCommon network and one can select potential guests based on the information they share.
Metteliva Henningsen, a co-founder of EatinCommon, came up with the idea when she noticed a family that lived opposite her apartment hosting cross-generational dinner parties almost every night that seemed very cozy.
“It would be rather strange to go to my neighbours house uninvited, so I decided to create an app to unite open and like-minded food lovers to meet and enjoy a meal together”, she tells Nordic Startup Bits
In the past few years the ‘sharing economy’ concept has emerged as an alternative way of seeking services. Ordinary people are becoming part-time entrepreneurs by offering their homes, cars, and now cooking expertise to the world.
The business model is similar to that of Airbnb. Essentially the host decides all the details including the cost, guests must pay in advance through PayPal and EatinCommon charges a 15% service fee.
Whilst social media channels have been the most prevalent method used to grow EatinCommon’s network. The company also are exploring more alternative sources of marketing including collaborations with Royal Copenhagen and Ikea.
A priority focus for EatinCommon is improving the user experience. They are in open dialogue with users, and are committed to improving their customer service. A popular suggestion EatinCommon is implementing in the next month or so is a ‘bring-a-friend’ function. Furthermore the EatinCommon team is working on facilitating Christmas and New Years themed events. Later on the agenda are business and networking dinners, house concerts, storytelling evenings and board game nights.
