No Biggie: a delicious way to support Canberra’s hospo scene

Posted on 4 April, 2020

The lights may be out in many of Canberra’s hospo kitchens—but in some, things are just getting started.

While tables may sit empty, the kitchens of many of Canberra’s most beloved hospitality venues still bustle with energy. Their purpose? To feed Canberrans in their time of need—and Canberra’s hospitality industry in the process.

As eateries across Canberra shuttered in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions, hospitality workers came together. What to do? They ultimately decided that the biggest crisis Canberra’s hospitality scene has ever faced was, well, no biggie.

This is the tongue-in-cheek name given to a new collaborative venture by some of Canberra’s biggest names in hospitality.

Simply put, No Biggie is ready-to-eat meals created by venues you know and love, which are no longer able to operate as normal. In their kitchens—with social-distancing rules firmly in check—a new type of chef’s special is being created.

“No Biggie was created in a quick-thinking response to industry crisis,” explains Phil Trenbath, Partner at The Mark Agency, which has created No Biggie.

“This model is about essential meals and simple survival tactic for venues. No Biggie was designed as a lifeline for hospitality and a support network for the community seeking a way to care for their favourite venues, as well as providing ready-to-eat meals in a time of supermarket chaos.”

“By providing fresh, local and long-lasting items, No Biggie encourages you as a member of the community to support your local venue with the ability to create jobs, great food and ultimately keep businesses running.”

No Biggie’s business model is simple:

1. Customers place an order for a five-pack ($50 ex GST) or 10-pack of meals ($100 ex GST) by midnight each Sunday.
2. The menu is standardised across all venues and changes weekly.
3. We provide venues with a confirmed order list by Monday @ 9 am so they can get exact stock (no waste).
4. Customers collect their meals on Wednesdays between 3 and 8 pm.

With 10 venue partners now on-board including Assembly, The Duxton and Walt & Burley, the benefits of No Biggie speak for themselves—a lifeline for Canberra’s hospitality scene and healthy, delicious meals for Canberrans who get to avoid supermarket madness.

“This crisis is having a devastated impact on the hospitality industry—the vital cash flow from food sales has dried up, and workers are being stood down as a consequence,” says Anthony Brierly, General Manager of the Australian Hotels Association Canberra.

“This wonderful initiative is a new revenue opportunity for our members to help them keep staff employed and fulfils an important societal needs for Canberrans during this time of distress.”

What’s more, No Biggie has become a Community Partner of OzHarvest and has been brought on to support the Canberra Relief Network.

“We are all about giving back in one way or another and now our meals support an even wider network,” says Phil.

In addition to this wholesome news, next week No Biggie is launching Gift Meals to the Canberra Relief Network. This means you can help support Canberra’s most vulnerable by sending them No Biggie Meals.

So come on, Canberra. Delicious, fresh meals by your favourite venues that support our beloved hospitality industry? Sounds like a win-win to us.

Order your meals now at www.nobiggie.co.

This editorial was created in partnership with No Biggie. For more information on sponsored editorials, click here.