Three hundred free burritos were up for grabs at Zambrero in Richmond during the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy, celebrating the company’s donation of 100 million meals to hungry people around the world.
Co-owner Courtney Hall says the milestone is part of the international company’s Plate 4 Plate partnership which has been running for the past 20 years. When burritos and bowls are purchased, a meal is donated to someone in need.
Zambrero now has around 350 stores worldwide, which have collectively donated more than 100 million meals.
“It’s a lovely concept,” Courtney says. “The Plate 4 Plate is awesome. When I make a meal I know there’s another meal going out to someone who needs it, and not every workplace can say that.”
Donated meals of lentils, rice, vitamins and beans go to developing countries and Courtney says her goal is to one day help pack those meals.
“Once a year, they have a giant packing day and pack thousands of meals.”
She has owned the Richmond franchise for a couple of years, and five months ago took on her new restaurant manager Hayden Jefcoate when she was due to have her baby.
“The week he started, I went into labour. I’ve been dependent on him from his first week. He’d just got back from training in Australia, and I said ‘as long as you can roll a burrito and do the till, all the other training can wait a few days’. Nothing like being thrown in the deep end!”
