Refugees serve up ethnic cuisine delivery service

Eat Offbeat allows people to order home-style ethnic meals prepared and delivered by refugees who have resettled in New York.

The world is in the midst of a refugee crisis with displaced people forced to relocate across the world. As countries look to deal with the difficulties of taking in refugees, many of those in search of safety are bringing with them innovative business ideas. This is what happened with the food delivery service Eat Offbeat.

The New York-based company was founded by two immigrants who arrived in the city in 2013. The brother and sister business partners saw an opportunity to bring quality ethnic cooking to a new market. More than just being an ordinary takeaway service, Eat Offbeat is working with the International Rescue Committee, which rehouses refugees across the US. The delivery service brings meals in ready-to-heat containers to the door of customers.

Similar businesses and startup schemes designed to help refugees have started popping up around the world. In Finland, Startup Refugees is aiming to harness the business skills of refugees and help them set up new companies through offering funding and training. And in London, The Bike Project, set up by refugees provides fellow asylum seekers with bicycles and teaches them how to repair them.

How could other sectors harness the skills of refugees to help them settle in their new home?