Diversity in Adversity

The University of Winnipeg based Diversity Food Services is an anomaly in the food service industry landscape. As a social enterprise, Diversity is structured like a for-profit business but its primary objective is to benefit the community through delivering food in ethically and environmentally conscious ways. As Diversity Chef Darwin Gaspar and Chief Operating Officer Ian Vickers can attest to, running a social enterprise can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, the on-going uncertainty and economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Diversity and other food service providers to pivot to other service models or risk closing.