Partner Article

Sunderland firm to crowdfund takeaway comparison venture

A Sunderland digital marketing company has launched an ambitious crowd funding campaign to roll out their innovative takeaway price comparison website across the UK.

Takeaways Online, the company behind the online ordering and takeaway comparison website Fast Eat are launching a Crowd Cube campaign to raise £200k to help them roll out the service to takeaway fans nationally.

After identifying a gap in the current fast food market the company has developed a full comparison website giving customers the power to compare prices, access meal deals, find information on takeaway establishment’s official government health and safety standards and view reviews from other sites, giving them the information they need to make the best choice when ordering their meals.

The website already boasts prices, deals and ratings of over 2700 registered takeaways across the North East and Scotland.

The funds raised through the Crowd Cube campaign will be used to launch the service nationally, allowing more takeaway fans to find the best deals from the highest quality takeaways in their area.

Director Kevin Jager said: “Fast Eat is the UK’s first and only takeaway and fast food price and quality comparison site working for the customer not the takeaway.

“The website is a dynamic meal deal machine giving visitors the tools and features to enable them to make the best choices and get the best deals.

“With other sites you have to click on every individual takeaway’s profile to see what offers and meal deals are available, with Fast Eat you can compare offers instantly, with the added benefit of knowing what cleanliness rating the establishment preparing your food has achieved.

“It really is the first comparison site putting the consumer not the business first. We are currently adding over 1000 new takeaways and franchises a month and the funding raised via crowd cube will allow us to rollout this unique service across the entire UK by June 2015.”

Takeaways Online was founded in 2012 by Kevin and business partner Paul Boulton providing takeaways and restaurant owners in the North East a one-stop-shop to list and market their business.

The company, currently based at the North East Business and Innovation Centre at Sunderland’s Enterprise Park East, noticed that customers using online takeaway services were often missing out on meal deals and offers because they were not able to access information easily and decided to plug the gap with a new service aimed at consumers rather than retailers.

Takeaways Online are hoping to raise the £200,000 needed to roll out Fast Eat by January.

In return for their investment, as well as a 15% equity share of whatever they invest, contributors will also be rewarded with exclusive discount codes giving takeaway fans the opportunity to make back their investment through savings on their favourite meals.

Kevin said: “The UK takeaway market is a £30 billion a year industry that is not only growing but it is changing. Consumers are looking for more choice and better quality when it comes to ordering food. That is where Fast Eat differs from current competitors and why we are confident investors will see the potential in this new service.

“Investors are predicted to see a 20 per cent return within year one and a 200 per cent return in year two as we continue to grow the site nationally and add new features to make the customer experience as simple as possible.

“We are already the only online takeaway comparison site to include all delivery and credit card charges upfront and offer payment by PayPal and we will add options such as Apple iPay and eventually Bitcoin as these new methods of payment are adopted.

“We also have the advantage of being a digital business with typically low overheads which means the majority of earnings will be net profits and going straight back to investors.”

The Fast East Crowd Cube campaign is live will be open until 25th January. For more information visit www.crowdcube.com/investment/takeaways-online-16991

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Amy Watson .