A Manchester health food eatery has announced it will be helping to feed the region’s most vulnerable through meal donations.
KBK – based in Ancoats – is planning to donate 3,000 children’s meals to food poverty relief charity and foodbank provider FareShare GM, which will be distributed over these next two weeks and during February half term to families in need across Greater Manchester.
The first 500 meals will be dropped off this Saturday to FareShare GM’s HQ in New Smithfield Market, and the delivery will include dishes such as Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti, and Chicken Tikka with Basmati Rice.
The popular brand and restaurant – which specialises in health food, and also provides meal prep, and juice and soup cleanse services from its Great Ancoats street site – has made the decision decided to lend a hand following “a turbulent few weeks in parliament”, with various U-turns from the government around feeding children both in and out of school.
KBK said it is “more important than ever for us to look after each other and offer the support we can to families who are struggling during this time”.
The restaurant took to social media last week to seek out a charity to partner with.
“We’ve seen the news this week and we want to do our bit to help,” KBK said, “if you know of a charity who we can contact, please [let us know].”
After deliberating upon the best charity to provide the donations to, KBK decided that the Marcus Rashford-endorsed charity FareShare – which has been operating for over 25 years – would be the most suitable, as the initiative has been working around the clock and around the nation to distribute food to families who need it most.
As many Mancunians will know, Wythenshawe-born Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford has been working with the charity since 2020.
He has so far raised enough money to enable FareShare to distribute 12.3 million meals to UK families.
“Given what has taken place this year, FareShare seemed the perfect organisation [for us] to get behind.” KBK admitted.
Speaking more on the decision to make the meal donations, James Anderson – Operations Director at KBK- said: “We feel incredibly fortunate that we are in a position to contribute, in even a small way, to supporting Manchester’s families during what is a very difficult time.
“No child should go hungry and it is our job as a community to ensure this does not happen.”
KBK
KBK has been operating in Manchester for over 5 years now, and having started out with just one store in Ancoats, the business has grown with the city and the team has said they can think of no better time than now to show its appreciation to the people of the community.
Hotel Chocolat to open viral chocolate Velvetiser Cafe in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Hotel Chocolat is set to open a Velvetiser Cafe in Manchester city centre, and it’ll be absolute paradise for chocolate lovers.
The popular chocolate shop, which has stores across the UK selling delicious chocolate bars, boxes and more, is now preparing to branch out in town.
Hotel Chocolat then hit a new level of fame with its Velvetiser, an invention that creates velvety smooth hot drinks at the touch of a button.
They’ve been so popular, Hotel Chocolat is now opening Velvetiser Cafes across the UK – and Manchester is up next.
If it follows in the footsteps of the Meadowhall cafe in Sheffield, visitors will be able to customise their perfect hot chocolate from thousands of combinations.
There are 18 flavours, different milks, and a whole variety of toppings available.
Then you drink can be served hot, over ice, or as a choc shake.
Colourful hoardings for the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe have now appeared on Cross Street, just next door to the new Joe & The Juice.
A planning application has also been lodged with Manchester City Council.
Drake-backed fried chicken brand Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The huge LA-based fried chicken brand backed by Drake is heading to Manchester for the very first time this summer.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open in the Printworks this August – the first UK branch outside of London and Birmingham.
The cult chicken brand has said that its new venue will feature an ‘industrial design inspired by Manchester’s rave scene’ (if we had a pound every time a new venue used that design style, we’d be as rich as Drake…).
Dave’s Hot Chicken is famed for its signature Nashville-style hot chicken, which is served in seven different spice levels from No Spice to Reaper.
Expect sliders, tenders, ‘next-level’ top-loaded shakes and slushes.
It’s grown so quickly that in 2021, it caught the eye of none other than rapper Drake, who is a ‘significant investor’ in the brand.
The fried chicken spot will be moving into the large corner unit at Printworks, which has previously been Busaba Thai, and Floripa, with 139 covers.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is coming to Manchester
Inside, it will feature towering ceilings, exposed steelwork, and laser lights, claiming to be a ‘full-on sensory trip, where music, light and fried chicken will come together to create a high-voltage experience’.
There will also be custom graffiti inspired by L.A.-based street artists Splatterhaus and Dehm.
Dave’s Hot Chicken still has hour-long queues down in London, several months after opening on Shaftesbury Avenue – next up will be a Birmingham branch in July before Manchester opens later this summer.
And this is just the start of a nationwide expansion.
Jim Attwood, Managing Director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “Printworks Manchester is the ideal setting for our next UK site – right at the heart of one of the country’s most exciting cities.
“The new restaurant pays homage to Manchester’s legendary warehouse rave scene, with an industrial-inspired design and bold, high-energy atmosphere to match our signature flavours.
“We can’t wait to bring something fresh to this iconic venue and its vibrant mix of entertainment, food and culture.”
Dave’s Hot Chicken will open at Printworks Manchester on 8 August.
Emily Sergeant -
21st January 2021 
