Philadelphia Tribune: Philadelphia-based Black and Mobile delivery service expands to new markets
David Cabello, co-founder and CEO of Black and Mobile, has expanded his food delivery service into new markets.
The service, which exclusively delivers for Black-owned restaurants, is now serving New York City and Los Angeles eateries.
“I feel like in business you always want to grow and expand and my mentality is we need as many Black-owned restaurants on our platform as possible,” Cabello said.
“We want to put Black-owned restaurants on the map. What I’ve noticed is that regardless of age, regardless of race most people can’t name over 10 Black-owned restaurants.”
“I feel like the more restaurants we can bring money to, the more restaurants we can help and that is our goal,” said Cabello who launched Black and Mobile in 2019.
“Our goal is to go to every city around the country. We really just need that marketing push. We are just trying to get our name out there.”
The platform is serving about 90 restaurants around the nation. Some of the latest restaurants to join the Black and Mobile include Cuzin Duzin, Sofia Grace and Cookies, The Nourish Spot, Silver Chicken and Seafood in New York and the Original Taco Pete, Sky’s Gourmet Tacos, JR’s BBQ, Fresh & Meaty Burgers (Carson and LA locations), Vegan AF, Jackfruit Cafe and Smakk’d Refreshers in Los Angeles.
“Working with BAM is so spot on with Hott Chixx Wings and my personal mission to create economic community with businesses in marginalized and underestimated groups,” Fostoria Dumas, owner of Hot Chixx in Atlanta said in a news release.
“David’s personal commitment to providing first class service feeds my personal commitment to producing first class food products. We are iron sharpening iron. Together we change the Black business landscape in America.”
Cabello says gaining the trust of restaurant owners is the most difficult aspect of branching into a new marketplace.
“I think the most challenging part of expanding is people knowing about you and trusting you,” said Cabello, who was previously a food delivery driver for Uber Eats, Postmates and DoorDash.
“For example, everyone is used to all these other services that exist. I go to these restaurants and they don’t know me. I have to have everything that it took all the other guys years to perfect. We have to prove ourselves. I feel like that’s the hardest thing for the restaurant side.”
“Now on consumer side and for drivers, I don’t feel like it’s that hard to find people who want to support what we are doing because people love the fact that we are supporting Black-owned restaurants,” he continued.
This latest expansion comes on the heels of the company relaunching service in existing markets of Atlanta, Baltimore and Philadelphia in partnership with Pepsi Dig In.
Pepsi Dig In is a multi-year platform that is both call for people to double down on supporting Black-owned restaurants, as well as an invitation for Black restaurateurs to tap into a variety of resources, mentorship and training made possible by PepsiCo.
“Pepsi is coming in and helping us to grow and really survive some of the blows that we took as a business,” Cabello said. “I’m grateful for that.”
Due to technology issues, the Black and Mobile platform was shut down from December through Feb. 1. Tech issues adversely impacted the platform causing a loss in revenue.
“That’s what hurt us the most last year,” Cabello stated. “I feel like we always had people who knew us and supported us and wanted to try it but when they try it and it doesn’t work that is the quickest way to lose customers.”
Now he’s encouraging former customers to give the app a try again since the service has been revamped.
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