IXL Social Enterprise Case Studies Food Security January 2013 | Page 22

Food Security in Urban Slums by 2018 Apply local know-how Lacking knowledge on local perspectives can be a problem. Beyond understanding local needs and behaviors, though, local people should also be engaged. They are on the ground and understand their neighborhood issues much better than outsiders. Often, because they are a part of the community, local people can create better solutions and innovations stemming from their own needs. “What we are trying to do is to create a social business in Bangladesh, a joint venture to create restaurants for common people. Good, healthy food at affordable prices so that people don’t have to opt for food that is unhealthy and unhygienic.” Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Founder, Grameen Bank & Nobel Laureate Starbucks is known for creating a coffee drinking experience but has had difficulty penetrating the Chinese market. To reach more customers, the company’s management team in China has decided to cater to local tastes and culture by introducing new Chinese-inspired flavors such as red bean Frappuccinos and Hainan chicken and rice wraps as well as building larger and more comfortable coffee shops decorated by local graffiti artists.80 Trying New Business Models on Food Carts Go beyond the traditional business model In Jakarta, Indonesia, Mercy Corps, a development agency, is trying to educate mothers about health and nutrition. However, even knowing what the right types food to eat, mothers continue to feed their children the same diet high in sugar and fat and severely lacking in the right nutrients. The reason: no kitch [