The Sunday Magazine

A new platform created in Montreal takes a different approach to food delivery

With restaurant dining off-limits during the pandemic, there couldn't be a better time to launch a food delivery app. And a new Montreal venture is doing just that. Here's Amanda Klang's documentary, "A New Entrée."

Radish wants to upend the business model of food delivery giants

Mansib Rahman, co-founder of Radish. (Alexandre Joyce)
Qudsia Saadat, co-founder in charge of marketing for Radish, getting ready to make the first deliveries, March 2020. (Mansib Rahman)

In a way, there couldn't be a better time to launch this kind of operation: a restaurant delivery service that works through an app on your smartphone.

Of course, there are lots of them already. And with restaurant dining off-limits during the pandemic, they're doing a booming business. Despite that, Foodora announced this week that it's pulling out of the Canadian market — many say to avoid a union drive.

So think Uber Eats. Or Skip the Dishes.

And then think again.

Radish — a play on Rad Dish — is a new Montreal venture that wants to upend the business model of the giants in the field.

In 2019, Canadians spent $1.5  billion on food delivery. The companies charge hefty commissions from restaurants.

Radish wants to be different. It's a co-op — the brainchild of co-founder and CEO Mansib Rahman. 

He's a tech guy and self-taught computer programmer, and the struggles of the restaurant industry are in his blood. 

Here's Amanda Klang's documentary, A New Entrée.

Click 'listen' above to hear the documentary.

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