It’s commonplace in Australia to know someone who has a dietary requirement: be it an allergy, intolerance, or a preference. In fact, Australia has been called the food allergy capital of the world, with Melbourne in particular leading the way. But, largely, these people aren’t catered for in much of the hospitality sector. And even if they are, customers often risk cross-contamination from other foods in kitchens which can lead to sickness and, in extreme cases, death. It’s for this
for this reason that Foodini was born – a new app that matches customers with restaurants that meet their specific needs.
Customers are able to build a personalised profile of their dietary requirements on the app – there are 30 to choose from. From there, Foodini will reveal the restaurants that cater to them, including the specific dishes on the menu. So far, nearly 100 Sydney-based businesses have signed on.
A team of Foodini’s dieticians reviews the menu of each of the restaurants and interviews the chefs to make sure they are suitable before they can be listed on the app.
While the business only launched around 10 months ago, it’s already looking at a major expansion. Currently, Foodini operates in Greater Sydney, but seeks to launch in Melbourne in March, and in Brisbane and Adelaide by the end of the year.
Founder Dylan McDonnell also sees opportunities to partner with reservation and delivery businesses to broaden the opportunities Foodini can take on.
“The information we have is very accurate, and that is very important to us because, in this community, trust and confidence is key,” McDonnell told Inside Retail.
“Having each menu dietician-reviewed not only provides that confidence, but drives new customers to these restaurants.”
Customers can also use the Foodini app to check the specific ingredients of each of the dishes from the restaurants.
“Having had to plague so many staff, managers and chefs [with questions] throughout my life, I know all too well that it’s just a time waster for the restaurant,” said McDonnell.
Walking a tightrope
Despite the fact that Australia is considered to have a proportionately high number of people with dietary needs, McDonnell said the food industry isn’t taking the situation seriously.
“A lot of restaurants forget about the fact that if someone flags an allergy, and the restaurant makes a mistake, they’re liable,” McDonnell said.
“Knowing that risk, it’s surprising that there is such a lack of awareness and understanding. Waiters roll their eyes at people who flag their requirements – which may very well be fatal – and ask if they really have an allergy or if they’re just posturing.
“It happens everyday, and it happens everywhere.”
The issue, according to McDonnell, is a lack of understanding and education. 2020 saw the release of a parliamentary inquiry into the state of allergies and anaphylaxis in Australia, which described the country as walking an “allergy tightrope”.
“Over four million Australians live with allergies, and for many, it is a tightrope to walk every day,” wrote inquiry chair Trent Zimmerman.
“As there is essentially no cure for allergies, it has become a significant public health issue – highlighted by the long waiting lists for patients to see allergy specialists throughout Australia.”
The inquiry found that, in general, Australia’s approach to such allergies is lacking, and recommended that the Australian Government establish a National Centre for Allergies and Anaphylaxis and create a standardised approach to allergy management across the country.