As workplaces in Massachusetts and elsewhere reopen—in fact, Gov. Charlie Baker just announced that offices will be able to fill up to 50 percent of their maximum capacity on Monday—ezCater is finding ways to reach employees again.
This week, ezCater debuted "Relish by ezCater," billing it as a "Covid-smart" solution for employees and their guests. Relish offers a menu of individually packaged meals from local restaurants. Once ordered, those meals arrive in a single delivery at a designated place and time to reduce potential contact points between individuals.
"Workplace priorities have shifted," Stefania Mallett, ezCater's co-founder and CEO, said in a statement emailed to BostInno. "Providing food for work is now much more than a perk. We designed Relish because it's Covid-smart. It gives employees safe access to great food without leaving work to get it."
The Covid-19 pandemic has not been kind to the corporate catering startup. In April, ezCater laid off more than 400 employees, citing a major disruption to the core of its business model: "we're a company that feeds meetings, and meetings are not happening much right now," the company told BostInno at the time.
It remains to be seen how many of ezCater's corporate customers will start using Relish. Although offices are allowed to reopen, many companies, especially those in the tech industry, are keeping their remote-work policies in place until the fall or the end of the year.
At least one client will begin using Relish as soon as possible. ZoomInfo, the SaaS company with an office in Waltham, plans to take advantage of the service as it invites more employees back into the space.
"With Relish’s delivery options, our employees can order and enjoy food from restaurants they love without leaving the building," ZoomInfo chief human resources officer Alyssa Lahar said in the statement.
