What makes Lunch Bunch unique is that their intensive support both on the work floor and in their employees' personal lives ensures a significantly lower relapse rate than average market solutions. Besides leading to greater job satisfaction for these individuals, this also contributes to the Municipality of Rotterdam's social responsibility. Finally, Lunch Bunch customers feel good about their order because they directly contribute to the social enterprise's mission of "Bread on the table for everyone."

Robin has personally experienced the challenges of being excluded from the job market. Having experienced his own challenges with mental health, he understands the loneliness and hopelessness that can accompany such struggles. What he remembers most from that dark period was the lack of support when he needed it most.

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His life's mission is therefore to ensure that as few people as possible have to experience what he went through. This personal commitment has grown into a healthy business model that combines delicious, environmentally friendly meals with meaningful employment. Robin's unconditional approach to supporting his team members reflects his belief that everyone is valuable and deserves a chance to use their talents.

Just when I thought I had nowhere left to turn, Lunch Bunch came into my life. After a period of rehabilitation, I'm now training to become a Personal Support Worker in Social Care, and at Lunch Bunch, I can help people who, just like me in the past, need help too.

— Nadia, she now coaches others in the workplace

The company's impact extends beyond its social mission. Lunch Bunch is also committed to sustainability by minimizing food waste, using sustainable packaging materials, and incorporating eco-friendly and local ingredients throughout all their operations. By the end of 2023, Lunch Bunch had production locations in Feijenoord and the iconic Van Nelle Factory, serving companies across Rotterdam. Despite this initial success, Robin realized that scaling the business would require additional strategic expertise and significant investment to maximize both business performance and social impact.

After attending a Generous Minds presentation at Bakkie Impact Rotterdam in March 2023, Robin was impressed by our integrated approach that combines expertise ("Minds") with access to investments ("Money"). He made a "mental note" that this was exactly the kind of partnership and DNA that would be a good fit for Lunch Bunch. In October 2023, he reached out to Generous Minds to take Lunch Bunch to the next level.

The collaboration began with Generous Minds' signature Covesment process—an intensive, comprehensive evaluation of the company from multiple perspectives. Led by Sabine Beuk, Petra Benes, and Jurek Hryniuk of Generous Minds, along with Robin and Sanne, a talented young employee from Lunch Bunch, every aspect of the organization was examined. We identified what was already going well, what could be improved, and made plans with several Minds who had the necessary expertise that Robin lacked in-house.

Robin described the Covestment process as intensive but incredibly valuable, as it provided Lunch Bunch with a framework to professionalize its operations. This kind of "valuable slowness" isn't something entrepreneurs build in often. But if you take the time, you'll discover how important it is to do it regularly.

The Covesment identified several key areas of focus:

• Financial Structure: Developing a robust financial model to support expansion, led by Rebecca Irvine of our partner Protiviti

• Legal Framework: Upgrading legal structures to manage risks while safeguarding the social mission, with guidance from Paul Passenier of our partner INC. Legal

• Impact measurement: Creating a Theory of Change to systematically track, monitor, and report on social outcomes, developed by Pablo Groglopo, Ronald Lewerissa, and Jurek Hryniuk. This process was supported by Sandra Schep of the Social Impact Fund. This model was simultaneously linked to the financial model

• Brand Positioning: Strengthening Lunch Bunch's market differentiation, led by Jeroen Slappendel

• Growth Strategy: Optimizing the go-to-market approach for scaling, with strategic input from Sabine Beuk

• Leadership Development: Training a COO to complement Robin's visionary leadership, supported by Jan Willem Elffers and Denise Krul of our partner Search4Better

• Digital Infrastructure: Building the Data-Driven Foundation Needed for Expansion, led by Fer Kitzen

Generous Minds assembled this multidisciplinary team of experts to address each area, giving Lunch Bunch access to specialized knowledge that would normally be out of reach for a social enterprise of this size. This collaboration made Lunch Bunch investor-ready, giving us the confidence to share Lunch Bunch with our Generous Money network. This quickly led to an introduction to the Social Impact Fund Rotterdam (SIF Rotterdam) in February 2024. SIF Rotterdam is a place-based impact investment fund that aims to achieve substantial improvements to the city's greatest societal challenges by investing in social entrepreneurship.

When Robin presented at SIF Rotterdam, the combination of his authentic personal story and the thoroughly prepared business case made an impression. Bart Meijs, the director of SIF Rotterdam, remarked that he had never encountered an entrepreneur who had performed due diligence on the fund manager's team. He found Lunch Bunch well-prepared and investor-ready. Robin presented his story so openly and personally that it brought tears to the eyes of the audience. A beautiful moment, one that reminded us all how special it is to collaborate with like-minded people for greater impact.

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What followed was a financing process characterized by transparency and equal coordination. All parties agreed to establish terms without the typical "room for negotiation" – resulting in fair terms that Robin immediately accepted. According to SIF Rotterdam, the negotiation process was quick and pleasant.

In November 2024, SIF Rotterdam made a Technical Assistance budget of €50,000 available for Lunch Bunch, allowing the key improvements identified during Covesment to be implemented.

Through SIF Rotterdam's network, the transition fund "Impactfonds Duurzame Voedselketen" (IFDV) was brought into the deal as a co-investor. IFDV invests in companies across the entire local food chain—from farms to processors, logistics, and retailers—that strengthen the connection between sustainable farmers and consumers in the Rotterdam–Delft–The Hague region, with the aim of creating a shorter, nature-inclusive chain with greater biodiversity and healthy local food. IFDV's involvement as an investor perfectly aligned with Lunch Bunch's impact strategy of providing sustainable products in addition to inclusive employment.

In March 2025, after 18 months of intensive collaboration, Lunch Bunch secured €565,000 in funding from SIF Rotterdam and IFDV, preparing the company for a significant expansion of both its business operations and its social impact. The funding request also includes other key areas of focus and corresponding Minds plans, allowing Robin and his team to immediately continue developing Lunch Bunch.

Robin on our collaboration: At Lunch Bunch, it's about more than just delicious catering—we want to contribute to connection, community, and a more sustainable world with every meal. Generous Minds helps us sharpen our focus on that mission and truly bring it to life. With their constructive questions and nice collaboration, they've helped us clearly see our impact—and how we can increase it. They're able to translate our ideas into a concrete approach that works and suits us. What makes Generous Minds special is that they truly stand by you as an entrepreneur and help you clarify your goals and make them achievable. Thanks to their support, we have a better understanding of where we want to go, how we'll get there, and we've found the necessary capital to realize our dream.

The investment has enabled Lunch Bunch to open two new locations: managing the canteen at the Van Nelle Factory and establishing a production facility at Hof van Charlois – previously a day activity center. These strategic expansions allow Lunch Bunch to create impact in some of Rotterdam's most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Looking ahead, Lunch Bunch plans to further expand throughout Rotterdam in 2025 while preparing to enter The Hague in 2026. With each new location, more employment and training opportunities will become available for people with anxiety and depression disorders and young adults from special education.

Generous Minds continues to play an active role, with the Minds involved completing their work. Hans van den Ende will remain a Mind at Lunch Bunch to maintain close coordination between Lunch Bunch, SIF Rotterdam, and IFDV, and to ensure the smooth implementation of the growth strategy. He will be supported by Allan Kamp, a fellow Mind. We are continuously assessing what Robin can best address himself, where we can leverage the network and expertise of SIF Rotterdam, and where we can leverage our own Minds. Together, we explore the best way to achieve Lunch Bunch's mission.

Lunch Bunch's story perfectly illustrates the power of Generous Minds' Integrated Capital approach in supporting social enterprises. By combining strategic expertise across disciplines with access to impact-focused capital, we help transform a promising local initiative into a scalable social enterprise, ready for regional growth. For Robin, the journey has strengthened his confidence in Lunch Bunch's professional growth as a company.

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We look forward to all the wonderful next steps that Robin and his team will take!