Kerry and DaVinci Gourmet Flavour Genius Academy have partnered with Evolvin’ Women, a company signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, to help unemployed women from urban areas and less-privileged economic backgrounds in Africa acquire relevant industry skills and knowledge to be able to secure jobs in the hospitality sector in the UAE.
With this valuable international experience, the program empowers individuals to then return to their home countries and support their local economies and communities.
Kerry’s team will run an intensive training course throughout March and April in DaVinci Gourmet Flavour Genius Academy. The objective is for the participants to be certified as “Flavour Geniuses” with basic Barista and Mixologist skills. We will also select nine candidates for a further six months of coaching with Kerry volunteers on managerial and leadership skills to support the participants’ career goals. 18 ladies have signed up for this course.
The initiative kickstarted on March 8, with a launch event hosting the founder of Evolvin’ Women Assia Riccio, the program director Greer MacLean, three ladies who would be a part of the course, and multiple partners who would consider job placements for the young women after the course. Among those were Starbucks, Costa, Caribou, McDonalds, ICCA (International Centre of Culinary Arts), and Nightjar Coffee Roasters.
A Mystery Drink competition took place where five volunteers, including Gamu Beremauro, Evolvin’ Women program coordinator, Aliane Uwamahoro, the course participant, and the beverage experts from Starbucks, Nightjar, and Kerry, picked two DaVinci Gourmet products and within five minutes created a drink with a story. This exercise was to show the course participants what they would be able to achieve at the end of the beverage training – gained knowledge, skills, and confidence.
At the end of the DaVinci Gourmet Flavour Genius Academy course, each lady will create her signature drink which will be published in a brochure and shared with all the relevant Kerry customers to drive further awareness.
