Case study – Moltivolti: a successful melting pot of different cultures
Description of the case study: Moltivolti is an innovative social business model for a social enterprise as it helps promote intercultural exchange and social inclusion of migrants. The initiative is a good example of a well working business model for other social enterprises that support various vulnerable groups to start their own entrepreneurial idea with the purpose to support the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups
Case Study: In 2014, a group of young friends with different culture, experiences, professional and social background, coming from 8 countries (Senegal, Zambia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, France, Spain, Gambia and Italy) gave life to Moltivolti, a space designed and structured to offer dignity, citizenship and value from diversity in the historical city centre of Palermo, Italy. A great business example, two entities: one for-profit restaurant specialised in ethnical menus and combining receipts from 5 different nationalities (Italy, Gambia, Greece, Senegal, Afghanistan) and a co-working space hosting Third Sector organisations (mostly in the human rights protection field) and a meeting room, also available for seminars, movies screening and debates. Two different areas that live in synergy with each other, the profit that supports non-profit but from which it draws the energy and meanings. From integration to interaction, the kitchen is a metaphor for a new recipe of domestic partnership and support for social and economic development.
The peculiarity of the place is to be perfectly symbiotic with the surrounding neighbourhood: Moltivolti is located in Ballarò, an area that grows in equilibrium with the colourful market populated by old and new citizens and where communities of African and Bengali migrants settled and perfectly mixed with natives of the area. The business is kept alive mostly by the profit part, that is to say the restaurant. Moltivolti has been able to build a solid brand of multiculturalism, sustainability and respect for workers’ rights. This factor has been sufficient to grasp a good market share, by associating their brand to the aforementioned missions and values, also supported by the fact that they are probably the only restaurant in the city of Palermo offering this kind of experience and merging all these elements together. These combined elements, by far, form a successful mix. Moltivolti is a model of social enterprise based on relationships, a laboratory representing a new society in which the exchanges among diversities are the base of social development. For further info on this interesting case study, please visit this link