The University of Winnipeg wanted to change its approach to institutional cafeteria food services on campus. Together with the non-profit SEED Winnipeg they created Diversity Food Services to provide nutritious, fairly priced and ethnically diverse food on campus and catering to the broader community. Diversity is a unique social enterprise providing meaningful jobs and training for new Canadians, Aboriginal people and others facing barriers to employment. Since 2009, Assiniboine Credit Union (ACU) has provided financing to start up four Diversity restaurants and a food catering business.

With a grant from ACU, Diversity designed a worker ownership structure and is educating workers on the risks and benefits of worker ownership and training them on the skills necessary to play an ownership role in the business.

Award winning Diversity Foods is revolutionizing campus food services and serving as an inspiration for others across the country.