A small Facebook group, launched in 2015 by four gourmands, has grown into a vibrant community of over 1,67,000 people, all passionate about food
A small Facebook group, launched in 2015 by four gourmands, has grown into a vibrant community of over 1,67,000 people, all passionate about food
In 2015, Arvind Soju thought of launching a Facebook group, Eat At Trivandrum, for those in search of culinary experiences. Seven years later, the group has grown into an active community of 1,67,000 gourmets who explore, review and recommend restaurants, all the while celebrating the culinary scene of the city and its suburbs.
Beginnings
“I really did not have any expectations when I launched it. I was working in Pune at that time and there were online groups like this there that helped food enthusiasts network. I wanted to see if something similar could work here in Thiruvananthapuram,” says Arvind, senior business analyst with an MNC.
Soon after the launch, Anjana Gopakumar, food blogger, Aslam Kunjmoosa and Vinay Sivadass, both finance-tax consultants, joined the team as co-administrators. The group’s content, both produced by Arvind’s team as well as members, have become popular sources of information regarding food experiences and eateries in Thiruvananthapuram.
Network for food
“EAT provided a space for people to post reviews of little-known places and make the scene competitive,” says Anjana, adding “Moreover, it is important to have a platform for customers to give their feedback as well as for restaurateurs to promote their brands, especially if they have recently launched an outlet.”
The group has become more than just a social media collective, with regular membership meets called EAT UPs and annual awards for eateries in the city. They even organised a food fest in 2019.
Strength
“A lot of these groups usually start with much enthusiasm and then they lose steam over time, and becomes like most other social media groups. However, EAT has been consistent in their growth due to how well structured and organised it is,” says Parthan Mohan, filmmaker and brand consultant.
It was also able to provide aid during the floods in 2018 and 2019 in Kerala as well as become a source of information for people to order home-cooked food during the lockdowns caused by the pandemic.
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