You know within seconds of sitting down with Marcus and Carol from Collective Plus that they mean business. Both of them lean forward in their chairs, and speak with a sharpened intensity in their eyes.
“We’re a platform for people. It’s simple,” says Carol. “We meet all these great people who are immensely talented at different things, and we pair them up to form these unique groups of people working together. When it works, when it all comes together, it feels amazing.”
Both of them have been working this way for a long time. They would be asked to help setup a restaurant, or curate a cafe space, which they would then bring together people to take care of food supplies, drinks, coffee beans, or anything else that is needed.
Eventually, there was enough demand for their expertise that they needed to create a known brand for people to be united under. That brand is Collective Plus.
A large part of what they want to do is centred around making a career in F&B a viable one. While they know many passionate people who are working in this industry, there’s still a biased perception that it isn’t an actual career, and that you can’t make a living by serving others. The reality to Marcus and Carol, is that now you can.
“People don’t realise that some corporate jobs pay you less per hour at the end of the day, so you might as well do something you really enjoy,” says Marcus.
A part of their mission is also educating people on what quality food is. To them there’s a consistent disparity between luxury and quality — often, they’re not the same thing. In response, they place particular focus on straying away from food trends, and instead focus on quality ingredients served in the correct nutritional proportions.
However, staying tuned in to the big picture doesn’t mean that they don’t have to deal with day-to-day matters.
While they’re always pushing themselves to challenge industry standards in both service and food quality, the tough parts of the business they face are always similar. Long hours, demanding customers, juggling their time between multiple suppliers, and managing staff, are intrinsic to anyone in this business.
“We love this. We’re super passionate about this stuff,” says Carol. “And, I love binge watching TV. That, and crafting music playlists. Oh, don’t forget mahjong too.”
Marcus sits back and considers Carol’s statement with a frown. “My perfect day at work is making two hundred cups of coffee in the morning, and doing a deejay shift on radio at night.” He stares hard at me to make his point. “I’m serious,” he says.
Despite how different they are as individuals, both Marcus and Carol work seamlessly together. They go about the pantry, passing equipment between them without having to ask, proving that in the end, for them, it is indeed all about people. And it begins with them as a team.
At the end of the interview, they serve me a cup of coffee in the way that I last ordered it a week ago — a shot of espresso, with no water on the side — before returning to their day’s work.
ABOUT C.PLUS
Collective Plus is focused on adding value to your lives by feeding better, together. We’re excited to explore progressive concepts that value hospitality, providing informed choices for the community. Keeping things simple, accessible and still providing food for thought, we’re balancing what’s good for us (sustainability) and better for you (quality).
