Black and Mobile is America’s first black-owned food delivery service. You can use the app to support black-owned restaurants in Detroit.
Black and Mobile is America’s first black-owned food delivery service. This Black History Month, support your local community and enjoy the best eats Detroit has to offer.
In 2016, twin brothers David and Aaron Cabello dropped out of college with their sights set on the bigger picture. They knew they were called to do something bigger – to contribute to the Black community in a new, meaningful way. They didn’t know what they were going to do, but they weren’t going to wait around any longer.
“My only goal was to help black businesses. Black people. It was something we felt like we had to do,” said David. “We wanted to make an impact.”
But they also needed cash. 21 and broke, they picked up a part-time gig doing delivery for various food apps. For nine months – rain or shine – the brothers braved the elements on their bicycles, delivering food throughout the Philadelphia area. After cycling through various companies, they found Caviar. That’s when the money got good.
“I started thinking…” David remembered. “If I can make this much money delivering food on a bike, how much can I make if I actually own the food delivery service company?” He started to research black-owned food delivery services. There were none. He saw his opportunity.
In February 2017 (Black History Month), less than a year after dropping out of school, the 22-year-old Cabello brothers founded Black and Mobile: a delivery service featuring exclusively black-owned restaurants. “At the end of the day it’s about helping black restaurants, David explained. “That’s our main goal. To bring more money into black restaurants – the backbone of our community.”
He continued, “Black people own more restaurants than any other business. When customers support Black and Mobile, they’re helping us create jobs in the community. That’s our mission. We don’t become successful as a company without helping our people. We want to be able to help our people first and then we’ll become successful by doing that.”
Over four years, the company has expanded beyond Cabello’s native Philadelphia to other prominent black cities: Atlanta, Baltimore and Detroit. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, Cabello looks forward to building a market in Detroit’s vibrant black-owned restaurant scene.
“To the Detroit community, we’re here to help,” said Cabello. “We’re trying to bring money into the community. To grow the community.”
All while providing diverse, delicious dining options. For an Afro Caribbean twist, try the corn cakes and lamb shanks with fried chickpeas at YumVillage. Feeling authentic Jamaican cuisine? Order up jerk chicken and plantains at Jamaican Pot.
To stay up-to-date on Black and Mobile, follow them on Instagram @BlackAndMobile and @BAMDetroit.
