The mural at Nando’s.
When Sepanta Bagherpour sat down with University of Maryland officials to discuss Nando’s Peri-Peri future donation of 100 percent of its three-day soft-opening sales to Campus Pantry, he told them a realistic target would be about $20,000.
Bagherpour was shocked when their opening sales hit $29,700.
“I am elated that we reached that amount of money,” the company’s U.S. marketing director said. “It is brilliant because we beat the target, but also, because of how hard we all worked to spread the word. It is phenomenal.”
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Nando’s has never had a more successful fundraiser in total money raised for a single restaurant opening. They had not exceeded $20,000 previously, Bagherpour said.
Nando’s and the university put together a promotional plan that used social media and listervs to get the word out across the campus and community about the soft opening, said Roz Christina Moore, the assistant director for development and external relations for the Division of Student Affairs.
The proceeds will mainly go toward the supply of food at the Campus Pantry, said Allison Lilly, the sustainability and wellness coordinator for Dining Services.
“Our first step is to ensure that the Campus Pantry is stocked for our clients as we enter the end of the semester,” she said. “The Nando’s donation will help us ensure we have food on our shelves for all of our clients.”
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The donation was originally intended to go toward food, but now that keeping the shelves stocked will not be as big of a concern, some of the money will be allocated to developing educational aspects of the program and connecting clients with other sources of assistance on and off the campus, Lilly said.
Jim Rychner, development and external relations director for the Division of Student Affairs, said connecting university programs with businesses and organizations in the community is important, and the Nando’s donation shows why.
“Nando’s has been a great community partner,” Rychner said. “We are glad they are here, and we are very grateful for what they have done as they have moved into our community.”
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Bagherpour said the restaurant is just excited it can help another organization accomplish its mission.
“We are a business about feeding people,” Bagherpour said. “Campus Pantry is an honorable organization that is also focused on feeding people. They don’t do it for profit; they do it compassionately and for the good of people.”
