From Soup Kitchen to Social Enterprise: The Two Good Co Story

What began as a humble soup kitchen in Kings Cross has grown into one of Australia’s most inspiring social enterprises. Founded by Rob Caslick, Two Good Co started with a simple mission — to restore dignity through good food. Today, it’s a movement creating meaningful employment for women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, delivering premium food and products to both customers and shelters, and proving that doing good and doing business can thrive side by side.

Kings Cross Beginnings: Sharing, Not Serving

Two Good Co began at a table in Kings Cross with a pot of soup and a radical idea: share food you’d love to eat yourself, and share it with dignity. Volunteers didn’t just serve; they sat, ate, and listened. Rob remembers lunch with Steven, who was sleeping rough nearby. “He said, ‘For one hour each week, I don’t feel homeless.’” In that moment the purpose snapped into focus. It wasn’t about feeding people—it was about dignity, respect, and belonging. That belief would shape every decision to come.

“You Are Worthy of Good Things”
If Kings Cross defined the why, this message defined the how. “You are worthy of good things” became the heartbeat of Two Good Co, challenging the internalised belief—common among women in the program—that they’re “worthless.” Rob’s response was deliberate: make quality visible. “I want to be aspirational and then give it all away,” he says. The quality of the food, the design of the products, even the branding—each signals worthiness in ways words alone can’t.

The Daily Ritual That Rebuilds Community
To turn worthiness into lived experience, the team built rituals that restored connection. Every day at 12:30 the lunch bell rings. Work stops. Everyone shares the same humble meal around a long table. “The act of sharing a meal and a story,” says Rob, “is a powerful way to feel part of something much bigger.” That table becomes the bridge between the message and the moment: you’re welcome here, exactly as you are.

Partnerships With Purpose
From that shared table, Two Good Co looked outward for allies who believed the same things. “Collaboration only works when our values align,” says Rob. “We partner with the best—Messina, Pepe Saya, Dinosaur Designs, Katherine Sabbath—and then ask how their products can reach women’s shelters without compromising our mission.” Each partnership extends the table: premium craft on one side, tangible impact on the other.

Sweet Memories: Why Cake Matters

Those partnerships—and that table—led naturally to celebrating milestones. Six years ago, the team surprised Marvie with a birthday cake. Rob was away and asked someone to film it. “It blew me away,” he recalls. In her twenties, Marvie had never had a birthday celebrated. That moment inspired Sweet Memories, a cookbook dedicated to her and to anyone who hasn’t been celebrated in a long time. Because sometimes a cake is more than dessert—it’s proof that you matter.

Luxury Meets Impact—By Design
Insisting on beauty and excellence can feel counter-cultural in the charity world, but for Two Good Co it’s non-negotiable. “My nan used to tell me I have ‘champagne taste and beer money,’” Rob laughs. “There are plenty of amazing organisations who feed lots of people. We’re the ones who say, ‘you’re bloody awesome—and worthy of an equally awesome meal or product.’” Quality isn’t excess; it’s the language of respect.

Beyond the Numbers: Human Moments
The metrics are impressive—over 323,000 meals donated and 106,000+ paid employment hours—but the meaning lives in the moments. A woman who once avoided eye contact stands on stage months later to share her story; her daughter tells her how proud she is. “What gives me goosebumps,” Rob says, “is hearing the children speak to the change they see.” The data shows scale; the voices show transformation.

Holding Hope in Hard Work
Doing this work means facing domestic violence, homelessness, and trauma without looking away. Rob stays grounded by staying honest about Two Good Co’s role. “We create a safe space for change,” he says. “It’s the incredible women who change their own course.” The hardest part is the constant tension between commercial reality and social impact, especially as philanthropic support dips while need rises. The team’s answer is the same as ever: choose both.

Raising Kinder, Braver Kids

That choice—impact and excellence—echoes at home and in schools. “I’m inspired by the next generation,” Rob says. “They want purpose in their careers.” When he speaks to students, the message is simple: doing good and being commercial can coexist. It all comes back to respect—for people and the planet. Teach that, model gratitude, and resilience grows in the everyday.

What He’d Tell His Day-One Self
If Rob could speak to the volunteer in the apron on day one, he’d keep it short. “If I’d known all the struggles, maybe I’d have stayed an engineer,” he jokes. Naivety opened the door; persistence kept him walking through it. The through-line from soup to social enterprise is simple: keep showing up for what you believe is true.

The Next Good Thing
Looking ahead, Two Good Co wants to carry its values into regional communities with a boutique farm, restaurant, and hotel—an engine for both local business and belonging. Beyond employment pathways, Rob is aiming at the foundation that unlocks everything else: housing. “I want to build 1,000 homes for vulnerable women,” he says. The numbers are bigger than those early jars of soup and salads, but the heart is unchanged. You are worthy of good things—and Two Good Co will keep building the places where that worth is made visible.