Are you familiar with cloud kitchens? Is it common now? Come on, let’s have a look at it. The food sector has always been subjected to several technical developments due to the increasing competitiveness and ever-growing technologies. A cloud kitchen otherwise called a virtual kitchen or ghost kitchen is a term used for a commercial kitchen to prepare food for delivery. It is a place where food is prepared and delivered to doorsteps by taking orders through calls and online ordering portals. It does not prefer dine-in facilities and is connected to ordering portals such as Swiggy,zomato etc.
This business model promises to optimize and expand delivery services at a minimal cost. This concept emerged from food truck delivery services. With the cloud kitchen model, the restaurant has the freedom to introduce many brands still using the same kitchen infrastructure. A single point-of-sale software is needed to order from various geographical regions.
The top cloud kitchens in India include SLAY Coffee, Rebel Foods, Biriyani by Kilo, Sweet Truth, Masalabox Food Network and so on.
Types of cloud kitchens
● Standalone cloud kitchen These are independent kitchens in which a single brand either owns or hires a single kitchen site without a dining space. They concentrate on a single cuisine style and depend on various delivery methods. The average required area is about 300 square feet.
● Multi-brand cloud kitchen In this type, one kitchen is shared by numerous brands owned by the same parent firm. Every brand is cuisine-specific and shares a large kitchen space.
● Hybrid cloud kitchen It is a mix of a take-out restaurant and a cloud kitchen. It works the same as a cloud kitchen and also allows customers to come and get their food.
The main requirement to set up a cloud kitchen is to choose a location, which imparts proper sanitation facilities, water supply, and affordable rent. Next are a couple of licenses like FSSAI, GST registration, Municipal health trade license, Fire license etc. The other requirements include Kitchen equipment, packaging, and online connectivity.
Benefits of Cloud Kitchen
A cloud kitchen offers a budget-friendly setup. It has low overhead costs. Compared to other restaurants, the labour cost is feeble. Thus overall profit level is very high. These kitchens operate very efficiently using the custom-built spaces and optimizing their processes, especially for delivery. It relies entirely on online food ordering sites and applications and is free to expand.
Drawbacks
As it has more advantages, there are some limitations too. These kitchens limit customer varieties, lack customer interactions, and depend fully on third-party apps like Swiggy and Zomato.
An inspiring female entrepreneur
As studies indicate, there are more than 3500 cloud kitchens in India and the number of cloud kitchens is increasing in Kerala. It allows opportunities and income to those who can’t go out for work. A lot of people make their living through this. Raji, a homemaker of Aluva is proud enough to share her experience in the cloud kitchen. She raised money by pledging her gold and started the cloud kitchen business during the pandemic. She serves a variety of teas and drinks through her venture “From the Kitchen”. Her special item is “”mini idli. She provides almost all items as combos. She is happy and satisfied as she gets enough orders and income. She says as a housewife, she is capable of doing her responsibilities and managing the business.
credits and reference:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rise-of-cloud-kitchen-concept-in-india/article34787157.ece
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cgo5Ixuls3x/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=