As we are now in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, we realise that this is also an end of “normal” as we knew it in the foodservice industry.  At Holy Cow!, foodservice represented 60% of our business last year. From the day the lockdown started, that business disappeared. I am sure many of you have faced a similar (or even much worse!) situation. As we start to come out of lockdown, most foodservice operators are struggling to come to terms with the lack of business in this new world of social distancing. The new normal would need a different breed of food brands who embrace the “digital first” way, thus reaching new customers in their own homes. This “new normal” is bringing focus on home delivery, potentially via cloud kitchens.

What are Cloud Kitchens?

The traditional foodservice model is for one commercial kitchen to have one brand / menu where all or most of the business is generated at the premises. There is nothing wrong with this approach and there will always be a need in the hospitality sector for out of home dining.

Cloud kitchens are home delivery focussed kitchens where “One Cloud Kitchen = Multiple Restaurant Brands”. Adding a cloud kitchen layer to your existing commercial kitchen can not only maximise the equity out of your kitchen, but also reduce the revenue dependency on your regular walk-in customers. For foodservice operators with a commercial kitchen (be it a hotel, pub, restaurant, stadium or a university), adding a cloud kitchen is purely incremental revenue.

Rebel Staff using Wokies (an automated wok technology) to make Chinese dishes in the Rebel Foods cloud kitchen at Elephant & Castle, London

Other benefits of cloud kitchens

There are many benefits to operating a cloud kitchen model. Firstly, the technology used can maintain quality and consistency without needing specialised skill. At Rebel Foods, we use robotics & automation to de-skill the kitchen. For example, in our 3000+ internet restaurants worldwide, we only use entry-level catering personnel.

With cloud kitchens, there is also the option to add high quality, multi-cuisine brands  to your existing business. When your customer is at home, debating what food they fancy to order, having a wide range of different cuisines mean you can appeal to varying consumer tastes. You can also change your menu within these brands quickly and easily, meaning you can adapt to trends and keep your finger on the pulse. As an example, our typical cloud kitchens operate 12 successful brands covering multiple cuisines.

At the moment, it certainly feels like change is happening quickly. We understand that there will be many ways to adapt to a new normal, and if you’re wanting to learn more about how cloud kitchens might be able to work for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Rebel Foods.

If you would like to know more on how cloud kitchens could support you, please reach out to the Holy Cow! team by directly contacting their Commercial Director Mark Joyce at mark@holycowfc.com.

We also have a wide range of packaging and food-to-go to support your takeaway offering. Check out our product guides and top tips on adapting to a takeaway or delivery style service.