The advancement of technology has changed the working of most industries and food industry is one prominent space lashed by its waves. Its has found its way into the industry right from billing software to online ordering apps to the recent trend of cloud kitchens springing up in every city. Cloud kitchens are now considered smart way to run restaurants as it eliminates the real estate and labor cost involved. Less inventory, stock and limited menu are plus points of cloud kitchen. So what exactly is cloud kitchen and how much has this engulfed the food industry in Kerala.
What is Cloud Kitchen Model?
Cloud kitchen, the term ” Cloud” itself gives a hint of online only in technological terms. So, it means any kitchen that runs solely to fulfill online food booking orders. Or even rephrasing it, Cloud kitchen is any restaurant that has only the kitchen without any dine-in or takeaway place.
What are the benefits of Cloud Kitchen over dine in restaurants
Save on infrastructure
With the high investment needed in the infra front, it is much more convenient to operate from a location and serve food prepared from home. This way the restaurant cuts the cost on rent, interior, seating, car parking facilities, electricity bills and more.
Save on Labour
Operating without a front end saves a lot of labor in terms of waiters, securities and housekeeping. Also if the menu and turn around time is fixed cloud kitchen can easily plan their schedule ahead compared to adhoc orders.
Reduction in-service time
You can easily rely on the third-party delivery system if you do not have any staff for delivering. If you have kitchens in multiple locations, the food can be easily served hot and fast with a much lower delivery time. Swiggy, Uber Eats and Zomato are reliable aggregators to deliver and promote your business.
Collecting customer feedback to improve performance
Cloud Kitchens works best when combined with the latest technology. Having your own online system or a mobile application lets you collect the crucial customer data that helps in further engagement with your customers as well as newer menu planning.
Higher margins and competitive pricing
Not having a brick and mortar set up allows you to enjoy the higher margins on deliveries. Thus, pricing can be easily managed to a larger extent. And yes, higher margins go without saying.
Cloud Kitchen in Kerala
Kerala is not behind in catching up with the trend and millennials prefer these to the normal dine out or take away restaurants. First cloud kitchen concept came into existence when Onam Sadhya was delivered in neatly packed kits after placing order over call or online. There was beeline for such Onam kits and even the traditional Pallada Pradhaman and such seasonal cloud kitchens sprang everywhere to meet the demands.
Home Bakers also took advantage of this inclination where they delivered customized orders for their clients. Bakers started using their kitchen to bake and sell their products by creating their own websites or on social media.
With online delivery apps coming into the picture the concept of cloud kitchen was officially inaugurated.
Those who had a flare for cooking opened kitchen in their own house and started delivering food ranging from gourmet cuisines, desserts to daily meals and healthy snacks.
The famous Pothichoru was revived when these kitchens started delivering the same to your doorstep. Pothichoru was an old concept of takeaway wherein rice, sambhar, curries along with fish fry or omeltte was wrapped in banana leaf and one could carry it along while travelling. Presently there are so many cloud kitchens who specialize in Pothichoru with vegetarian and non vegetarian options to customers who crave for affordable, healthy and local cuisine on a daily basis.
Cochin and Trivandrum witnessed mushrooming of online kitchens owing to its young working crowd. Here we look at some of the established cloud kitchens from Cochin.
Best cloud kitchen food startups in Cochin
Masalabox
Masalabox is a new kind of food startup that makes homemade food available online. It works with some of the best chefs in the town to bring an exciting range of cuisines available for ordering off an innovative eCommerce platform. Masalabox empowers home makers who have the the ability and flare to cook to turn it into a source of income. They have multiple delivering options like subscription methods, one time order and even delivers handcrafted jams and pickles.
MealD
MealD ensures healthy and delicious home-cooked food delivered to your doorstep. MealD offers meals that are packaged in the environment and healthy friendly packaging materials. They have lunch, dinner and meal package options and can personalised in terms of portion size and ingredients. Eco friendly packaging, affordability, hygiene factor and user friendly platform makes MealD a favorite among the young office goers in Cochin.
Wow! Homemade is an online marketplace which brings you an array of choice in terms of confectioneries, jams, pickles, beverages and other ethnic foods. The platform connects home based food entrepreneurs to customers in the State and across the country.
The current busy lifestyle with little or no time to cook has led to the demand in healthy and affordable meals delivered at your doorstep. From seasonal delivery to subscription model cloud kitchens are a new wave in the food industry.
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