How To Start A Cloud Kitchen?
With the advent of cloud technology and the increasing ubiquity of Wi-Fi and internet connections, businesses are starting to take advantage of online food ordering.
There is a convenience market when it comes to food items. More and more people are ordering their groceries on their iPads or smartphones instead of going out grocery shopping themselves.
This website provides you with a step-by-step guide on starting your own cloud kitchen business. It includes all the necessary information, such as what you need to run an online operation, how much it will cost you upfront, where you can purchase this stuff (and what kind), and how much it will cost per month in hosting fees, and so on.
What is a Cloud Kitchen & How Does It Function?
If you're wondering what a cloud kitchen is, this is a business that ships food from different restaurants, kitchens, or companies worldwide.
The employees of these different kitchens cook the food, then it's shipped to clients in their respective cities of choice (from anywhere within their shipping zone).
The client orders their food online, and the product is shipped to them. In this case, the carton is typically made out of recycled paper, but many companies opt for styrofoam or, in some cases, cardboard.
It's very similar to having a restaurant or regular grocery store on your premises in that you can order food and then pick it up yourself. You can do this just about anywhere in the world.
Cloud kitchens also fall under the multi-tier distribution system (MDS) category. This comes with its unique challenges, but that's another story.
How To Open A Cloud Kitchen In India:
Location:
The ideal spot for a cloud kitchen in India. You can get a good idea of how your business will run by looking at your competitors.
You can check out which other restaurants in your area are doing online food deliveries or ask around to see if anyone knows any good restaurant suppliers that you could use.
Rent:
The most expensive item to buy would be an oven. You'll also need to buy a prep table and utensils, but you can easily make these items yourself. The building you rent to use as a kitchen can be anything from a spare bedroom to an extra building in your parking lot.
Equipment:
You'll need a computer, an internet connection, and software. You have backup power sources because cloud kitchens usually can't rely on local electric supplies.
If you plan to make pizza dough or something similar, you might want to get a space heater for the kitchen. It is also something many cloud kitchens don't have since most of them make food that does not require high heat as pizza dough does.
The cost for a startup is pretty cheap; as long as you buy the basic components (an oven, prep table, utensils, etc., this is a very small investment).
Implementing The Online Food Ordering:
You will need a website that has a delivery option. Hosting companies generally have various kinds of templates for these types of websites. If you decide not to use a template, you need to have the knowledge and experience to make it yourself.
When you have your website up and running, place an ad on Craigslist and local newspapers to get the word out. Use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to advertise your new business.
The best advertising method is through online food ordering sites. People are used to ordering online; they want the convenience of having their food delivered instead of going out themselves.
Acquiring The Licenses For The Online Kitchens:
In India, the authorities are very clear on what you can and cannot do. To get a license for a kitchen, you must have a prep table, cooler and cutting board. You also need a knife rack, stove, and refrigerator for cold packaged food such as ice cream.
A walk-in cooler is also required for these kitchens to ensure food is stored below 45 degrees Celcius (avoid making any food that requires high heat like pizza dough). Certain rules apply:
You must have at least one prep kitchen with a refrigerator above freezing point (45 degrees Celcius) and a prep table.
You need to have at least one area for finished products, which must be a freezer below the freezing point (0 degrees Celcius). This is only for packaged food.
You need to have a sink. If you want to make an edible product, you need a portable power source. You don't need this power source if you're making prepackaged food.
To do online food ordering, the cloud kitchen must comply with food acts as well as pass inspections from local health organizations; this is more than likely going to be your state department of health or something along those lines (as long as it's not the federal government's responsibility).
Raw Material, And Packaging Needed:
The raw materials you need for your kitchen are vegetables, meat, fish/seafood, and spices. You will require packaging from plastic bags to glass jars to satisfy orders.
The most important aspect of acquiring ingredients is to know if there will be someone available to pick them up for you. If this is the case, it could be good to buy more than enough to avoid running out of stock.
Staff Requirement:
When hiring the staff, you need to look at the skills needed and start with a few skills. The more skilled workers you have, the more orders you will be able to fill – even if there is a crash in demand.
You can also hire workers who will be passionate about your business. That way, they will be excited about working for your company.
They will keep coming back because they enjoy what they're doing and not because they have no money or resources available to support themselves in any other way.
It can also make financial sense in some cases since when you know the people well enough, you'll get better discounts on supplies and ingredients.
Staff Uniform:
You don't necessarily have to have a uniform, but you should give your workers clothes that make them look professional. They should be clean and tidy, not dirty and smelly.
You can also implement the same uniforms as any other restaurant in your area. The only thing that matters is that they will be able to do their job properly. You can even give them more than one uniform if necessary.
Point Of Sale Technology:
If you want to make money on your online food ordering business, you need a point of sale software. You can have cash registers on one end of the kitchen and a separate computer or tablet that runs the point of sale software.
Some restaurants consider this the best way to go since the chefs will be rushing around and don't have time to stop and take orders.
You will also get a better idea of exactly how much you're making in sales compared to how much your employees are making in sales.
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