Operations

US Foods debut ghost kitchens to help food operators drive revenue, expand with ease

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August 19, 2020

US Foods is launching a ghost kitchen program in a quest to help restaurant operators expand off-premise dining and create a new revenue stream at the same time.

Ghost kitchens, also referred to as dark or virtual kitchens, are professional kitchen facilities set up to support delivery or carryout meals only.

The foodservice distributor said the program is designed to guide restaurant operators every step of the way when opening their own operation and helping them to expand with ease, according to a press release.

US Foods customers have access to exclusive resources, including proprietary technology to help identify menu opportunities, a detailed playbook to guide decision making, marketing support, webinars and one-on-one consultations with US Foods specialists.

"The Ghost Kitchen program was developed in response to growing interest among our customers, but we've also been tracking the trend, and ghost kitchens are projected to reach a $1 trillion global market by 2030, making them an attractive concept for operators even after dine-in restrictions are lifted," Jim Osborne, senior vice president of customer strategy and innovation at US Foods, said in the release.

"We also know ghost kitchens are a departure from the traditional brick and mortar format, so some independent operators need help to jumpstart a new venture, which is why our program takes out all the guesswork. We help the operator through every major decision. And since operators using the program often set up within their existing facilities, we're able to help them open a ghost kitchen with minimal start-up costs in a matter of weeks, with the goal of higher profit margins and expanded customer reach."