Still placing orders even though lockdown is over? You’re not alone. As cloud kitchens experiment with recipes and new dishes from a single location, takeaways in Thiruvananthapuram get more interesting every day
Still placing orders even though lockdown is over? You’re not alone. As cloud kitchens experiment with recipes and new dishes from a single location, takeaways in Thiruvananthapuram get more interesting every day
By around 11 a.m., 25-year-old Rohit Shaji’s hands are full as orders arrive through delivery apps for four brands – Supaloud, Pizza Party, Indian Kitchen and Wok Man Chinese, each specializing in a different cuisine. The four kitchens operate from a 550-square-foot space in Charachira where two chefs are busy preparing and packing meals for customers across the city.
Rohit is one of the growing tribe of entrepreneurs running cloud kitchens in the city. Without dining space or waiters, cloud kitchens, also known as dark kitchens or ghost kitchens, are reshaping the food business.
Rohit Shaji runs four cloud kitchens in Thiruvananthapuram. photo credit: special arrangement
Rohit says of his venture: “My target was the Gen Z crowd and Millennials.” Suploud was started 10 months back, after which they launched their other brands in the same space about four months back.
The pandemic and the lockdown saw a boom in cloud kitchens across the country. While many eateries and restaurants struggled to keep afloat during the lockdown, cloud kitchens quickly found a niche as their overhead costs, rentals and staff requirements were comparatively low.
Barbecue Taco from Suplaud | photo credit: special arrangement
Lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Bharat Ajith Srinivasan and his partner Thomas Thaly decided to capitalize on their experience working for a delivery app. They launched three brands under one roof – Khao (Mughlai), Kappa Stories (ethnic Kerala cuisine) and Samurai Hanzo (Pan Asian), which all operate from a kitchen in the city’s Poojapura.
Bharat Ajith Srinivasan, in partnership with Thomas Thaly, runs three cloud kitchens in Thiruvananthapuram. photo credit: special arrangement
Bharat says: “We did an extensive market study and had a fair idea of what would work and what kind of customers we could expect before entering the market. We have a team of analysts in Kochi keeping a close eye on the business and analyzing how we can promote our brands. ,
According to Redseer analysis, the size of the cloud kitchen market in India It is expected to reach $2 billion by 2024, as cloud kitchens provide customers with delicious food and the convenience of eating at home.
Thomas Thaly | photo credit: special arrangement
For some cooks, the lockdown proved to be a boon in disguise. Ann Marie J, a pastry chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and culinary chef Dhananjay, who started his career in Dubai, met at an event in the city organized by artist group Space.
He recalls: “We all set out to set up our kitchens in the space when the pandemic brought everything to a halt. However, when restrictions were eased after the first lockdown, we launched our What’s on Weekend (WOW) menu and it clicked. Whisk and the Knife, their cloud kitchen serves pastries (cakes, tarts, macarons) and macaroni (burgers, pizza, tacos).
Dhananjay V and Ann Mary J run Whisk and the Knife Cloud Kitchen. photo credit: Ashwin VN
Their curated menu on weekdays and weekends ensures that they usually sell out.
Treats with Whisk and the Knife | photo credit: Ashwin VN
Some of these start-ups came as a boon to those who unexpectedly lost their jobs as a result of the economic slowdown during the pandemic. Dinesh R Nair and Sunil Sukumaran, general managers of a reputed travel and tourism firm, were asked to put up their papers during the lockdown.
Dinesh says: “We had to earn an income and also support the employees who lost their jobs. That’s when we caught on to the idea and launched our cloud kitchen, The Signature Store, in October 2020. We make a smaller version of the famous Ambur Biryani. ,
Mahesh Sivaraman of Ambi Ki Rasoi | photo credit: special arrangement
To overcome financial woes, Mahesh Sivaraman started Ambi Ki Rasoi to sell traditional payasams. “We work through social media and luckily for us, payasam like us” pal pay And Prime: (Jaggery based Payasam) has won the hearts of customers in the city. I have now introduced some curries too,” he says.
Rini Freddy runs Cloud Kitchen with three partners in a messy biryani. photo credit: special arrangement
Former IT professional Rini Freddy quits her job when her cloud kitchen Khalbeele Biryani, which serves Kozhikode’s Dum Biryani, started doing well. Now she runs it with three partners – Mohandas, TM Abraham and Joseph Jose. “During the lockdown, we had a lot of time and hence we brainstormed about starting a food-related business venture. We are from Kozhikode and we have decided to bring our biryani to the market,” says Rini.
A chef trained by the team prepares the Chicken and Mutton Biryani. “We started it in May 2022 and have been able to win a very good customer base, thanks to word-of-mouth promotions,” she says. He recently introduced Kongunadu Biryani, his version of the popular Tamil Nadu variety.
Payasam and Bili from Ambi’s kitchen. photo credit: special arrangement
Apart from increasing competition, these businesses also face challenges with delivery. “Food delivery apps charge a high commission. We have to advertise and give discount on these apps. So it is not easy to make profit even if the business is good. I am still not able to break even though I get a reasonable monthly turnover,” says Rohit.
In fact, food aggregators are all-important when orders have to be fulfilled within a given time frame. An entrepreneur who ran a cloud kitchen with three brands with a huge customer base says they had to close after the lockdown was lifted and restaurants reopened. Requesting anonymity, she says: “We had a great brand, especially in Kerala food. But during lunch time, when we get 50 to 70 orders, we find it extremely difficult to meet the standards of the food we make. how can a fish be polychathu (Fish Roasted in Banana Leaves) Cooked in 15 minutes? So, we called off a few months ago.”
Biryani from Signature Store | photo credit: special arrangement
The emerging industry may have its share of teething problems, but cloud kitchens are being touted as the future of the restaurant industry. India says that in cities where space is scarce, cloud kitchens make it possible to specialize in specific cuisines, as multiple kitchens and chefs can work under one roof.