As a company that has been guiding food brands ranging from startups to Fortune 500s for the past 15 years it’s interesting to see the recent trend around ghost kitchens popping up, but also the challenges they’re facing with marketing/promotion. The recipe for success is both straightforward and complex at the same time, and we wanted to share our thoughts on ways to win.
First and foremost, ask yourself this: What are you cooking up that makes you special that will allow your ghost kitchen to put out awesome food and get traction? You need to be able to answer that question right away.
Secondly, without a physical presence where people can browse Yelp to see the food they’re getting along with interior photos of the business to gauge cleanliness, the vibe, etc. – ghost kitchens are left in the dark.
The moral of the story is that when it comes to promoting ghost kitchens transparency is key, and the more social you are the better, which will build trust and unlock new opportunities in the future.
These are some of the most common questions we’ve gotten lately:
What is a Ghost Kitchen Business Model?
The model is essentially to operate out of a kitchen/location that focuses on delivery vs in-house dining. This capitalizes on the situation in the world today and why food delivery apps like DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, Uber Eats and other platforms have been taking off.
Is a Ghost Kitchen Profitable?
A ghost kitchen, like any other food company or business in general, can be profitable but it depends on a wide variety of factors and ultimately executing on visions in the end. Is it a slam dunk? No.
How Do I Start a Ghost Kitchen Brand?
If you are interested in ghost kitchens and how they’re gaining popularity now, and feel the urge to start a ghost kitchen brand, take a few steps back and map out the big picture and look at the core things that will either make or break your business. For example, do you have deep experience in the food space or is this just an idea that popped up?
If you have an idea for a ghost kitchen concept or are looking to scale existing operations, let’s link up and brainstorm what’s possible.