Ghost kitchen leader Kitchen United has partnered with Kroger, the largest U.S. grocery brand, to provide on-demand meal pickup and delivery from restaurants. This new partnership will allow customers to order prepared meals from up to six restaurant brands inside select locations, so shoppers can create a customized order from multiple restaurants on a single ticket.
“Our customers’ appetite for fresh, on-demand meals continues to accelerate, and we remain focused on offering new and innovative products that provide anything, anytime, anywhere,” said Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s group vice president of fresh merchandising. “Our partnership with Kitchen United taps into restaurants’ growing use of [off-premises] kitchen space to increase customers’ access to their favorite foods.”
Billed as off-premises restaurant kitchens “powered by Kitchen United,” these new in-store ghost kitchens will feature a mix of local, regional and national restaurant brands. Customers can place orders using the Kitchen United website or app, or order on-site via ordering kiosks. Restaurant staff will prepare the orders and delivery service fees will be determined by third-party providers.
“As we continue to define Kroger as a food destination, this collaboration creates another seamless way for our customers to order lunch or dinner for pick up while they shop for groceries or for delivery to their location of choice,” said Craig Gauden, Kroger’s director of partnership development.
The first kitchen center is expected to open this fall at a Ralphs store in Los Angeles, with additional locations expected later this year.
Kitchen United CEO Michael Montagano
“Kitchen United recognizes the significant value of Kroger as a strategic partner. Our work together provides participating restaurants access to millions of Kroger customers and the ability to better address off-premise demand in a convenient supermarket format—a frequent destination for most consumers,” said Michael Montagano, CEO of Kitchen United.
Kitchen United, known for its concept that houses multiple restaurant brands under one roof for delivery and pickup orders, has diversified its offerings through the expansion of its proprietary MIX platform.
“We are proud to have launched a number of successful ghost kitchen centers across the country, and now we are applying our experience and taking steps to expand in non-traditional ghost kitchen formats such as retail shopping centers and food halls like our newest kitchen center location in Chicago alongside our efforts with Kroger,” said Atul Sood, chief business officer of Kitchen United. “Our team has built a powerful tech stack and developed an infrastructure that optimizes any kitchen setting for streamlined and profitable off-premise business. Kroger is the perfect partner as we grow our reach and variety of business verticals in addition to our well-known ghost kitchen facility model.”
