See How This Company Could Be Using Ghost Kitchens To Expand Its Healthy Fast-Food Portfolio

Pokemoto has opened its first of six announced locations in Florida

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During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the world went into lockdown. A sudden wave of restrictions forced countries and businesses to adopt new strategies to save lives and keep the economy running.

As medical experts and authorities pushed for social distancing, remote work became the new normal as companies withered under the spell of the pandemic. Like most businesses, the pandemic also heavily decimated the hospitality industry.

It was distressing for hoteliers and restauranteurs worldwide because people could no longer enjoy regular walk-in services. The limitations and adverse impact meant restaurant owners had to re-evaluate their operational models and evolve to stay afloat.

That evolution saw fast-food providers like McDonald’s Corp. MCD, Burger King Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR, Wendy’s Co. (NASDAQ: WEN), and KFC or Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) partnered with UberEats, Postmates, GrubHub, and other third-party delivery companies to offer delivery services.

Luckily for these fast-food eateries, people also warmed up to ordering online, keeping them in business even though not at full capacity. The pandemic, however, is fueling the growth of the online food delivery sector, as it is expected to be worth $94 billion by 2024.

Ghost Kitchens

One trend that came in handy for restaurants and patrons was ghost kitchens. Ghost kitchens, also called micro-cloud kitchens or virtual kitchens, are restaurants that don’t offer dine-in services. They are built to fulfill online orders, so their menus are only available to customers that require delivery.

According to Euromonitor, ghost kitchens could create a $1 trillion global market by 2030 as the pandemic continues to ravage the hospitality industry. Some popular restaurants, including Chick-fil-a, have already embraced the concept.

Another company that is also taking advantage of the concept to expand is Muscle Maker Inc. GRIL.

Founded in 1995 in Colonia, New Jersey, the fast-food chain says its goal is to serve healthy, high-quality, great-tasting food freshly prepared with proprietary recipes. Muscle Maker, Inc currently owns three healthy restaurant chains:  Muscle Maker Grill Restaurants, Superfit Foods meal prep, and Pokemoto Hawaiian Poke concepts.

A Healthy Concept For Florida?

As part of efforts to expand its business to reach more customers, Muscle Maker on February 16 announced its Pokemoto subsidiary had opened its first Florida location in Miami Beach, Florida.

The south Florida non-traditional ghost kitchen location is within a new food court and will have kiosks for guests to order directly and service delivery orders through third-party delivery apps.

The location, the company said, will serve Pokemoto and other ghost kitchen menu items to satisfy the Miami Beach audience who are looking for ways to eat healthier.

The area is known for beaches, fresh seafood, and higher-ticket restaurants, which can be expensive for daily dining, making the company’s price point and menu offerings attractive for people living and dining in the South Beach area. 

Guests can order a variety of flavorful options from a third-party delivery app such as UberEats — Uber Technologies Inc. UBER , DoorDash Inc. DASH, and Grubhub Inc. GRUB or directly from a contactless kiosk within the main level of the food hall.

Muscle Maker has revealed that in-hall dining for guests to sit and enjoy their meals is expected to open at the end of February.

The company believes that operating out of a smaller footprint kitchen keeps costs down while offering cuisine from numerous brands and menus.

The five additional Pokemoto locations in the Florida market are set to open in Miami, Lee, and Collier counties and Jacksonville, Florida. The next Pokemoto to open will be another non-traditional ghost kitchen in Miami, followed by traditional brick-and-mortar locations in Jacksonville, Lee and Collier counties. 

Pokemoto has opened locations in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia — and soon will open in New York and Mississippi.

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.