Emerging areas of focus
TECHNOLOGY
The biggest change in the restaurant industry over the next decade will not come from new brands or seductive menu changes but from the impact of technology. While the expansion of online ordering and food delivery has already begun to change the industry, consumer-facing apps are just the beginning of the technological transformations to come.
Kitchen Fund has deep expertise in the technology underpinning the category, including relationships with the emerging startups and large-scale companies that support operational efficiencies, delivery, guest engagement, site selection, and business intelligence. New technology verticals that we are watching include big data analytics, advanced sensors, supply line blockchains, robotics / automation, and expanded use of voice technology.
We work closely to evaluate our brands’ current tech stack, determine the right partners, and use technology as a competitive differentiator.
BRANDS, NOT STORES
Kitchen Fund invests in brands. We believe that a future-facing business must meet the customer where they want to be met. The restaurant storefront should be viewed as an entry point into a customer’s life and then expanded across multiple channels. To that end, we work strategically to help implement omni-retailing strategies, including:
Delivery / catering
Consumer product goods
Wholesale
Licensing
E-commerce
