Shared kitchens become a new business model in China

A shared kitchen in Nanan district in Chongqing. (Photo/People’s Daily)

In some Chinese cities, restaurants are working hard to satisfy the appetites of customers ordering food delivery through apps on their phones. That’s leading to a booming market for renting kitchen space, without tables, chairs or waiters. China’s take-out industry grew by more than 33 percent to 200 billion yuan (29.8 billion dollars) in the recent two years. The online food delivery platforms have some 256 million registered users.

In a shared kitchen in Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest China’s Gansu province, cooks from different restaurants begin to cook food upon receiving online orders. The restaurants use traceable ingredients and share a clean environment. The food packages are unified and degradable. The restaurants renting the place share the same business license and facilities, as a form of unified management. Such kitchens also provide supporting services for restaurants such as operation management, brand building, and data analysis. The model allows restaurants to focus on the innovation of food and brand building. Experts said the shared kitchens could lower house rental, labor force, and business running costs. The unified management guarantees that restaurants produce safer products, fostering for their brands and a chance to become more competitive in the market.

Additionally, how to choose the right kitchen space that is not far from customers, reduce the emission of cooking fumes and disposal of garbage bags are all issues to be tackled. Experts suggest shared kitchens expand and explore the catering market more deeply, build their own bases for agricultural products, build brand products and cooperate with higher-end restaurants.

(People’s Daily)