When it comes to setting up our kitchens, there is more to just choosing the right location. We spoke to Andres Arenas, our Chief Property Officer to understand better, how Kitopi scales its operations and what a perfect kitchen looks like.
What do you do in your role as CPO?
In the Property team, there are 4 focus points that guide our efforts: strategic placement, efficiency, consolidation and sustainability.
At Kitopi, focusing on these focal points drive our Property Strategy. So, we work on Real Estate, Project Management, Facility Management and Portfolio Management to support the company’s growth.
How are kitchens chosen, what is it based on?
Kitchen locations are chosen using a series of ‘filters’ that eliminate options that
don’t match our requirements. Being selective means having a clear view of what
basic elements are required from the start, like having sufficient electricity to run
our equipment, a dedicated gas supply and enough space for all our brand partners.
Applying these filters means we could reject up to 90% of sites we come across to ensure that we only invest in locations that offer the lowest risk profile to our business. This requires a constant flow of options into the funnel.
Selecting a location requires input from a range of stakeholders including our
Growth Team, Country Managers and ultimately the Board. Opening a new kitchen
means committing to a substantial investment so the decision-making process is
rigorous.
Something people wouldn’t know about property/asset management?
Our kitchen designs are constantly evolving, and we work with different teams across Kitopi to get their feedback and comments. We are always open to hearing new ideas from the team (there are no bad ideas), and we can action them immediately. Innovation is one of our founding principles, and we must stay ahead of the pack.
What makes Kitopi’s Property function/team innovative?
Being a global organization means being adaptable: we adapt to regional laws and regulations whilst maintaining our core principles. This requires the Property team to always be flexible and innovative, to see how we can adapt our model to that specific market in the best possible way.
We are always hunting for the best locations, so we are always very active globally and getting leads of new cities and projects coming up.
What are your predictions for Kitopi?
Kitopi is one of a kind. In 2021, we will reconfirm this when we start tapping into new markets at a velocity no one in this space has seen before. We will definitely satisfy the world’s appetite soon.
Where do you think the Cloud Kitchen Industry is heading?
Three years ago, when Kitopi started, the concept of cloud kitchens was new and foreign to many. Surely, there were many reservations about this idea, but now we can state with confidence that this is the future of F&B. In the coming years, cloud kitchens will shape a big part of the industry worldwide and Kitopi will continue to be the leading cloud kitchen player.