Ralphs and Kitchen United Mix, a ghost kitchen company, have opened the first kitchen center in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Customers can build their freshly prepared, on-demand restaurant meals from any or all of the participating restaurants.
"When our customers think of food, they think of Kroger," said Dan De La Rosa, group vice president of fresh merchandising for Kroger, in a statement. "The Kitchen United collaboration provides the fresh, on-demand meals our customers crave. It’s one more innovative example of how Kroger is fulfilling its commitment to anything, anywhere, anytime.”
The Los Angeles location is the first of the Kroger-Kitchen United collaboration. Additional locations in Texas are anticipated to open later in the month.
"Our customers come to us to find the freshest food and to answer the all-important 'what's for dinner?' question,” said Kendra Doyel, vice president - merchandising for Ralphs, in a statement. “This collaboration provides our customers one more simple meal solution that they can pair with Ralphs' fresh products."
The kitchen center will enable customers to place an order digitally using Kitchen United's proprietary Mix platform via web, mobile, or an in-person ordering kiosk. Customers can then pick up their meal onsite or have it delivered. Restaurant staff will prepare the orders and delivery service fees will be determined by third-party providers.
"We proudly operate successful ghost kitchens across the country and will apply that expertise to re-imagine takeout and delivery within Kroger stores," said Michael Montagano, CEO of Kitchen United, in a statement. "Our work together provides millions of Kroger customers access to their favorite restaurant cuisines in a convenient supermarket format, while providing Kitchen United and our restaurant partners a high-touch, interactive storefront.”
Related: Kroger Partners With Ghost Kitchen Company; JustKitchen Plans International Expansion.