The first ghost kitchen site will open in Chicago, with further locations planned for LA, Austin, and NYC.
Camile Thai, a U.K.-based restaurant concept based on health, sustainability, and speed, has announced plans to expand to the U.S. through ghost kitchens in partnership with Kitchen United.
The first of these new tech-driven stores is set to open at Kitchen United’s new Chicago Loop Kitchen Center. The partnership between Camile Thai and Kitchen United is then set to continue throughout 2021, with new sites opening in Chicago River North, Pasadena, and Austin.
“Kitchen United is constantly evaluating new and innovative ways to support our restaurant partners, and working with Camile Thai to present licensing opportunities to operators within our kitchen centers looking to establish a delivery-only business, or build a new segment of their existing portfolio is a perfect illustration of that,” said Atul Sood, chief business officer of Kitchen United.
“While a lot of new trends and short-lived concepts have emerged in the last year amid the rise in popularity of ghost kitchens, Camile Thai offers long-term opportunity and value for operators looking to grow via a licensed model. Based on our partnership with dozens of operators and Camile Thai’s proven experience, we are well-positioned to grow together here in the U.S.”
Since opening its first U.K. location in 2010, Camile Thai has expanded to 40 locations in the U.K. and Ireland, and now serves over 10,000 healthy meals everyday through its franchised and corporate-owned sites.
“We are excited to bring our concept to the U.S. and work closely with Kitchen United given its definitive leadership position in the ghost kitchen industry, along with an impressive list of existing and prospective operator partners. The pandemic has altered how restaurants operate and given the go-ahead for virtual kitchens, without a storefront, to flourish,” said Brody Sweeney, CEO of Camile Thai.
“The rise of the on-demand economy has driven a monumental shift in traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant service. Last year saw the most significant adoption of technology in our industry’s history with volume digital food ordering and delivery at its core, and Camile Thai has been a first-mover in Europe. Additionally, we offer operator partners a flexible franchise model to position them for sustained success.”
