The restaurant and food sector is in the midst of a revolution. With the boom in deliveries, many activities are developing such as dark kitchens or central kitchens.
It is on these that we have looked at. These fully-equipped kitchens produce large quantities of food ready to be delivered. But who exactly are they? We take you into the world of these companies right from the start of this article.
Key Account Manager at Shippr, Astrid De Le Hoye takes care of the logistics of several central kitchens. Working on a daily basis to manage the logistics of numerous customers, Astrid has a great deal of expertise in the field. But in practice, How are deliveries from the central kitchens going? She shares her experience in the field with us and reveals the secrets of successful logistical optimization for central kitchens.
One central kitchen is a place dedicated to the preparation of a large quantity of meals. Thanks to the combination of teams, resources and equipment, production capacities are multiplied compared to traditional restaurant kitchens, for example.
This can range from a few hundred meals for fairly local units to thousands for large food centers or factories for example.
Seeking efficiency and economy, it was in the 1960s that the idea appeared: to produce a large quantity of meals in one and the same place in order to distribute them to places of consumption.
The goals of a central kitchen are therefore very different from those of a kitchen in a traditional restaurant. Central kitchens produce meals for so-called “satellite” restaurants. Meals are therefore consumed in these.
The recipients meals cooked in the central kitchen are therefore varied. They include hospitals, retirement homes, but also schools and universities, or retailers, corporate sales outlets or even individuals.
Of course, each central kitchen is unique in terms of its resources, whether human, material and financial, but also in terms of the functioning implemented within it.
However, there are two types of transfers possible once meals have been cooked in the central kitchen. In both cases, there is a shift in meals. Nevertheless, the time frame between preparation and consumption may differ.
The principle of the hot link consists in consuming meals that were prepared just before the service. The dishes are first prepared in a central kitchen and must be consumed within 2 hours.
Once prepared, they are always maintained at a temperature greater than or equal to 63°. This temperature is essential to avoid the proliferation of bacteria. They are then delivered directly in insulated or heated boxes to the place of distribution or consumption. There is therefore no thermal break.
Meals are intended to be consumed immediately. The satellite kitchen in hot connection receives meals and distributes them without waiting. The hot connection therefore makes it possible to change only meals from the place of production to the place of consumption. On the other hand, meals are consumed on the same day that they were prepared.
The principle of cold bonding is a process for preserving meals before they are consumed. Thus, the dishes are produced, cooked and then immediately refrigerated in a central kitchen.
The meals are then transported in a refrigerated truck or in isothermal boxes to the satellite restaurant. Once arrived, they are stored in a cold room before being brought back to temperature.
In addition to the difference in locations, the cold link adds an element of time. The day of consumption is maximum 3 days after the day of production.
Source: Octopus
A so-called “autonomous” kitchen is a place for preparing meals — like a central kitchen — with the difference that it is directly attached to a single entity and that its meals are served to the people who work or stay in this place.
For example, a hospital may have a kitchen in its premises. This can also be the case of a school, an administration or even a company.
This kitchen therefore works on the same principle as a central kitchen, namely that it therefore produces a large quantity of meals. However, once meals are cooked in the autonomous kitchen, they are directly served and consumed on site.
Since working at Shippr, I have noticed on a daily basis that logistical interest in the restaurant sector is constantly growing. The health crisis has only amplified this phenomenon. I take care of many customers who have central kitchens, such as Villa Lorraine, Makisu or even Sushi Daily.
Starting from these kitchens, customers want to deliver to their own retail outlets, retailers or individual customers. The core of their job and the number of their challenges are at stake in these ghost kitchens. My objective is therefore to relieve them as much as possible of all the aspects and constraints related to logistics, to allow them to focus on what they do best.
At Shippr, we have become true experts in delivery tours. We are already working with big names as mentioned above.
Our technology makes it possible to automatically optimize deliveries from central kitchens to the various places of consumption.
Thus, the itinerary is automatically established and optimized to be not only as efficient as possible, but also to respect the time constraints associated with each recipient in order to be sure that it is as efficient and fast as possible. All of this without my customers having to do anything.
The vehicles are automatically adapted to the volume of goods to be delivered from the central kitchens.
Hand in hand with the operational team and our professional deliverers, we make every effort to ensure that my customers no longer have to manage anything except to focus fully and calmly on their profession.
Who says central cooking says food, and who says food says standards and processes that must be respected. In the field of food safety, there is no room for just about. It is therefore essential to understand the challenges and constraints related to cooking, to translate them into guidelines and processes that will then be communicated and adopted by our deliverers.
To do this, I regularly visit the premises of the central kitchens in order to observe and understand the reality on the ground and propose improvements to the process. The objective being common for my customers, the deliverers and me: to optimize logistics management as much as possible.
By working on a daily basis in logistics, you quickly realize that the unexpected is part of the norm. Even if everything is perfectly organized and prepared, a grain of sand can stop the machine. The best thing is to know it, but above all to be reactive.
For example, a delivery person may be absent or on vacation and when you manage deliveries internally, it can very quickly be a disaster. When Shippr partner delivery partners are unavailable, I take care of finding their replacements instantly, with the help of our operational support. These are then briefed and prepared to ensure the delivery of the central kitchens.
It is also possible that a vehicle breaks down. The advantage of the central kitchens that work with Shippr is that we have an operational team that follows each of these deliveries. With more than 500 Shippr delivery partners and a large fleet of delivery vehicles, we instantly find the delivery person who will ensure the rest of the delivery without compromising the food to be delivered.
Whatever the unexpected, Shippr knows how to directly locate the vehicle and the nature of the problem, and will provide an appropriate solution.
Since logistics is not an exact science, we face these types of challenges regularly, and thanks to Shippr's tools and resources, we are in a position to ensure the maintenance and quality of deliveries.
As mentioned in the previous point, I work hand in hand on a daily basis with the Shippr operational team. Available 7 days a week, it ensures constant monitoring of deliveries, anticipates problems and finds solutions.
In addition to countering the unexpected, we work alongside our customers. So, when my customers have peaks of activity or grow, we make sure to provide additional quality delivery people, but also to recalculate and re-optimize each tour when an additional link is added to the chain.
The entire administrative spectrum surrounding the logistics field is entrusted to us, which allows my customers to only worry about their main activity.
With numerous customers in the catering and food sectors, we have developed real expertise in cold chain management. Respecting health standards is essential and our carriers know it.
Especially since our deliverers are logistics professionals. AFSCA knowledge, but also checking the temperature in fridge trucks, they put all their expertise at the service of customers in order to ensure optimal and safe transport for the foodstuffs they transport.
In order to operate a digital logistics experience, our customers as well as their final recipients can follow their delivery in real time. I know how crucial traceability is when delivering food. This is why I make it a point of honor to remind my customers in the central kitchen that real-time monitoring is possible for each of their deliveries. Thus, my customers are reassured as are their recipients as to the delivery of their goods.
Because preparing large quantities of dishes is the core business of my customers in the central kitchen, logistics should no longer hold them back. Although it is an integral part of their business, having to manage it is not inevitable.
At Shippr, optimizing logistics is our job and we know how complex it is. My main objective is therefore to relieve my customers of all the burden that logistics management represents.
Expertise in optimizing tours, in refrigerated transport or in setting up real logistical processes, entrust your deliveries to professionals. Thus, save time to allocate to the preparation of your dishes and to the management of your teams and your kitchens.
Do not hesitate to contact me or Contact one of our business experts. We will make every effort to target and meet your delivery needs from your central kitchens.