LAUNCH CloudKitchens Incubator Cohort 1 Public Demo Day

Cloud Kitchens Incubator Program

• The Cloud Kitchens incubator program is a 14-week program that helps entrepreneurs start, build, and scale food businesses.
• Five founders from the first cohort pitched their businesses to guest investor judges and Syndicate members.

Business Pitches

Hooie

• Nicholas from Hooie, a Colombian cloud kitchen company, shared their success in Colombia and their plans to expand to the US.
• Judges raised concerns about replicating efficiency in North America and the relevance of robots in peak times.

H Go

• Nicholas from H Go is adapting their products for the US market and researching automation technology for their cloud kitchens.

Masala Pizza

• Jay from Masala Pizza shared their journey from starting as an Indian McDonald's to becoming a successful pizza brand with over $3 million in sales in 2023.
• They plan to expand their revenue to over $5 million in 2024 through product sales, cloud kitchen growth, frozen pizza retail, and franchising.
• Jeff inquired about the potential of franchising becoming the primary driver of their business, and Jay confirmed that they have already started franchising successfully.
• Whma inquired about Masala Pizza's menu expansion strategy, and Jay explained that they are focusing on their core pizza items that generate 75% of their sales to own the niche of Indian pizza.

Honeyflower Foods

• Nick from Honeyflower Foods introduced their company that aims to provide healthy, sustainable, and pesticide-free food through tech-enabled small kitchen hubs.
• They see an opportunity in the growing demand for healthy QSRs and plan to leverage healthcare relationships to lead the space.
• The company is launching a multi-channel approach to provide healthy food options in the healthcare and retail sectors in New York, DC, and LA.
• They aim to create high foot traffic spaces and execute delivery from these locations.
• The menu will consist of OIC-friendly, low glycemic, high protein, and nutrient-dense dishes.
• The company has a strong team with experience in the food industry, supply chain management, menu creation, and dietetics.
• They plan to personalize the menu based on customer preferences and health data in the future.
• The company previously had 500+ locations across the Northeast and is looking to expand through delivery.

Lavash Persian Food Group

• Keon from Lavash Persian Food Group shared their success in the delivery-only virtual kitchen concept, with a projected revenue of $2 million this year and plans to expand to 10 kitchens by 2026.
• Jeff from AEK Catering emphasized the importance of a solid team and mindset for successful catering operations, which can have fluctuating demand.
• Mu from AEK Catering discussed the insights gained from customer data and menu analysis, which helped them adjust pricing and portions to increase revenue.
• Emma from the Launch Accelerator Team asked Keon about his metrics for success as he moves away from brick-and-mortar operations and adds additional revenue streams.
• Jay from Lavash Persian Food Group expressed his concern about building a replicable formula to maintain quality during rapid expansion.

Judges' and Investors' Feedback

• The judges and investors evaluate the businesses based on various criteria, including scalability, market opportunity, and team experience.
• The top three businesses, as ranked by the judges, are:
  • Hubie
  • Honey Flower Foods
  • Masala Pizza
• The Syndicate poll, which represents the opinions of the investors, shows a close race with Hubie in first place, followed by Masala Pizza, Curiosity, Honey Flower Foods, and Lage.
• The overall cohort rankings, based on points awarded by the judges, are:
  • 1st: Honey Flower Foods
  • 2nd: Hubie
  • 3rd: Masala Pizza
• The judges and investors discuss the possibility of collaborating to support one of the businesses with a modest investment of $250,000 to help it break out in the market.