Fast casuals, online ordering, begin to move into metaverse
Online ordering solutions-provider Lunchbox, created an NFT virtual restaurant and sold it to the Bareburger chain. This marks the first sale of an NFT restaurant by Lunchbox.
Virtual Restaurants
C3 invests in Nommi robotic kitchens, pilots program with Sa’Moto brand
Initial Nommi fund raise expected to total up to $20M
Nommi, a startup providing automation to the process of preparing customizable, bowl-based meals, and C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) by sbe, have teamed up to launch the robotic kitchens at scale, while C3 invests in Nommi’s seed capital fund raise of up to $20M. Digital restaurant ecosystem C3 will invest as part of a 50/50 deal to add robotic Nommi kitchens to the C3 community, including a pilot program through its Sa’Moto restaurant brand.
Franchisor of Hooters to partner with C3, add Umami burgers to menu
Depending on test results, strategic relationship to expand with addition of Hoots Wings
HOA Brands, the operator and franchisor of Hooters and Hoots Wings restaurants, and Sam Nazarian’s C3 by sbe have entered into a strategic agreement to test selling Umami burgers out of Hooters restaurants. Contingent on the results of the pilot, the relationship may expand further with a pilot between Umami Burger and locations of Hoots Wings, a fast-casual concept with 9 restaurants open and 120 franchise stores in the development pipeline, planning to compete with Wingstop.
TGI Fridays to add C3 virtual brands to 170 US restaurants
Expanded dark-kitchen partnership follows investment in C3 by restaurant chain’s parent
TGI Fridays will bring C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) virtual brands into Fridays restaurants, expanding a relationship with the digital restaurant ecosystem begun this summer. A total of 170 Fridays will be installed with C3 digital kitchens enabling them to sell on- and off-premises meals from C3’s portfolio of digital restaurants. This follows a $10M investment in C3 by the parent company of Fridays, TriArtisan Capital Partners, announced in August.
C3 by sbe raises $10M in strategic investment from Lurra Capital
Investment will open doors globally and fuel expansion with existing C3 partners
Digital restaurant ecosystem C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) by sbe raised additional funding through a $10M infusion by Lurra Capital AG. The funding will provide for further expansion of C3’s infrastructure as it works toward operating more than 250 digital kitchens and 40 restaurant brands.
C3 to open Citizens MiamiCentral food hall in South Florida lifestyle center with rapid transit
Rebranded food hall will feature C3 brands, including Krispy Rice, offer ordering via Go by Citizens app
C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) will open Citizens MiamiCentral food hall in a lifestyle center home to Brightline’s flagship light rail station in South Florida. In a new partnership between C3 and Brightline, a light rail operator, a 16,000 square-foot culinary center will open this fall at MiamiCentral station featuring C3’s brands, including Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, Sam’s Crispy Chicken, Cicci di Carne, and new brands including Sa’Moto by Chef Morimoto, EllaMia and Cindy Lou’s Cookies.
Smokey Bones opening two new restaurants in Greater Indianapolis, Detroit markets
New locations will emphasize off-premises biz, ‘Masters of Meat’ messaging
Smokey Bones is gearing up for openings in the suburbs of Indianapolis and Detroit. These restaurants in Avon, Ind. and Utica, Mich. will feature new concept prototype stores, with an emphasis on off-premises business and virtual restaurants, The Wing Experience and Burger Experience. The Indianapolis restaurant in Avon will open in the Avon Commons Shopping Center.
Genghis Grill launches Stir Fry Chef virtual concept with Qu
Thirty-six dark-kitchen locations enabled with Qu’s KitchenUP
Genghis Grill has launched virtual concept Stir Fry Chef in partnership with Qu. The order management solution from Qu facilitated the rollout of 36 locations in less than two months.
C3 hires executives, leaders as it pursues aggressive expansion of culinary centers, virtual brands
20 leaders will support accelerated pace of growth on eve of Citizens Manhattan West opening
Digital-first C3, a collection of ondemand culinary centers, virtual restaurant brands and food halls, continues to strengthen its operation with the hiring of new executives, including Saul Cooperstiein, Emil Corsillo, Jillian O’Connor, Nima Fazeli, Jerry Garbus, Jason Wanamaker, and Jon LeVert, as well as a cadre group and functional leaders. These individuals will head the on-the-ground leadership team of C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) and support its growth.
Digital-first C3 expands to UAE, Middle East in partnership with Kitopi cloud kitchens
10 virtual concepts, including Krispy Rice, will come to life in 65 cloud kitchens
Digital-first culinary platform C3 has partnered with Kitopi under licensing agreement to launch its virtual restaurants, including Umami Burger, Sam’s Crispy Chicken and Krispy Rice, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). C3’s first international development deal will bring to life in the UAE up to 10 restaurant brands, and also Sa’moto by Morimoto, in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Masaharu Morimoto.