Carnival Cinemas owner launches cloud kitchens, to sell via Swiggy and Zomato

Carnival Group will be the first cinema chain in India to foray into cloud kitchens. Purple Foods & Beverages will sell via food delivery aggregators Swiggy and Zomato.

Carnival Group, the operator of multiplex chain, Carnival Cinemas has forayed into the cloud kitchen business with Purple Foods & Beverages (a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Group). With 100 cloud units Purple will offer five brands - Purple Canteen (non veg), Green Canteen (pure veg), Red Bubble Cafe, Movie Munchies and Fresh Counter across its locations in association with leading food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato.

Operations at nine locations in five states have started including Huma Kanjur Marg in Mumbai Green Field and Kariyad in Kerala, Bengaluru and Belgaum in Karnataka, Nasrani Jodhpur, Galaxy Jaipur in Rajasthan, Allahabad and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh plus eight more outlets to open in Mumbai and Pune in next three months. The expansion will pan out in four over next two years. The company shall also use a tech-enabled platform to manage the operations of all its cloud kitchens seamlessly.

Cloud kitchens are helping improve the restaurant supply ecosystem in India. In the past two-three years, the country has witnessed a huge rise in outside food consumption which has transformed the food delivery industry. Factors like traffic, parking woes and hectic schedules have made consumers turn to delivery for convenience but without compromising on quality or variety. The cloud kitchen simply takes the concept to a different, elevated level. The Carnival team said that food options offered by Purple Foods & Beverages shall be up to 20 per cent cheaper, compared to others that are not made through a cloud kitchen, proving the cost efficiency of the business model. With the current pandemic crisis, such services are now thrust in the forefront, and have accelerated the growth of and need for cloud kitchen set-ups.

Purple Foods & Beverages cloud kitchen concept follows the 100 percent contactless preparation methodology. This method has been devised during COVID 19; wherein all the staff members of their central kitchen facility never comes into direct contact with the food with bare hands. Food containers and packaging material will be sanitized and carefully packed before dispatch.

On venturing into cloud kitchen concept Dr Shrikant Bhasi, founder and chairman, Carnival Group said, “Food is and always will be a huge industry. We understand the current scenario of COVID-19 pandemic is not very favorable for many existing restaurant and hotels. The idea is to think beyond it. We believe in providing healthy food options at the best in class price range. There is a huge potential in the cloud kitchen segment and that too when we have a strong network of around 150 plus theatres in over 120 cities across India so we don’t need to invest in the biggest expense traditional restaurants deal with: real estate costs. Over next two years we aim to invest around Rs 15 Cr for setting up 100 cloud units in our cinemas and two more Central Commissaries. With this new venture, we will ensure that our customers remain safe while having a delightful experience at a pocket friendly price.”

Sony Ravindranath, director and CEO (F&B), Carnival Group said, “Our USP is to use unadulterated good quality ingredients, no preservatives, no added color, Indian spices and to follow all hygiene protocols. Our most popular traditional Indian recipes such as curries, seera, sambhar and comfort foods – khichdi, pulao and paratha, etc. are all originated from Grandmother’s conventional kitchens. New social norms are propelling the masses to be more virtually active and less socio-physically engaged. Due to high demand and cost effectiveness, cloud kitchens are the future. Our restaurant brands that cover a variety of cuisines are constantly being developed.”