Bbot, a hospitality tech startup dedicated to simplifying and improving the ordering and payments process, today launched an all-in-one virtual brand platform that will transform the ghost kitchen experience. Ghost kitchens, which have the potential to be a $1 trillion global market by 2030, are currently underserved in the technology space. Now, Bbot is helping these small business owners and entrepreneurs with a new platform that caters to this growing segment of hospitality.
Small businesses — particularly restaurants — faced extremely challenging times over the last two years as they worked to innovate and pivot to meet consumers’ new contactless and delivery demands. Despite the rapid adoption of ghost kitchen and virtual brand models, many of these businesses were forced to rely on fragmented technology in order to function, piecing together different software solutions to build what they need, often at an increased cost to the owner.
Today’s growing ghost kitchen and virtual brand sector requires seamless integration and the ability to manage delivery from a single platform. As a dedicated partner to small businesses everywhere, Bbot identified the most common problems faced by these budding brands and developed custom software that removes the biggest barriers that currently exist for ghost kitchens and operators. Today, with an advanced technology platform that allows them to compete with traditional restaurant models, these virtual brands will be able to not only survive, but thrive. What’s more, this integrated solution allows businesses to adapt quickly, offering both on-premise and virtual options as they face a second COVID winter and slower foot traffic, ultimately increasing their bottom line.
“The pandemic accelerated the growth of ghost kitchens and virtual brands, as consumers opted for takeout and delivery instead of on premise dining,” says Chris Lovett, Director of Ghost Kitchens. “At Bbot, we’re ahead of the curve. Our new system helps ghost kitchen operators handle the added bandwidth of new orders. With order aggregation, multi-vendor ordering, and first-party delivery, our goal is to help businesses maximize profit margins with as little added lift as possible.”
As a pioneer in the space, Bbot is committed to helping ghost kitchen owners and operators manage all of their brands in one place with a solution that is digital and contactless – key features that allow restaurants to thrive in today’s environment. The online ordering system, which caters to both first- and third-party delivery, allows users to host their own digital delivery from a branded menu and send auto-updates to third-party platforms, creating a simpler and more user-friendly experience.
“This technology is the next step for the restaurant industry and comes at a pivotal time, as operators enter another COVID-19 winter in which delivery will be key,” says Steve Simoni, CEO of Bbot. “Previously, ghost kitchens were not being served in a way that met the flexibility they demanded. Bbot’s all-in-one platform will handle the who, what, and where that’s required for guest ordering. As a dedicated partner of ghost kitchens and virtual brands, our goal is to take the technology burden off their shoulders, so they can focus on marketing strategies and other areas of their business.”
This new platform is suitable for businesses of all sizes as well, helping both the mom and pops find new revenue streams to support the demands of today’s consumer, as well as supporting larger brands in a pivot to a more flexible business model.
“Bbot’s technology has been key for building our digital food community in North Carolina,” says Jen Classic, Director of Technology for The City Kitch. “Their flexible tech makes it easy to launch a virtual brand and manage orders through a variety of channels.”