Category Archives: Business
Food Trends: “Kitchen United” Delivery-Only Restaurants Wins “2019 Innovator Of The Year”
From a Restaurant Dive online article:
“What virtual kitchens, or the Kitchen United concept does, is create a new economic model, where no longer do [restaurants] have to invest in expensive real estate and fancy front-of-house overhead and dining rooms, [they] can share kitchen space, optimize capital that is there and hopefully create a more profitable model for delivery,” NPD Group Vice President David Portalatin told Restaurant Dive.
When Kitchen United received $40 million in funding from RXR Realty during the summer, it became clear the two-year-old shared kitchen startup is paving a path for rapid expansion. The company will partner with the real estate company to open kitchens in New York City and the tri-state area.
This partnership fits within Kitchen United’s overall goal of opening 400 kitchen centers and 5,000 kitchens within the next few years. But it certainly isn’t alone in opening virtual kitchens, or restaurants without a traditional retail storefront. Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats have all been trying their hand in delivery-only restaurants over the last two years.
To read more; https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/innovator-kitchen-united-restaurant-dive-awards/566463/
Shopping: Largest Online Secondhand Clothing Retailer “Thredup” Wins “Disruptor Of The Year”
From a RetailDive.com online article:
ThredUp, which sells brands ranging from American Eagle Outfitters to Burberry, may prove to be a beneficial partner to many retailers. A separate report from Accenture Strategy and Fashion For Good found that recommerce operating margin for the luxury, premium and mid-market sectors was 39%, 28% and 22%, respectively.
This year could be considered the year the circular economy really took hold, particularly the resale space, and a major force leading the charge was e-commerce 
platform ThredUp.
Resale grew 21 times faster than the apparel market over the past three years, by ThredUp’s own measures. The resale platform also projects the market to grow from $24 billion to $51 billion by 2023.
To read more: https://www.retaildive.com/news/disruptor-thredup-dive-awards/566185/
Business Podcasts: “How PetSmart Solved Its Chewy Problem” (WSJ)
Pet-supply stores had long withstood the threat posed by online shopping. That was until Chewy came along. WSJ’s Miriam Gottfried tells the story of how PetSmart responded to the new competition.
Top Restaurants: “Joe’s Stone Crab” In Miami Is #1 Independent In Sales
From a RestaurantBusinessOnline.com release:
Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Fla., is the top-grossing independent restaurant in the country, according to Restaurant Business’ annual ranking of the Top 100 Independents. In its first time in the top spot, the restaurant brought in more than $38 million in 2018.
New Study: Boomers Own 57% Of Small Businesses With Profits Up, Happiness & Confidence High
From a Guidant Financial and online lending marketplace LendingClub study:
Click on link below to see more:
https://www.guidantfinancial.com/small-business-trends/franchise-business-trends/
