Forward Kitchens Raises $2.5M to Digitize Restaurant Kitchens

Forward Kitchens Secures $2.5 Million Seed Funding

Forward Kitchens, a company focused on enhancing the digital capabilities of restaurants, has publicly announced a $2.5 million seed funding round.

The company, founded by Raghav Poddar, began development on its digital storefront solution for restaurants two years ago. Poddar was a participant in the Y Combinator Summer 2019 program.

Identifying a Market Need

Poddar, a long-time enthusiast of food, observed a gap in the market while utilizing food delivery and pickup services. He noted that many restaurants lacked a robust online presence.

Furthermore, he recognized the culinary expertise within these establishments and their capacity to represent their communities through diverse cuisine offerings.

The Forward Kitchens Solution

This insight led to the creation of Forward Kitchens, a platform offering restaurants a complete solution for establishing an online presence. This includes facilitating food delivery.

The platform enables restaurants to easily create multiple digital storefronts without the need for direct integration with individual delivery services. Initial pilot programs were conducted with select restaurants, and this year marks the company’s official public launch.

Expanding Menu Reach

“The system allows for an extension of the existing menu, providing options not typically immediately accessible to local customers,” Poddar explained.

Restaurants can maintain current staffing and costs while simultaneously increasing order volume by addressing unmet local demand, contributing to rapid growth.

How Forward Kitchens Operates

Forward Kitchens collaborates with restaurants to assess their cooking capacity, analyze local demographics, and identify existing food options in the area.

This data informs the creation of tailored digital storefronts. Restaurants can then leverage these storefronts to expand their reach.

Multiple Storefronts for Increased Revenue

Each restaurant has the capability to establish multiple storefronts. For example, an Italian restaurant could create a dedicated storefront specifically for its popular mac n’ cheese or other appetizer-style dishes.

Currently, over two hundred digital storefronts have been launched through the platform, according to Poddar.

Investment Details

The seed round included participation from several prominent investors, including Y Combinator, Floodgate, Slow Ventures, and SV Angel.

Angel investors Michael Seibel (YC), Ram Shriram, and Jonathan Swanson (Thumbtack) also contributed to the funding.

Future Plans

The newly acquired funding will be allocated towards expanding the company’s operational reach and scaling its services.

Forward Kitchens intends to build out its team across operations, sales, and engineering to provide enhanced support for its product.

Investor Perspective

“Forward Kitchens is enabling independent restaurants to build digital storefronts and increase their online sales,” stated Seibel. “The platform empowers kitchens to create high-quality digital storefronts with remarkable ease.”