In accordance with Gojek's main mission as an Indonesian company, we are committed to providing solutions to the challenges and requirements of the informal sector and community.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The proliferation of technological advancements has ushered in myriad changes that have simplified daily life, one of them being the ease of ordering food online for Indonesians.

Citing Nielsen's research results in 2019, some 95 percent of the one thousand Indonesian consumers surveyed had ordered ready meals, and of that figure, 58 percent had ordered food using food delivery application services. A similar survey indicated that Indonesian consumers veered more towards using food delivery applications owing to the convenience offered.

The food delivery application service is viewed as a time-saving option since it cuts short the time for traveling, queueing up, and waiting for food at restaurants. This is the fundamental principle that has propelled the swift development of internet-based restaurants.

Cloud kitchens are restaurants built around food delivery rather than sit-down service. Traditional restaurants generally have to handle various aspects, including employees, waiters, rentals of shop buildings, with adequate facilities, and strategic locations at suitable prices, as well as restaurant facilities for customers to dine-in, and inventory equipment.

Solutions to develop business through cloud kitchens can be an option for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in the culinary field. This business model, which has long existed in the culinary world, is deemed effective in helping businesspersons develop their business by lowering various operational costs.

The cloud kitchen concept has been widely adopted by the world's leading food-delivery service players and has proven successful in helping MSMEs operate on a larger business scale, with an array of advantages.

Gojek, in collaboration with Rebel Foods, holding worldwide reputation in the field of cloud kitchens, established PT Rebel GoFood Indonesia to present the cloud kitchen concept that operates under the name, Rebel GoFood Indonesia.

"In accordance with Gojek's main mission as an Indonesian company, we are committed to providing solutions to the challenges and requirements of the informal sector and community. With this cloud kitchen service, we aim to help SMEs accelerate the growth of their businesses on a larger scale," Catherine Hindra Sutjahyo, chief food officer, Gojek, stated in Jakarta on Monday.

Rebel GoFood Kitchen, a cloud kitchen operated by Gojek, is one of the innovations of the nation's children for MSMEs engaged in the culinary field that will propel their businesses.

Based on data, GoFood's cloud kitchen offers a culinary variety on demand in an area, so that consumers are closer to availing their favorite culinary choices.

The cloud kitchen service can be utilized by MSMEs already in the GoFood ecosystem with varying benefits.

Firstly, MSMEs can lower the burden of rental costs and renovation of infrastructure buildings since GoFood's cloud kitchen offers a kitchen, complete infrastructure, and basic utilities, including drainage, electricity lines, and gas pipes, which are ready for use, so as to lower the burden of expenses as compared to rental costs and commercial construction or renovation.

Secondly, in the context of delivery-only-based kitchens, overall, the operational costs of MSMEs will be lower than ordinary restaurants or outlets since additional costs of on-site dining operations are circumvented.

Thirdly, MSMEs engaged in the culinary field also do not need to pay rent in advance annually, which was generally the norm while renting in commercial areas

The fourth benefit is that by focusing on delivery services, the time taken in serving customers is more optimal and quicker. Right from ordering food through the application, the pick-up process by the driver at the cloud-kitchen location, which is more efficient than the usual shopping center or outlet, to food delivery, consumers can get quality and fast food. This service will make it easier for MSMEs to increase their customer loyalty.

Fifth, MSMEs can tap into the cloud kitchen concept to expand their base to other regions and be closer to their consumers. This is since this method is efficient and lowers risk. A more strategic location of cloud kitchen will help reduce the cost of food delivery that must be borne by consumers, making this choice more preferred and eventually helping to increase the consumer’s culinary demand.

In response to news circulating on the sustainability of MSME businesses engaged in Indonesian cuisine that could be eroded with the entry of the cloud kitchen concept in Indonesia, GoFood clarified that cloud kitchens would be a solution to drive the growth of culinary MSMEs as opposed to being a threat.

As has been observed until now, 27 GoFood's cloud kitchens are scattered in Greater Jakarta, Bandung, and Medan. Some 90 percent of them are MSMEs that were earlier operating in the GoFood ecosystem, such as Bebek Dower, Martabak Orins, and Daily Box. All restaurant employees in the cloud kitchen are also employees of GoFood's business partners.

GoFood merges the ability to understand the ins and outs of MSME requirements in the local market with the expertise of Rebel Foods, as a cloud kitchen restaurant operator, with longstanding experience and worldwide reputation, to jointly develop greater social impact for MSMEs in Indonesia.

Currently, some 80 percent of business partners operating in the Rebel GoFood Kitchen are small- and medium-scale businesses.

Martabak Pizza Orins, a GoFood merchant partner since 2016, has also expanded and developed its business since joining GoFood's cloud kitchen in November 2019.

"One of our goals is to expand our business to other cities apart from Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), and that has finally been achieved since we joined GoFood's cloud kitchen. Earlier, we had attempted to open our own branches, but the results were less than optimal, as we did not understand consumer requirements in the area," Kevin, Martabak Pizza Orins Business Manager, stated.

"GoFood's cloud kitchen, which has better understood the needs of consumers in various regions, has greatly helped us to expand. In addition, we have been assisted with operational aspects, such as site surveys, finding strategic locations, and building surveys, all of which have been conducted and provided by GoFood's cloud kitchen. Since joining Cloud Kitchen, we have opened 13 new branches, and this will continue to be one of our expansion strategies," Kevin expounded.

"Gojek believes that through strategic partnerships with various parties, we can always create a wider social impact for our culinary MSME partners while continuing to be a mainstay of the community in ensuring a pleasant culinary experience," Catherine added.
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Translator: Alviansyah, Azis K
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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