Cover Vincent Lua, CEO of Cravito Group

In response to the changes in our lives due to the pandemic, restaurateur Vincent Lua started eatwhatnxt as a way to assist struggling F&B players

Twenty-twenty was one of the toughest years for the F&B industry, its dynamics quickly shifted from dine-ins to delivery-only services in light of Covid-19. Today, having our meals delivered to us has become the norm and the F&B industry had to learn to adapt. Not everyone were able to pivot successfully, with numerous kitchens not being put to optimal use. 

Instead of leaving them idle, the CEO of Cravito Group Vincent Lua has come up with a way to fire up the stoves again with his new venture, eatwhatnxt. After whetting our appetites for South Korean street food with MyeongDong Topokki, Lua launched eatwhatnxt which makes use of under-utilised kitchens in restaurants by creating new business opportunities.

See also: Vincent Lua Of MyeongDong Topokki Innovates To Overcome F&B Challenges During MCO

What is Eatwhatnxt?

Think cloud kitchen, except these are actual kitchens of existing restaurants, which have been woefully under-utilised due to the extended dine-in restrictions. The new startup is offering these restaurants a chance to generate extra revenue by cooking new foods for delivery purpose only.

Eatwhatnxt provides the recipes for these dishes that are categorised under various brands, as well as the necessary training to make them to standard. There are 14 brands (or, as the Cravito Group calls it, virtual restaurants) to choose from, and they include Rice Society (Fusion Rice Bowl), Bun Barons (Burgers), Wingin’It (Fried Chicken) and Cargo Street (Street Food). 

While Lua firmly believes that brick-and-mortar restaurants are not going away, delivery has become such an important aspect of F&B today. According to him, this collaboration can help a restaurant earn an additional revenue between RM 500-RM1,000 per brand a day. 

Its business model also stands out as the first cloud kitchen that uses quasi franchising, which allows partner restaurants to be more involved creatively. "We're looking at it from an open concept in which our partners can bring up new ideas and we can proceed from there." says Lua.

See also: 19 Inspiring Women In Malaysia's Food And Drink Scene To Follow On Instagram

Tatler Asia
Above Lua's eatwhatnxt currently has 14 virtual restaurant brands

"Rentals are expensive, manpower is costly and you have a big kitchen that could do more," cites Lua when asked about his motivation for establishing eatwhatnxt. He hopes that what it can offer will help restaurants to get through this difficult period more smoothly. 

Lua, who believes that persistence is key to becoming a successful entrepreneur, is looking to partner with up to 1,000 restaurants. "We're also looking to expand eatwhatnxt around Southeast Asia," he declares.

For more information and updates, visit eatwhatnxt official Instagram

See also: 8 Ways To Use Kimchi In Your Dishes

Credits

Photography  

Khairul Imran / Tatler Malaysia

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