Kroger, Kitchen United MIX Open 2nd Location for Seamless Meal Experience
The Kroger Co. and Kitchen United MIX are bringing their innovative meal solution partnership to Houston. Their new in-store kitchen center in The Heights neighborhood allows customers to order freshly prepared on-demand restaurant meals from any or all participating restaurants.
Located in the Kroger at 1035 N. Shepherd Drive, the kitchen center enables customers to place a meal order digitally using Kitchen United's proprietary MIX platform via web, mobile or an in-person ordering kiosk. Customers can then pick up their meal on-site or have it delivered. Restaurant staff will prepare the orders, with delivery service fees determined by third-party providers.
"We are thrilled and proud to be the first Kroger location in Texas to launch this exciting and innovative partnership," said Laura Gump, president of Kroger Houston. "'What's for dinner?' is a question that's always on the minds of our customers, and being able to offer a fresh and tasty selection, paired with friendly service, is the experience we strive to provide each day. This partnership emphasizes how we continue to advance our Fresh for Everyone strategy."
The Houston location is the second collaborative space between the two companies, following the January opening of a kitchen center in a Westwood, Calif., Ralphs store.
"Kitchen United MIX is proud to introduce our multirestaurant ordering platform to more shoppers through our newest grocery installation with Kroger," said Kitchen United CEO Michael Montagano. "We recently launched our first 'store-within-a- store' at a Ralphs in Los Angeles, and it's been incredibly popular. Kitchen United MIX is revolutionizing the way people order takeout, and we're thrilled to provide this one-of-a-kind experience to Kroger shoppers in The Heights neighborhood of Houston. By partnering with Kroger, we now offer Houstonians a variety of delicious meals for delivery as well as for pickup as they shop."
Founded in 2017, Pasadena, Calif.-based Kitchen United is a provider of restaurant hub technology, streamlined logistics and turnkey commercial kitchen space that empowers foodservice operators to tap into the growing off-premise business opportunity and expand their delivery areas.
The Houston Kitchen United MIX location offers meal options from more than 10 independently operated local and national restaurant brands, including Burns Original BBQ, The Rustic, Fuddruckers, Buca di Beppo, Dog Haus and Capriotti's Sandwich Shop.
"We are proud of our new innovative partnership with Kroger and Kitchen United MIX, enabling customers to build their own freshly prepared on-demand meals," commented Nicholas Perkins, CEO of Houston-based Fuddruckers. "This exciting new platform both expands the reach of great restaurant offerings and the logistical convenience of grocery stores to further meet the needs of our guests."
The location will be open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Cincinnati-based Kroger employs nearly half a million associates who serve more than 11 million-plus customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The company is No. 3 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
