In 2020, Daily Jam of Tempe, Arizona, earned a Foodservice Equipment Reports’ Inaugural 2020 Innovators Award, for the creation of two ghost kitchens. In order to earn this award, the innovation must rate high in originality and creativity. By Cindy Charette
In 2020, Daily Jam of Tempe, Arizona, earned a Foodservice Equipment Reports’ Inaugural 2020 Innovators Award, for the creation of two ghost kitchens. In order to earn this award, the innovation must rate high in originality and creativity.
A ghost kitchen is essentially a virtual restaurant concept, or a meal-preparation and cooking facility that partners with third-party delivery services to promote and deliver meals. By cleverly utilizing existing, second hot line equipment and a small bakery area, Daily Jam created two new ghost kitchens. In early 2020, CinnaSwirl and Mindful Bowls came to inception, using much of Daily Jam’s menu ingredients already on hand.
CinnaSwirl offers fresh-baked cinnamon rolls with mouthwatering topping combinations such as Strawberry Shortcake, Nutty Nutella or Campfire S’mores, as well as a “create your own” option. For the more health-conscious customer, Mindful Bowls offers a selection of healthy meals with gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan options. On this menu, you will find an assortment of bowl combinations filled with fresh ingredients such as rice and grains, vegetables, sauces and protein options.
According to Berekk Blackwell, President of Daily Jam, “We initially added the second hot line to better serve our customers on busy weekends and to help with catering and large orders, but then we thought: How can we use this during the week? The answer was our two virtual concepts that became a lifeline during the pandemic.”
As Blackwell said, the original intentions behind these virtual kitchens were to add more overall value to customers. However, when the pandemic shutdowns came about and the demand for third-party delivery services increased, Daily Jam’s already existing ghost kitchens fulfilled a much more significant purpose, allowing the business to continue operations, serve the community and keep valuable staff employed.
Daily Jam is known for being a beloved neighborhood destination where customers will find a variety of specialty breakfast, brunch and lunch items to choose from, along with brunch cocktails and beer. For more information on a Daily Jam franchise, visit dailyjamfranchising.com.
– Cindy Charette