Start a The Local Culinary Franchise in 2024

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $91K - $216K

Units as of 2021: 44

Virtual kitchens started as an alternative to restaurants with an ambitious goal of providing delivery-only food. For customers, ghost kitchens may make dining easy because customers can get their food of choice at the click of a button.

Founded in 2019 by European restaurant guru Alp Franko, The Local Culinary is popular as one of the first ghost kitchen franchises in the U.S. With a huge portfolio of restaurant brands under its umbrella, The Local Culinary is a one-stop-shop for customers who need culinary delights with zero inconveniences.

The Local Culinary believes it is a game-changer that creates brands to meet the specific needs of customers. Customers may love the variety of cuisine that ranges from Mexican to Asian, among many others. Some popular virtual brands include The Green Kitchen, El Taco Loco, and The Chef Burger.

Since beginning to franchise in 2020, The Local Culinary has opened over 40 franchises across the country.

Why You May Want To Start The Local Culinary Franchise

The Local Culinary is a unique franchise opportunity that can add virtual restaurants to existing kitchens. For franchisees, ghost kitchens could be an opportunity to improve know-how and access new markets that can be grasped through delivery.

With dozens of virtual brands and a dedication to update menus to match customer trends, The Local Culinary offers a promising franchise opportunity. Delivery-only brands are becoming popular among consumers, and franchisees invested in them might see increased revenue without extra costs. Virtual restaurants require no extra fixtures, no rent, waiters, or in-house décor.

What Might Make The Local Culinary Franchise a Good Choice?

The Local Culinary is a first-mover in the world of virtual restaurants, and its design as a venture for take-out and delivery could be appealing. The brand has invested heavily in operational and culinary knowledge that franchisees can benefit from.

Support offers for franchisees include assistance in identifying locations, sourcing ingredients and kitchen equipment, chef training, and menu development. As the restaurant world evolves, The Local Culinary is there to offer a helping hand as you navigate the new markets.

How To Open The Local Culinary Franchise

To be part of The Local Culinary team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that could include advertising fees and royalty fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

The Local Culinary aims to make the franchise process comfortable for all franchisees. The franchise team offers constant support and unlimited training for kitchen optimization. Recipe and cooking techniques are part of the bargain and with direct marketing support, getting your name out there could be easier than ever.

As you decide if opening a The Local Culinary franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if The Local Culinary franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Company Overview

About The Local Culinary

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Ghost Kitchens, Miscellaneous Quick-Service Restaurants
Founded	2019
Parent Company	The Local Culinary LLC
Leadership	Alp Franko, Founder
Corporate Address	1410 W. 24th St. Miami Beach, FL 33140
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2020 (4 years)
# of employees at HQ	20
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises worldwide. This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	44 (as of 2021)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a The Local Culinary franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$50,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$90,800 - $215,700
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$100,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$75,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	5 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	The Local Culinary offers in-house financing to cover the following: inventory
Third Party Financing	The Local Culinary has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	40 hours
Classroom Training	43 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	2
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes