Kitchup launches £100k Seedrs crowdfunding campaign

Food startup Kitchup has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign for £100k on Seedrs, to help fund the expansion and development of its technology.

Based in London, Kitchup is said to be the UK’s first online managed marketplace for kitchen space, matching underused commercial kitchens with food businesses.

Kitchen users are able to find and book affordable, flexible space on-demand, whilst kitchen hosts get a secure way to earn extra income from sharing their commercial kitchen.

Kitchup’s co-founder, Emma Jones, said: “Through leveraging underused kitchens, we’ve seen first-hand how bringing people together to share space has helped build careers in food and provided businesses with the opportunity to grow.

“For our kitchen hosts, they get access to extra revenue from space they otherwise wouldn’t be using. The food industry is changing rapidly…

“[Businesses] can expand to new locations and test new markets or concepts while keeping costs low by only using space when they need it.”

Referred to as ‘driving an Airbnb-style revolution in London kitchen space’, the team’s mission is to build a sustainable global network of kitchen spaces and a new kitchen economy.

The company was founded by twin entrepreneurs Emma and Charlie Jones in October 2015, when Charlie thought of the idea after mentoring a range of startups in London’s independent food scene. All desired to access affordable and flexible venues.

Over the past two years, Kitchup has supported a diverse mix of food businesses with projects ranging from helping artisans expand their production, to supporting street-food traders transition into their first restaurants, and facilitating locations for chefs to teach cookery classes.

Kitchup’s crowdfunding campaign is being run in partnership with Seedrs, with 10 per cent of the business available for new investors.

The team are aiming to raise £100k to improve their technology, expand their team and provide a better experience for their kitchen users and hosts in London and beyond.

One co-founder, Charlie Jones, added: “Kitchup is about collaboration and we are thrilled to have launched our first equity raise on Seedrs offering investors and our kitchen community the opportunity to be a part of our future success.”

Critically acclaimed London barbecue restaurant Smokestak is one of the businesses that has already used Kitchup’s platform.

Smokestak’s founder, David Carter, commented: “We needed a kitchen space because we were turning our street food operation into a restaurant and we needed a kitchen to develop the menu and train some lads up to speed - and that’s why we called Kitchup.

“It is very resourceful, [has] a huge selection of kitchens with the right equipment you need and in the right area.”