Kernel, the plant-based, robot-powered fast food startup led by Chipotle founder Steve Ells, plans to open its first store next month and has welcomed New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones as an investor. The Post reported.
Jones and Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who follows a strict vegan diet, each received stock in the startup in exchange for their investment, according to people familiar with the matter.
Further terms of the investment were not immediately available.
When asked for comment, Ells said, “We’re thrilled to have a great group of investors supporting the great work our team has done to bring Kernel to fruition.”
“We are proud to have them on board to help us achieve our shared vision of serving delicious food in innovative and earth-friendly ways,” Els added.
The pair are among several athletes who have invested in Elles’ futuristic concept, the source added.
The Kernel features a meat-free menu and utilizes just three employees and an automated kitchen with numerous computer screens, slots and chutes that form an assembly line to prepare food and serve customers. We offer contactless service.
Kernel plans to open its first store on February 12th at 315 Park Avenue South, a company spokesperson said.
The storefront will be open Monday through Friday, initially serving lunch customers, with hours of operation from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
When a customer orders food, an automated kitchen handles most of the work. Pre-prepared ingredients are placed in customized metal trays and stacked on easily accessible vertical racks, waiting to be grabbed by a robotic arm once an order is placed.
The robot arm was manufactured by the German-based robotics company Kuka.
Hot items such as veggie burgers and “chicken” are transported to the oven on a conveyor belt to be cooked. Ingredients for salad, another classic menu item, are automatically dispensed and mixed by other devices.
A small staff on-site helps run orders through the assembly line and performs final touches such as assembling sandwiches.
Notably, Kernel also applied a streamlined technology-based approach to customer service.
There are no seats or even cash registers in the store. Instead, customers order ahead on the Kernel app and pick up their food from specific code-locked cabinets within the store.
The store itself, first seen in photos obtained by the newspaper, appears to have little decoration at this time. The robot-equipped kitchen is filled with stainless steel appliances for customers to see, while the walls are decorated in the brand’s trademark light green paint.
Eventually, the startup plans to expand into dinner service.
The company also plans to expand rapidly, opening a number of stores in New York City over the next two years. Grub Street was previously reported The planned number of stores is 15.
A copy of the Kernel’s initial menu obtained by the Post revealed that it was reasonably priced by Manhattan standards.
The classic Colonel Burger features a roasted vegetable patty, salsa verde and pickled onions on a brioche bun and costs just $7. More expensive items include faux chicken sandwiches at $9 each and the most expensive chicken Caesar salad at $14 per order.
Small sides like crispy potatoes and roasted carrots cost less than $5. Dessert options like chocolate chunk cookies and oatmeal raisin walnut cookies are $3 each.
As Kernel expands, it will rely on the “hub-and-spoke” model favored by many other food chains. Most food is prepared in the central commissary kitchen and delivered to various stores.
Last May, the Post first reported that Ells, who made his fortune by turning Chipotle from a single burrito shop into a national powerhouse, was planning a return to the industry.
Kernel aims to stay ahead of rivals such as Sweetgreen and Cava by relying on technology and smaller store footprints to save on labor and rent costs.
In August, Kernel closed a $36 million Series A funding round with participation from Raga Partners, Willoughby Capital, Rethink Food, Virtru and others.
Elle’s leadership team includes former Eleven Madison Park chief Andrew Black, who serves as the chain’s chief culinary officer, and former Chipotle global marketing chief Eric Wilson, who has joined as chief operating officer. is included.
As the paper previously reported, Mr. Ells selected Steven Goldstein, a former executive at billionaire Marc Lore’s luxury food delivery company Wonder, to become Kernel’s president last September.
Ells ran Chipotle as CEO until 2017, when he resigned after a series of widely publicized food poisoning outbreaks at the chain. He retired as Chairman of the Board in 2020.
