It might sound fantastic, but it’s also fact – CaféBellas – the designer and licensor of a groundbreaking pop-up cafe platform has been awarded second place in the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show® (IHMRS) – Foodservice Pioneering Concept contest. For the second year in a row, CaféBellas is recognized by the IHMRS as a disruptor in the Quick Services Restaurant (QSR) foodservice industry for its unique approach to pop-up cafes.
A panel of elite judges from major industry firms and organizations called the CaféBellas concept “based around Sous-vide cooking … a great application of the technique.” Along with hot stone searing and advanced temperature holding, it breaks new ground in ready-to-eat (RTE) offerings at QSR locations. Their unique integration of new foodservice technology brings true gourmet offerings in food, beer, wine and spirits at scale to locations and price points currently dominated (yet underserved) by cold sandwiches, sad salads, and fried food.
Judges also praised CaféBellas for its wow factor, citing “a very modern feel”, with “well thought out production” that is “solution specific, sustainable, technology driven” – and as a pop-up café that can open for a day, a season or a decade, they are “certainly a concept that can be incorporated across many segments of the industry.”
Aaron J. Barker, director of Culinary – Concept Kitchen + Bar, had this to say about CafeBellas: “Food has hit an area in society, achieving a rank in fashion. CafeBellas is that freedom to provide a meal and an experience on demand, that today’s culture craves – without all the collateral debris that past cultures found environmentally constrictive. For me, CafeBellas is a whisp of freedom during a time when multiple generations are venturing back out into the world and reconnecting with our planet. The BellaBar was engineered to supersede all risk and minimize footprint. All this for under $100K – it’s pretty remarkable in my opinion.”
For established institutional contract and self-operated foodservice providers, CaféBellas is nothing short of pioneering. In contrast to existing solutions, startup costs are 1/3 of traditional restaurants, with meal costs between $8-$12, and specialty items at $17. They can immediately deploy sous-vide ready-to-eat capability anywhere in the world, with productive capacity of more than 1 unit per day. The CaféBellas pop-up cafes are an elite new amenity for guests of shopping centers, offices, parks, universities, airports, resorts, beaches, and any location with underserved pedestrian traffic.
CEO Steven Paul Coté says “CaféBellas brings a premier level of amenity and revenue generation to locations that previously couldn’t have been served at all. CaféBellas pop-up cafes featuring BellaBars can be temporarily or permanently situated anywhere from a downtown office building to a mountaintop or beach. Unlike most pop-ups, ours are self-contained kitchenless restaurants, and the capabilities are miles beyond anything else you can do with so little infrastructure.”
Once a CaféBellas pop-up cafe location is installed through the licensing program, the CaféBellas app for ordering, delivery and payment will sharply increase daily throughput. It enables online ordering, cashless payment, and quick pre-ordering from any mobile device. For both licensees and consumers, the app is an opportunity to displace slower, less appetizing, and less efficient solutions.
CEO Coté is eager to share his vision with industry leaders that prioritize an ultra-premium guest experience. He says: “We’re talking about licensees serving 72-hour short ribs with demi-glace in places that used to get cold turkey wraps – and that’s just the beginning of what we’re going to do with this platform. Personally, the thought of finally having food and drink that’s more than just calories – food that truly complements the experience of skiing at Vail or walking on Miami Beach, is extremely exciting.”
An advanced CaféBellas app further enables customers to pre-order and pay for food and beverages via any mobile device, facilitating quick and convenient service without the wait.
CaféBellas is currently accepting inquiries regarding strategic license and representation agreements on a B2B basis with global, innovative and high-quality established institutional contract and self-operated foodservice providers. BellaBar is the only solution that can create instant infrastructure for sous-vide ready-to-eat food and beverage service.
For additional information, visit CaféBellas at the 100th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, November 8-10 in New York, or log on to www.CafeBellas.com
