Street-food trailblazer KERB has launched the newest phase of its food-and-drink business incubator – the inKERBator – at London’s West India Quay.
The aim of the inKERBator is to discover and grow emerging street food talent. It forms part of Landsec’s broader vision to bring new dining concepts to mass audiences by helping enterprising food brands to become multi-site operators.
West India Quay is an iconic waterside dining and leisure destination adjoining Canary Wharf, jointly owned by Landsec and Schroder UK Real Estate Fund (SREF).
Taking place every Tuesday, the inKERBator scheme gives food and drink start-ups a three-month trial space to sell their products and test their menus with consumers. Each new brand is mentored by KERB, with consumer feedback and business consultancy provided over the course of their residency.
Since March 2017, the inKERBator scheme has helped more than 30 new businesses accelerate their growth. The latest “wave” of street food brands at West India Quay includes social enterprise Kitchenette Karts (helping young unemployed people get involved in street food), health food fanatics Kaleidoscope and Southern Californian cult favourite Zephyr.
Known for its London lunchtime street-food markets, KERB has helped develop more than 130 food businesses and street-food traders – including Pizza Pilgrims, which most recently worked with Landsec to open its first restaurant outside London on the rooftop of Westgate Oxford.
Polly Troughton, head of retail markets for Landsec, said: “From waterside and rooftop dining to innovative kerb-side street food, we are proud to provide unparalleled food and drink experiences across our destinations.
“Working with new and exciting concepts like inKERBator helps us to keep our offer fresh and gives new brands a chance to grow their businesses. We know that this format is successful for brands and guests alike: KERB alumnus Pizza Pilgrims chose Westgate for its first venture outside London as part of the innovative Westgate Social, which provides a shared eating and leisure environment with freshly prepared food at a casual price point.
“Similarly, it has been a joy to support the likes of Rola Wala, growing from a pop-up at Trinity, Leeds, to a permanent unit in Westgate Oxford.”
Ollie Hunter, head of KERB Community and Talent, said: “Launching the inKERBator scheme at West India Quay has given traders an invaluable platform to grow and hopefully turn into a business that will take on permanent restaurant spaces. We are looking forward to seeing our newest fleet test their creative food concepts every Tuesday at West India Quay, and we will be helping them along the way to gather feedback to improve, innovate and grow their businesses.”
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