Dive Brief:

• Saladworks has opened at two Kitchen United Mix Food Halls in Kroger grocery stores in Columbus, Ohio, the company announced Tuesday.
• The chain will offer on-the-go meals, takeout and delivery from these food halls. 
• Saladworks has long been targeting grocery stores for growth, previously partnering with Kroger and Ahold Delhaize subsidiary Giant.

Dive Insight:

Non-traditional units have become an important part of Saladworks’ expansion. Earlier this year, the company, which has over 165 units in 25 states, partnered with Combo Kitchen to expand in central Florida through host kitchens. In 2021, Saladworks also joined with Ghost Kitchen Brands, which are typically located inside Walmarts, to open 60 units across locations in the U.S. Saladworks previously pushed for expansion with Chowbotics, but that channel was cut off after DoorDash shuttered the robotics company in August, less than two years after it acquired the company. 

Through Kitchen United, customers can order from multiple brands at a time, either at in-store kiosks or at MixFoodHall.com. Third-party delivery is also available, but customers won’t be able to combine orders across brands, according to the press release. 

Kitchen United has been working with Kroger as the grocer explores ghost kitchen options at its stores. Ghost kitchens can help increase foot traffic at grocery stores and allow customers to order a meal while they shop, Kroger previously told Grocery Dive. 

Kitchen United is using its latest funding round of $100 million, which it secured in July, to boost growth in grocery stores and malls. These sites tend to be centrally located in robust markets with strong consumer demand, the company previously told Restaurant Dive.