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Global Cuisine

Helbiz, Kitchen United Expand Ghost Kitchen Offerings to LA

Helbiz Kitchen, a part of Helbiz, is bringing its ghost kitchen offerings to Los Angeles, expanding on the partnership with Kitchen United, a leading ghost kitchen network in the United States. The partnership began with the announcement that Helbiz Kitchen will come to NYC and Austin.

Starting in January, users in the Westwood and Santa Monica areas of Los Angeles will be able to order their favorite food items from either the Helbiz Kitchen app or Kitchen United MIX app onsite kiosk, or website – kitchenunited.com. Both locations also offer seating for guests who want to sit down and enjoy their meal onsite. Helbiz will bring their diverse set of menus created in Milan — Burger & Sons, Pokaii, Pomodòro, Wabisabi, What the Farm, and La Bottega del Gelato — allowing anyone to satiate their food cravings.

“Los Angeles is a city that respects their food and especially appreciates the ability to dine from a diversity of cuisines,” said Salvatore Palella, CEO of Helbiz. “By bringing our six different restaurant offerings and the ability to select from each in the same order, every household will be able to find exactly the food that they are craving. Los Angeles, like NYC and Austin, will be a city in which Helbiz offers both its micro-mobility and food-delivery related services.”

When available, users can download the Helbiz app on the Apple Store or Google Play. When it becomes available in cities that Helbiz has micro-mobility offerings, users will be able to use the same app to solve their daily transportation and food needs.

Helbiz is a global leader in micro-mobility services. Launched in 2015 and headquartered in New York City, the company offers a diverse fleet of vehicles including e-scooters, e-bicycles, e-mopeds all on one convenient, user-friendly platform with over 65 licenses in cities around the world. The merger with Wheels, leading player in California, adds an unique sit-down scooter along with long term rental subscriptions for individuals, businesses and universities. Helbiz uses a customized, proprietary fleet management technology, artificial intelligence and environmental mapping to optimize operations and business sustainability. Helbiz is expanding its urban lifestyle products and services to include live streaming services, food delivery and more, all accessible within its mobile app.

Founded in 2017, Kitchen United is a leading provider of restaurant hub technology, streamlined logistics and turn-key commercial kitchen space that empowers foodservice operators to tap into the growing off-premise business opportunity and offers consumers a first-of-its-kind multi-restaurant to-go experience. The company offers a value-driven, low-risk way for emerging and established restaurant brands to enter into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand delivery areas. Kitchen United currently operates to-go food halls in Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Jose, and Santa Monica, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Dallas, Frisco and Houston, Texas; Scottsdale, Ariz.; New York and Chicago, with more locations opening across the nation. It’s the nation’s first “multi-restaurant ordering” to-go experience that allows foodie fans who love variety to order meals from multiple restaurants, all on the same bill.

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Food + Water Launches American Pasta Company

Flour + Water in San Francisco has launched Flour + Water Foods, a modern American pasta company born out of the award-winning restaurant known for blending Italian tradition with Northern California influences. Flour + Water Foods offers four boxed dried pastas developed by co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow to bring the craftsmanship of Flour + Water’s cuisine to the home table.

Led by veteran consumer packaged goods executive Dan Nestojko, the newly created division of the company marks the restaurant’s first consumer retail product.

“Flour + Water Foods represents extensive research and development to nail the perfect dried pasta for the home, elevated to the very high standards of one of the most celebrated pasta destinations in the country,” Nestojko said. “We’re thrilled to be debuting our launch line at Whole Foods Market, a collaboration that will allow us to introduce Flour + Water Foods to our entire Northern California community.”

“We’re very excited to be working with Flour + Water for the launch of Flour + Water Foods in our Northern California stores,” said Patrick Wyman, local forager at Whole Foods Market. “Flour + Water Foods is emblematic of the delicious products we love to champion and I can’t wait for our customers to find them on our shelves.”

Launch offerings include Spaghetti, Elbow Macaroni, Penne, and Campanelle, all crafted with certified organic, North American Semolina grains and artisanal bronze dies for incredible texture. The same method employed at Flour + Water, the bronze-die extruding process creates noodles with textured, porous exteriors perfect for soaking up sauce. We believe the end result is a better at-home bowl that emulates the flavor and precision of the restaurant experience.

“Simplicity is difficult to perfect, but it’s something we’ve been obsessed with since day one at Flour + Water,” McNaughton said. “Flour + Water Foods brings our time-tested techniques into your kitchen, and we’re proud to be introducing this line to make it easier to get dinner on the table.”

Home cooks can find further inspiration from McNaughton and Pollnow through demos accessible via QR codes on each box, along with recipes and easy-to-follow tips at flourandwaterfoods.com. Through Flour + Water’s relationship with Zero Foodprint, 1 percent of proceeds is used to directly team up with farms and ranches to implement regenerative agriculture practices. A foundational part of Flour + Water’s commitment to a future where regenerative farming is the norm, through Flour + Water Foods, the team aspires to help alter how wheat is grown in America.

Find Flour + Water Foods dried pasta at select Whole Foods Market stores throughout Northern California with nationwide shipping available via flourandwaterfoods.com. Future products showcasing Italian culinary traditions and local ingredients are currently under development to expand the brand’s portfolio in the months to come.

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Seviroli Foods Partners With Mill Point to Expand Growth

Seviroli Foods, Inc., manufacturer of frozen pasta and other food products, and Vertullo Imports LLC, a specialty food importer, have partnered with Mill Point Capital LLC, a middle-market private equity firm focused on control-oriented investments in the business services, industrials and technology sectors in North America.

eviroli has been family owned and operated since its founding in 1960 and provides a leading line of chef-inspired artisan-filled pastas, sauces and Italian desserts. Joseph Seviroli Jr., CEO and second-generation owner of Seviroli, will continue in his role alongside President and COO Paul Vertullo and other key members of the management team.

“We are excited to continue building upon my family’s proud 62-year operating history alongside Mill Point,” Seviroli said. “Seviroli’s track record of growth, innovation and quality customer service are expected to be significantly enhanced through our partnership.”

“The partnership and combination of resources with Mill Point accelerates our ability to continue Seviroli’s and Vertullo’s long-term growth trajectory and execute strategic initiatives,” Vertullo said.

“We have been thoroughly impressed by the strong operating foundation and culture Joe, Paul and the rest of the Seviroli team have created. I am confident that with their expertise and Mill Point’s insight, the company will further elevate its product ideation, customer relationships and operational excellence,” said Jim Schubauer, Mill Point’s executive partner and executive vice chairman of Seviroli.

“Throughout its history, Seviroli has continually distinguished itself as a leader in its sector. We are committed to maintaining the core values that the Seviroli family and team have created and look forward to pursuing numerous growth avenues ahead,” said Dustin Smith, partner of Mill Point.

Seviroli manufactures products for the foodservice, club and grocery/retail channels, offering a variety of items including ravioli, tortellini, stuffed shells, manicotti, short cut pastas and other products. Seviroli operates out of three manufacturing facilities in the New York Metro area with the capability to serve customers nationally.

Vertullo imports over 150 items from 19 countries including pasta, rice, sauces, oils, truffles, and other fresh and frozen goods. Vertullo supplies products to Seviroli as well as third-party foodservice, retail and e-commerce trade customers.

Mill Point Capital LLC is a private equity firm focused on control investments in lower-middle market companies across the business services, technology and industrials sectors in North America. Mill Point’s experienced team of investors and Executive Partners seek portfolio company value enhancement through rigorous implementation of transformative strategic initiatives and operational improvements. Mill Point is based in New York, N.Y.

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