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ALKHOBAR: With delivery now dominating the food game, Saudi entrepreneurs are rethinking how restaurants operate and how kitchens can do more with less. 

From asset optimization to rapid brand launches, the cloud kitchen playbook is getting sharper. For Saudi entrepreneur Faris Al-Turki, the move to cloud kitchens wasn’t about chasing a trend; it was about unlocking the full value of what already existed.

“We invested millions into the branch,” said Al-Turki, founder of Faris Breakfast. “But it was only used in the mornings. So, we asked: Why not turn it into a cloud kitchen the rest of the day?”

That shift, using idle kitchens to launch virtual brands and serve new segments, has opened up a path to increased revenue without new real estate.

“Even if it adds a bit of cost,” he said, “our fixed costs are already there. So we might as well expand — different meals, different audiences, same kitchen.”

It’s a hybrid model that keeps overhead low and output high and reflects a broader transformation underway in the Kingdom’s food scene.

But turning physical space into digital brands comes with new pressures, especially when there’s no street visibility or foot traffic.

“One of the biggest challenges is that you don’t have a physical store with a clear logo in a busy area,” Al-Turki said. “You’re completely dependent on ads, influencer marketing, paid placements inside apps.”

That means most customers only encounter the brand in-app, making marketing a survival tool. “If they don’t see your name on the list, they won’t even know your food exists, no matter how good it is.”

While Al-Turki is maximizing physical space, others are skipping it altogether.

Foodtech platform Kaykroo, which entered the Saudi market in 2021, is operating at a different scale. The Dubai-born company runs over 77 digital-first brands in ������Ƶ alone, with a presence in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and more.

“We’re well past the early rollout phase,” said Fawaz Al-Otaibi, co-founder and KSA CEO of Kaykroo. “Our platform model allows us to scale quickly while tailoring brands to local consumer demand.”

Instead of leasing kitchen space to outside operators, Kaykroo owns and runs its entire portfolio, combining culinary R&D, logistics, and data science under one umbrella. 

Our platform model allows us to scale quickly while tailoring brands to local consumer demand.

Fawaz Al-Otaibi, co-founder and KSA CEO of Kaykroo

Since launching, the company has sustained a double-digit CAGR in delivery orders, with a significant portion of sales coming from repeat customers. “That reflects the loyalty we’ve built in the Saudi market,” Al-Otaibi added.

For Kenzy Al-Harbi, the cloud kitchen model was a strategic gateway. At just 18 years old, the Madinah-based entrepreneur launched Earth Art, a delivery-only food brand inspired by visual aesthetics and high-end comfort food.

“I chose the cloud kitchen model because it’s much cheaper than a traditional restaurant,” Al-Harbi said. “It gave me a way to test the idea and build the brand without taking a big risk.”

With no storefront to rely on, she focused on packaging, social media, and storytelling to build loyalty. “I invested in visual branding and nice packaging. I wanted people to feel the brand experience even without visiting a branch.”

Still, Al-Harbi says platform commissions eat into margins, and make efficiency critical.

“The hardest part is managing costs, especially the commission that delivery platforms take,” she explained. “I had to create bundles and offers to increase order value, and optimize inventory so I wasn’t wasting money.”

While platforms like Jahez and HungerStation help reach customers, they also serve as gatekeepers. Visibility, rankings, and promotions all come at a cost. “You have to pay just to show up,” Al-Turki added. “And if you want to be near the top of the app, that usually means discounts or free delivery.”

For these operators, tracking performance is no longer optional; it’s built into the workflow.

“I noticed customers love seasonal items or dishes tied to occasions,” Al-Harbi said. “That insight pushed me to update my menu regularly. I also adjusted prices based on what was selling and when.”

Al-Turki agreed: “The market’s moving fast. People want variety, they want convenience, and they want speed. You have to adapt constantly — menus, marketing, even kitchen workflows.”

Kaykroo takes that even further, with teams monitoring customer behavior across all 77 plus brands to optimize offers, locations, and operating hours.

As cloud kitchens multiply, questions around regulation, consolidation, and long-term viability are beginning to surface. “There’s definitely growing competition,” Al-Harbi said. “And I think we’ll start seeing clearer regulations to protect both businesses and customers.” Al-Turki sees a shift already underway. “Dine-in traffic is going down. People want to eat where they are. At home, at work, with friends. That’s not a trend, that’s reality.”

Al-Otaibi, who plays a role in shaping policy frameworks for the sector, expects more structure. 

As the industry matures, strong operators will survive and grow, and weak ones will phase out or consolidate.

Al-Harbi’s advice to first-time founders: “Start small, test your concept, and don’t overspend. Focus on quality and the customer experience — and never stop improving.”

Al-Turki keeps it blunt. “It’s not easy; you’re in a constant fight to stay visible and stay relevant. But if you’re lean, creative, and persistent, the opportunity is there.” As the Kingdom’s F&B scene evolves, one thing is clear: In the race to capture the delivery-first consumer, the winners won’t just cook well, they’ll think fast, market smarter, and adapt without waiting for permission.

RIYADH: To enhance the speed and efficiency of environmental emergency response in the Kingdom of ������Ƶ, the National Center for Environmental Compliance has launched six first-response vehicles for ecological emergencies.

These vehicles feature advanced technologies, including systems for measuring pollutants and hazardous emissions, as well as the ability to intervene in dangerous chemical incidents, while allowing teams to reach the scene as quickly as possible.

The environmental pollution vehicle is a specialized vehicle for monitoring and responding to various sources of pollution, helping to mitigate their impact on public health and the environment.

In an interview with Saad Al-Matrafi, NCEC’s executive director of media and communication and official spokesperson, he said that these vehicles use the latest advances in pollution measurement, providing accurate and immediate data on air quality and potential hazards.

He said that the vehicles will be stationed in several locations in the Kingdom, including Riyadh, the Northern Borders, Madinah, Makkah, Jazan, and the Eastern Province.

“Functioning as mobile environmental monitoring stations, the vehicles feature integrated systems for gas analysis and air quality assessment — enabling swift, data-driven responses to environmental incidents across the Kingdom,” Al-Matrafi said.

“By collecting and analyzing real-time data, it enables rapid corrective action to address environmental challenges as they arise,” he added.

The executive director demonstrated the operation of the equipment and devices available in each vehicle.

“Technicians can measure the volume of hazardous gases and monitor various types of gases, such as carbon monoxide, methane, propane, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and other gases, depending on the type of sensors selected.”

In addition, the vehicle’s emergency technicians can handle accidents and chemical and biological hazards, he said.

“All employees receive specialized training to operate these vehicles safely, including the use of gas detection equipment and protective suits, ensuring they can effectively respond to chemical, biological, and hazardous material emergencies,” Al-Matrafi said.

NCEC said that the technologies in the vehicle contribute to the rapid response and handling of any environmental emergency, thereby ensuring the community’s safety and achieving the highest standards of environmental protection.

More than 25 devices, items of protection equipment, and tools are available in NCEC’s environmental vehicles, including a measuring device used to calculate distances accurately. This product is designed to fold, making it easy to carry and store when not in use.

Another tool is the hazardous gas measuring device, which will be used to detect the presence of toxic or flammable gases in the surrounding environment, ensuring the safety of people where gas levels may be hazardous.

Additionally, there is an infrared thermometer to measure temperatures remotely, without the need for contact with the object or surface being measured.

Employees will be equipped with a sample collection and storage bag designed for hazardous materials responders, environmental agencies, military personnel, police, or forensic workers collecting samples containing chemical, biological, or radiological threats, including chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial materials, and toxins.

Another bag will be provided to transport samples from the collection site to laboratories or other locations safely and without any change to their quality.

To protect workers in hazardous environments, such as industrial plants, power plants, contaminated sites, and activities involving exposure to highly toxic materials, protective suits will be provided. Employee safety is essential to avoid contamination by hazardous substances.

Furthermore, the chemical and biological hazard-resistant suit is designed to protect people from exposure to toxic chemicals, biological contaminants, or viruses in hazardous environments.

Workers are expected to use a face mask and a filter, as the modern design of full-face masks provides extensive and well-developed cover for the face while still allowing clear vision. While the availability of various sizes ensures masks fit comfortably and securely, the face mask filter provides complete protection from toxic and chemical gases.

The Kingdom is prioritizing its sustainable development goals as a significant objective of Vision 2030. Structuring a healthier, more flourishing, and greener future through innovative interventions such as the environmental vehicle by NCEC is critical for a balanced ecosystem.