UAE Cloud Kitchen Operator Sweetheart Kitchen Raises $17.7 Million Investment - Led by its Own CEO

The Dubai-based Sweetheart Kitchen has announced that it has raised a Series C funding round of $17.7 million, with the investment led by none other than the cloud kitchen operator’s own CEO and founder, Peter Schatzberg.

While cloud kitchen startups such as Kitopi and iKcon (both also Dubai-based) have found increasing success in recent times, what makes Sweetheart Kitchen unique is that it owns all of its own brands, while its peers house other brands in its spaces.

With cloud kitchen space emerging as one of the fastest growing innovations in foodtech in the GCC, Sweet Kitchen had previously raised  $24.8 million, allowing it to launch 30 brands. In light of this latest investment, the company is looking to launch five more, alongside 12 units in the UAE and seven in Kuwait - all by the first quarter of 2021. Further down the line, Sweet Kitchen, which was founded in April 2019, is planning expansion in Saudi Arabia by the second half of 2021. The investment comes after Sweetheart Kitchen was, like so many across the region and the world, forced to readjust to life in a pandemic.

“We are excited to relaunch in Kuwait after the pandemic lockdown measures prevented us from scaling earlier this year,” VP of marketing, Adib Samara, said of the company’s plans. “It’s a great market for delivery where product innovation is valued by the consumer. We plan on re-opening in January with seven kitchens and covering over 75% of Kuwait by the end of Q2-2021 with our new brands.”