News

Off the Grid introduces Cubert Cold Prep

January 19, 2018

Off the Grid, a placemaking platform for food trucks in the San Francisco Bay area, has announced the debut of its Cubert Cold Prep, a compact mobile kitchen and retail space equipped with everything needed to store, prep and serve food in a structure that offers the perks of a permanent shelter without the physical constraints.

The first Cubert Cold Prep units will debut to the public at Off the Grid's annual Fort Mason Center Market this March 2018, offering participating food and beverage entrepreneurs the freedom to just "show up and serve," according to a press release. Cubert Cold Prep vendors benefit from a compact mobile food unit that is maintained, permitted and transported by Off the Grid. Businesses can express interest in a station at the Off the Grid Fort Mason Center by applying at Off the Grid at its website, www.offthegrid.com.

Additional units will be available to rent and buy in mid-2018.

Cubert Cold Prep makes it possible for food and beverage entrepreneurs to operate their business out of a functional, secure space that has the flexibility of a temporary structure. Each unit carries its own operating permit (occupants are responsible for local health permitting only), is customizable, and has the ability to stand as an independent unit at locations including public plazas, parks, courtyards, sidewalks and more.

Shaped like a cube with motorized retractable side panels, the steel and aluminum frame of the Cubert sports polycarbonate walls can be illuminated from the inside. Cuberts, 64 feet upon arrival, have the capacity to expand their footprint to 576 square feet when fully deployed, offering a shaded area for guests to gather with a visible branded marquee rising above the sightline. Cubert's proprietary app offers business owners the convenience of opening and closing the shelter with ease.

Inside, the Cubert Cold Prep feels like a compact, efficient kitchen equipped with professional grade stainless steel countertops, running water, electricity and refrigeration. After service, vendors have the ability to store their knives, chairs and other equipment inside the Cubert.

"As a new mobile food business, I'm coordinating transportation of my food, equipment, ice and everything else I need for a daily pop-up," Elizabeth Miranda of Postrique, a churro concept incubated through an Off the Grid educational training program known as Instrucktional, said in the press release. "I like the idea of the Cubert because it frees my time to focus on the quality of my churros instead of load-in and break-down of my business every day."

This customizable offering is also available for sponsorship or purchase by brands interested in showcasing their products and services at, and outside of, the Fort Mason Center Market.