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Production Kitchen vs Ghost Kitchen vs Shared Kitchen
Compare costs, lease terms, equipment, and ideal use-cases to find the right model for your food business.
Three Kitchen Models, Three Different Businesses
The UK commercial kitchen market has fragmented into distinct models, each designed for different business types and growth stages. Choosing the wrong model costs you money — either by overpaying for infrastructure you don't need or by outgrowing a space that limits your production capacity.
This guide compares the three most common models: production kitchens (including CPUs), ghost kitchens (also called dark kitchens or cloud kitchens), and shared kitchens (including incubators and commissaries). We cover costs, lease terms, equipment, and the ideal use case for each.
Production Kitchen (CPU)
A production kitchen — sometimes called a Central Production Unit — is a dedicated facility for manufacturing food products at scale. These spaces are designed for B2B operations: producing goods for distribution to retailers, wholesalers, or food service companies.
Production kitchens operate under B2 General Industrial planning class and feature heavy infrastructure: commercial extraction (TR19 standard), blast chillers, walk-in cold rooms, three-phase power, and often BRC or SALSA-ready facilities. Lease terms are typically 6-12+ months with exclusive 24/7 access.
- Typical size: 750-5,000+ sq ft
- London cost: £2,000-£6,500+/mo
- Regional cost: £800-£4,333/mo
- Commitment: 6-12+ months
- Access: 24/7 exclusive
- Best for: FMCG brands, meal prep at scale, wholesale bakeries, catering companies
Ghost Kitchen (Dark Kitchen)
Ghost kitchens — also known as dark kitchens or cloud kitchens — are delivery-optimised spaces designed for restaurants and food brands that operate exclusively through delivery platforms like Deliveroo, UberEats, and Just Eat. There's no customer-facing element.
These spaces are typically smaller (200-500 sq ft), with infrastructure focused on rapid order fulfilment rather than large-batch production. Many ghost kitchen operators provide delivery platform integration, shared dispatch areas, and turnkey setups that let you start operating within days.
- Typical size: 200-500 sq ft
- London cost: £2,000-£4,500/mo
- Regional cost: £800-£2,000/mo
- Commitment: 3-12 months
- Access: 24/7 exclusive
- Best for: Delivery-only restaurants, virtual brands, meal prep companies targeting consumer delivery
Cost Comparison by City
Monthly costs vary significantly by model and location. The table below shows typical all-in monthly costs for each kitchen type across major UK cities.
| City | Production Kitchen | Ghost Kitchen | Shared Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £3,500-£8,000+ | £2,500-£5,500 | £1,200-£3,000 |
| Manchester | £2,000-£5,000 | £1,200-£3,000 | £800-£1,800 |
| Birmingham | £2,000-£5,000 | £1,200-£3,000 | £800-£1,800 |
| Leeds | £1,500-£3,500 | £1,000-£2,500 | £700-£1,500 |
| Glasgow | £1,500-£3,000 | £1,000-£2,200 | £700-£1,500 |
| Bristol | £2,200-£4,500 | £1,500-£3,000 | £900-£1,800 |
How to Choose the Right Model
Your choice should be driven by four factors: production volume, business model (B2B vs B2C), budget, and growth timeline.
| Question | Production Kitchen | Ghost Kitchen | Shared Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily output | 200+ covers or large batches | 50-200 delivery orders | Under 100 covers |
| Revenue stage | £250k+/year | £100k+/year | Pre-revenue to £100k |
| Certification need | BRC or SALSA | Basic EHO | Basic EHO |
| Schedule | Daily, full-day production | Peak meal-time hours | Part-time or weekend |
| Growth plan | Scaling for retail distribution | Growing delivery volume | Testing & validating |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a production kitchen and a ghost kitchen?
- Production kitchens are dedicated B2B manufacturing facilities for producing food at scale for retail and wholesale distribution. Ghost kitchens are delivery-optimised spaces for B2C food brands operating through platforms like Deliveroo and UberEats. Production kitchens are larger, more expensive, and feature heavier infrastructure including BRC/SALSA-ready facilities.
- How much cheaper is a shared kitchen than a production kitchen?
- Shared kitchens cost roughly 50-70% less than production kitchens. In London, expect £1,000-£2,500/mo for a shared kitchen vs £3,500-£8,000+/mo for a production kitchen. Regionally, the gap is similar: £600-£1,400/mo shared vs £2,000-£5,000/mo production. However, shared kitchens offer less space and restricted access hours.
- Can I get BRC certification in a shared kitchen?
- In practice, no. BRC certification requires exclusive control over your production environment, including site standards, pest control, and cleaning protocols. Shared kitchens can't provide this level of control. SALSA certification is theoretically possible in some dedicated-shift shared kitchens, but most auditors prefer dedicated facilities.
- When should I move from a shared kitchen to a production kitchen?
- Consider moving when: you're producing 200+ covers/day, scheduling conflicts are costing you revenue, you need BRC or SALSA certification, or your production requires daily exclusive access. The cost jump is 2-3x, so ensure your revenue can support £2,000-£8,000/mo in total occupancy costs before committing.
- Are ghost kitchens suitable for food manufacturing?
- Ghost kitchens are designed for order-by-order food preparation, not batch manufacturing. They lack the infrastructure (blast chillers, walk-in cold rooms, large-scale extraction) needed for production-scale food manufacturing. If you're producing for retail, wholesale, or food service distribution, a production kitchen is the right model.
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