Clone (ex Not So Dark)
Clone is a Paris-based food tech company operating 50+ delivery-optimized virtual restaurant brands and low-CAPEX physical franchises, serving independent restaurateurs and franchisees across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain via Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Clone (ex Not So Dark) does
Clone is a Paris-based food tech company that builds and operates a portfolio of delivery-optimized restaurant brands through a distributed, asset-light franchise and virtual-kitchen model. The company serves two distinct customer segments: (1) independent restaurateurs with underutilized kitchen capacity who integrate one or more of Clone's 50+ virtual brands into their existing operations for delivery-only fulfillment, and (2) entrepreneurs who open physical Clone-branded franchise restaurants in 50–120 sqm footprints with a low entry ticket relative to traditional franchise networks. The company is active in four European countries (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain), with a network of 1,000+ partner restaurants processing approximately 200,000 orders per month across Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
The operating backbone is a proprietary all-in-one restaurant management software that consolidates orders from multiple delivery platforms, inventory, menus, and performance indicators into a single interface, and includes an integrated centralized purchasing module ("centrale d'achat") that gives partners access to group-negotiated supply pricing. Clone manages delivery platform accounts, menu configuration, and promotional campaigns on behalf of partners, and provides fully managed marketing services including content creation and social media management. Brand IP is a core asset: the company owns registered trademarks across at least 13 named concepts spanning burgers (JFK, Orgasméat, Fat Smash, Bopy Burgers), fried chicken (6AM Fried Chicken, Chichicko), Asian (Fu King), Indian (Bowlywood), Mediterranean/Levantine (Gaïa, Como Kitchen), French comfort (Coquillettes), Turkish (Kesmë), and plant-based (Vegedal).
Clone generates revenue through transaction-based commissions on orders processed through its virtual brands, franchise entry fees and ongoing royalties for physical locations, and bundled managed marketing services. AI and machine learning are applied to optimize menus for delivery, advertising and search optimization, and overall restaurant operations, though no proprietary models, patents, or named AI research staff are disclosed. The company was founded in 2016 as Not So Dark, rebranded to Clone in 2022, and is led by co-founder and CEO Alexandre Haggai and founder/Chairman Clement Benoit.
Clone (ex Not So Dark) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clone (ex Not So Dark)
- Legal name
- Clone
- Website
- https://getclone.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Clone is a Paris-based food tech company operating 50+ delivery-optimized virtual restaurant brands and low-CAPEX physical franchises, serving independent restaurateurs and franchisees across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain via Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clone (ex Not So Dark) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cloud Kitchen / Virtual Restaurant Franchise Services
- NAICS
- Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Delivery-Only Restaurant Brands (No Dine-In) (THAFAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Licensing & Franchise Virtual Brand Platforms (THAFAJAF)
Keywords
Where Clone (ex Not So Dark) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clone (ex Not So Dark) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Virtual Brand Partnership / Commission: Clone partners with existing restaurant operators who operate Clone's virtual brands on delivery platforms. Clone generates revenue by taking a commission or share of the orders processed through its brands on these platforms. The company also earns from the marketing, platform management, and technology services it provides to partners as part of the 360° solution.
- Franchise Fees and Licensing: Clone recruits franchisees who open physical Clone-branded restaurants. Franchisees pay an entry fee and ongoing royalties in exchange for the brand, turnkey concept, software, marketing support, training, and procurement benefits. The franchise model targets independent operators with a low-CAPEX, controlled investment approach.
- Managed Marketing Services: Clone provides fully managed marketing services to its partners, including content creation, social media management, and national/local campaign execution. This is offered as part of the franchise and virtual brand packages, likely generating additional recurring service revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Franchise model: Turnkey physical restaurant with Clone brand, software, marketing, training, and procurement support. |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual brand integration: No upfront investment, near-zero CAPEX, partners use existing kitchen and equipment. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Clone (ex Not So Dark) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clone creates and operates a portfolio of 50+ market-validated virtual food delivery brands that independent restaurant kitchens integrate to generate incremental delivery revenue with near-zero CAPEX, alongside a low-CAPEX physical franchise program for branded Clone restaurants. The model is enabled by Clone's proprietary restaurant management software, fully managed marketing services, deep integration with Uber Eats and Deliveroo, and a centralized purchasing system (centrale d'achat) that gives partners group-rate pricing on ingredients and packaging.
Product overview
Clone is a next-generation restaurant franchise ecosystem that operates through two models: virtual brands (dark kitchen) and physical franchise locations. The company offers 13 distinct food brands (JFK, Gaïa, Fu King, Fat Smash, Coquillettes, Vegedal, Orgasmeat, Kesmë, 6AM Fried Chicken, Bopy Burgers, Bowlywood, Chichicko, Como Kitchen) spanning multiple verticals including burgers, fried chicken, Asian cuisine, Indian cuisine, Mediterranean bowls, kebab, and plant-based options. The ecosystem is powered by Clone's proprietary software platform providing centralized order management, inventory control, and purchasing for restaurant partners. Virtual brand partners operate 100% for delivery with zero CAPEX, while franchisees open physical locations with turnkey concepts, managed marketing, and comprehensive support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Virtual Restaurant Brand Partnerships (Dark Kitchen Program) Program through which independent restaurant operators integrate one or more Clone-owned virtual brands (e.g., JFK, Orgasmeat, 6AM Fried Chicken, Fu King) into their existing kitchens and operate 100% for delivery on Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Partners receive the brand, menus, recipes, marketing, software, and centralized purchasing in exchange for a revenue share or commission on orders; onboarding is configured to deliver first orders within ~15 days.
- Clone Physical Franchise Program Franchise offering for entrepreneurs and independent operators to open a branded Clone restaurant with a controlled entry ticket, target footprint of 50–120 sqm, turnkey concept, optimized menus, training, fully managed marketing, and access to Clone's proprietary management software. Franchisees pay an entry fee plus ongoing royalties for the brand, technology, and support.
- Clone Restaurant Management Software Platform Proprietary software platform given to Clone partners that aggregates orders from Uber Eats and Deliveroo, manages menus, tracks inventory and supplies, surfaces performance indicators, and includes an integrated purchasing module (centrale d'achat) that lets partners buy food and packaging at group-rate prices. Provided as part of the virtual brand and franchise packages.
- JFK (New York-style Smash Burger brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering a New York-style smash burger menu with crispy patties, signature sauces, and operational simplicity for delivery partners.
- Orgasmeat (Smash Burger brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering smash burgers in multiple size formats with crispy steaks, melty cheese, and signature sauce.
- Fat Smash (Customizable Smash Burger brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand centered on a customizable smash burger with caramelized patty, signature sauces, and melty cheddar.
- Bopy Burgers (American Diner-style Burger brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering American diner-style burgers including Texas BBQ and classic cheeseburger recipes for delivery.
- 6AM Fried Chicken Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering fried chicken tenders, wings, and burgers in sharing buckets or individual portions with a sauce selection.
- Chichicko (K-Pop inspired Fried Chicken brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering K-Pop themed fried chicken tenders with Seoul-style sauces such as sriracha mayo and honey-soy glaze.
- Fu King (Chinese Cuisine brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering Chinese cuisine including wok-tossed noodles, fried rice, and signature dishes for delivery.
- Bowlywood (Indian Cuisine brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering traditional Indian recipes in bowl format with gourmet naan, designed for delivery.
- Como Kitchen (Mediterranean Gourmet Bowls brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering balanced Mediterranean gourmet bowls with cereals, proteins, marinated vegetables, and fresh herbs.
- GaÏa (Levantine Street-food brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering Levantine street food in pita format with fragrant toppings and mezes for delivery.
- Kesmë (Turkish Kebab brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering Turkish kebab in wrap or plate format with authentic flavors and fresh ingredients.
- Vegedal (100% Plant-based Vegan Burger brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering 100% plant-based versions of cult fast-food burgers with matching taste, textures, and sauces.
- Coquillettes (French Comfort Food / Pasta brand) Clone-owned virtual restaurant brand offering ultra-cheesy, gourmet French comfort-food pasta recipes in iconic shapes for delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- First orders received within 15 days of integrating a virtual brand into an existing kitchen
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Clone (ex Not So Dark)
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clone (ex Not So Dark) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Clone (ex Not So Dark) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Uber EatscoreUber Eats is the primary delivery platform through which Clone's partner restaurants fulfill consumer orders. Clone manages platform accounts, configurations, menus, and promotional campaigns on behalf of its restaurant partners. Uber Eats serves as the primary ordering and revenue channel for Clone's virtual brand operations.
- DeliveroocoreDeliveroo is a key delivery platform partner alongside Uber Eats, serving as the primary order fulfillment channel for Clone's virtual brand network. Clone handles technical setup, account management, and promotional optimization on Deliveroo for its partner restaurants.
Scale indicators6 records
Clone (ex Not So Dark) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Taster: Paris-based virtual restaurant brand operator that creates and licenses delivery-only food brands through partner kitchens across Europe. Closely comparable to Clone in geography, business model (virtual brand portfolio + franchise), and target customer (independent restaurants seeking incremental delivery revenue).
- Foodstars: European ghost kitchen operator running delivery-only restaurant brands from centralized kitchens across multiple EU cities. Directly comparable to Clone's virtual brand / dark kitchen model, though Foodstars typically operates owned commissaries rather than integrating into partner kitchens.
- Keatz: Berlin-based ghost kitchen and virtual brand operator serving multiple European cities. Overlaps with Clone on virtual brand portfolio management and delivery-platform-mediated restaurant operations across Europe.
Emerging players
- Karma Kitchen: Earlier-stage European virtual kitchen operator with comparable delivery-only brand model but smaller scale and footprint than Clone. Useful as a directional peer on unit economics and brand portfolio iteration.
Broad incumbents
- CloudKitchens: Travis Kalanick-backed ghost kitchen infrastructure company operating centralized commissary kitchens worldwide. Broader incumbent in the same category as Clone but with a different model (real estate + commissary infrastructure vs. Clone's distributed partner-kitchen approach).
- Kitchen United: US-based ghost kitchen operator (now part of Wendy's/Par Tech-affiliated umbrella) running shared kitchen centers for multiple virtual restaurant brands. Operates in the same category as Clone but primarily in North America with a shared-kitchen (rather than distributed partner-kitchen) model.
- Reef Technology: Multi-vertical urban infrastructure operator that has built one of the largest ghost kitchen and virtual brand networks globally by converting parking garages into delivery kitchens. A broader incumbent with adjacent business lines (mobility, logistics) beyond Clone's focused food brand scope.
- Deliveroo Editions: Deliveroo's in-house dark kitchen concept that leases kitchen space to restaurant operators to run delivery-only brands. Directly competes with Clone's partners for virtual brand mind-share on the Deliveroo platform — same distribution channel but with platform-side control.
- Just Eat Takeaway (virtual brands program): European food delivery marketplace that has launched proprietary virtual brand programs for partner restaurants. A platform-owned competitor to Clone in the virtual brand space, though operating only as one of Clone's potential distribution channels rather than a dedicated virtual brand operator.
Others
- Uber Eats (virtual brands / dark kitchens): Primary delivery platform partner for Clone but also a competitive threat through its own dark kitchen / virtual brand initiatives. Relevant as both a channel and an indirect competitor shaping the long-term economics of the virtual restaurant category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clone (ex Not So Dark) social profiles
Digital presenceClone (ex Not So Dark) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clone (ex Not So Dark) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Clone (ex Not So Dark) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clone (ex Not So Dark) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clone (ex Not So Dark)
What does Clone (ex Not So Dark) do?
Clone creates and operates a portfolio of 50+ market-validated virtual food delivery brands that independent restaurant kitchens integrate to generate incremental delivery revenue with near-zero CAPEX, alongside a low-CAPEX physical franchise program for branded Clone restaurants. The model is enabled by Clone's proprietary restaurant management software, fully managed marketing services, deep integration with Uber Eats and Deliveroo, and a centralized purchasing system (centrale d'achat) that gives partners group-rate pricing on ingredients and packaging.
Is Clone (ex Not So Dark) a public or private company?
Clone (ex Not So Dark) is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Clone (ex Not So Dark) founded?
Clone (ex Not So Dark) was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Clone (ex Not So Dark) based?
Clone (ex Not So Dark) is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Clone (ex Not So Dark) make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Virtual Brand Partnership / Commission is the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Licensing and managed Marketing Services.
Who are Clone (ex Not So Dark)'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Taster, Foodstars and Keatz. Karma Kitchen is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are CloudKitchens, Kitchen United, Reef Technology, Deliveroo Editions and Just Eat Takeaway (virtual brands program). Uber Eats (virtual brands / dark kitchens) is listed as an others.
Does Clone (ex Not So Dark) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clone (ex Not So Dark).
What industry is Clone (ex Not So Dark) in?
Clone (ex Not So Dark)'s product category is Cloud Kitchen / Virtual Restaurant Franchise Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAJAC, Delivery-Only Restaurant Brands (No Dine-In), with a secondary code of THAFAJAF, Licensing & Franchise Virtual Brand Platforms. Its NAICS code is 311991 and its SIC code is 2090.