KateringKu — Kitchen Management & Inventory System
ClientKateringKu
Year2025
Stack7 technologies
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Business Challenge
Indonesian catering businesses operate on thin margins with high sensitivity to ingredient cost fluctuations. Most home-scale caterers (serving 20-100 meals/day) manage orders via WhatsApp messages, track inventory in paper notebooks, and calculate costs using mental arithmetic. This leads to over-ordering of perishable ingredients, underpriced menu items, and missed orders due to communication gaps. One caterer we worked with was losing 15% of monthly revenue to unaccounted costs.
## Solution Architecture
Solution Architecture
We built a mobile-first web application designed for kitchen-table use. The core modules include Inventory Management with real-time stock tracking, automated low-stock alerts, and purchase list generation based on upcoming orders. Order Management with customer database, recurring order scheduling, and automated WhatsApp confirmation messages. Production Planning generating prep lists and cooking schedules based on order volume. Cost Calculation tracking per-recipe ingredient costs with automatic margin calculation when ingredient prices change.
## Key Features
Key Features
Inventory tracking with barcode scanning and expiry date management. Order management with WhatsApp Business API integration for automated confirmations. Production planning with automated prep lists and cooking schedules. Cost calculation with per-recipe margin analysis and ingredient price fluctuation alerts. Delivery coordination with route planning for multiple daily deliveries. Customer management with order history, preferences, and dietary restrictions.
## Technology Stack
Technology Stack
Next.js PWA for mobile-first progressive web app with offline support. Node.js with Express.js backend. PostgreSQL for transactional data. Redis for caching and session management. WhatsApp Business API integration. Docker containers on a VPS with automated backups.
## Results
Results
Food waste reduced by 35% through demand-driven purchasing. Revenue increased 25% through accurate cost-based pricing. Order errors reduced by 90% moving from WhatsApp to structured order management. Administrative time reduced from 3 hours/day to 30 minutes/day. Platform adopted by 150+ catering businesses across Jabodetabek.