O uso do território como recurso: o fenômeno das "dark kitchens" em Belo Horizonte - MG

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in commercial activities conducted through apps. As a result, companies, commonly known as digital platforms, have become part of the daily lives of a large segment of the global population, operating in sectors such as individual transportation, real estate, food, retail, among others. In this study, we highlight the central role of corporations dedicated to the sale of meals through delivery, which gained prominence, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In Brazil, this is evidenced by the operations of the company iFood, which leads the meal delivery app market, expanding throughout the country’s major cities and becoming a common part of many Brazilians' routines, to the point that the act of “ordering food for delivery” is often referred to as “ordering an iFood.” It is in this context that a new business model has emerged to optimize delivery sales and, consequently, expand the profits of food industry companies in urban spaces: dark kitchens. This model operates as logistical centers for meal distribution in areas with the highest demand for orders in cities, providing the logistical infrastructure necessary for food to reach the final consumer in the expected conditions. Thus, the objective of this dissertation is to identify and analyze the spatial distribution of dark kitchens in Belo Horizonte (MG). To achieve this, the research aims, based on a literature review, to analyze the key variables that underpin the current period—the information, the use of technique, and logistical rationality—and which bring about changes in contemporary society. Empirically, a web scraping procedure was carried out on the iFood delivery platform, extracting addresses of restaurants listed in its catalog. After filtering this data, 34 addresses were analyzed through fieldwork to observe the architecture and operation of these establishments. As a result of the research, the typology of restaurants dedicated solely to delivery was observed, including: i) global capital dark kitchens; ii) local capital dark kitchens; and iii) deliveryonly restaurants. Therefore, locational advantages of dark kitchens in Belo Horizonte were identified, establishing them near high-income areas and major roadways in the city.