A Birmingham-based startup that is attempting to solve staffing shortages in the hospitality industry is moving into Innovation Depot.
A LinkedIn post from Innovation Depot on Feb. 21, revealed the news.
"We're thrilled to welcome our newest tenants, Croux, to the Innovation Depot. We surprised Brett Ables, Kenny Kung (and) Daniel Scroggins with a warm welcome and are looking forward to seeing their business flourish. Join us in celebrating their success and the future of our community," the post read.
Cofounder Jennifer Ryan said the Innovation Depot community supported Croux from its earliest days.
"But beyond the Depot's braintrust and mentorship, it’s the hub of hope and hard work. And when you’re building a business, those are the two things that matter the most," Ryan said.
Lindsey Noto, Croux co-founder and executive chef for Sysco of Alabama, said in a previous BBJ interview that the inspiration for Croux came when five like-minded people with experience in the restaurant industry agreed that limited staffing was an issue they wanted to tackle.
Additional founders included Ryan, founder and CEO of Blueroot; Kung, CTO of Telegraph; Stewart Price, CFO and operating partner of more than 40 Jimmy John’s locations across the Southeast, and Ables, founder of Feast Bham.
Croux is a platform that matches pre-vetted talent with businesses such as restaurants, hotels, breweries or catering companies that have temporary staffing shortages, providing workers the flexibility of a gig economy approach to working in the food-serving and hospitality industry.
The company was founded in January 2021.
Businesses pay a monthly subscription fee to post shifts on the app along with required skills and qualifications, and Croux matches shifts with qualified talent. If the shift is accepted, businesses also pay a service fee.
Croux is open to anyone, Noto said, from college students to retirees.
The company has also received funding from Alabama Launchpad.
