Serve Robotics Acquires Vebu to Expand Kitchen Automation

Serve Robotics, the company behind autonomous robot delivery, said it acquired Vebu, the developer behind the innovative Autocado robot that automates avocado preparation for restaurants. The acquisition strengthens Serve Robotics’ offerings through advanced kitchen automation within its portfolio, which will now allow the company to push deeper into back-of-house operations and address operational challenges within the restaurant industry.

The Autocado, introduced in 2023, was designed to autonomously cut, core, and peel avocados and is already being tested in pilot programs at Chipotle Mexican Grill locations. Currently, the robot is in a pilot phase at Chipotle’s Huntington Beach, California, restaurant, where it has shown significant efficiency improvements. According to Chipotle, the Autocado cuts prep time for guacamole by as much as 50%, allowing kitchen staff to focus on other tasks while improving overall workflow.

The introduction of the Autocado robot marks the beginning of a broader strategy by Chipotle to explore the use of collaborative kitchen robots, or “cobots,” to drive operational efficiencies. In particular, the robots are designed to alleviate some of the strain caused by ongoing labor shortages and the rising cost of human labor in the restaurant industry. This vision aligns with Serve Robotics’ goal to bring more automation into the kitchen environment, enhancing productivity and reducing reliance on human workers for repetitive tasks.

Serve Robotics views the acquisition of Vebu as a key move to enhance its market position. The company plans to integrate Vebu’s cutting-edge kitchen automation solutions with its existing portfolio of autonomous delivery services. Serve Robotics is currently partnered with several leading brands, including Shake Shack and 7-Eleven, and has recently expanded its delivery footprint through a partnership with Wing Aviation. By adding Vebu’s technology, Serve Robotics will be able to provide more comprehensive automation solutions that meet a wider array of operational needs within the restaurant industry.

“Adding Vebu’s pioneering kitchen automation capabilities to our autonomous delivery offering uniquely positions us to solve the restaurant industry’s labor shortages through robotics and AI,” says Ali Kashani, Serve Robotics’ CEO and co-founder. “This acquisition further exemplifies our focus on operational efficiency for our partners, as well as furthering national chain restaurant partnerships.

The Autocado, deployed in Chipotle restaurants with great success, represents how robotics can optimize the back of the house, ultimately enhancing efficiency. This means the robot’s ability to automate the avocado preparation is only one step toward robots being used in food service and that Chipotle is indeed interested in extending the use of automation across its business, improving efficiency even more with the difficulty in labor. The introduction of the Autocado and similar technology will put Serve Robotics on the frontline in the drive to assist restaurants streamline kitchen operations and reduce the overall cost of operations.

Founding Chief Executive Officer at Vebu Buck Jordan will take up a senior vice president position of Kitchen Automation at Serve Robotics. Jordan will head the Vebu team and will be in charge of further developing the Autocado robot with new innovation ideas that will shape the future of kitchen automation. This acquisition also opens more growth opportunities for Serve Robotics since the company aims to join hands with more restaurant chains and scale its operations in more cities in the United States.

“Serve Robotics shares our vision for a future where automation and AI revolutionize the restaurant industry, helping operators overcome staffing and efficiency challenges,” said Buck Jordan. “We are thrilled to join the Serve team and continue to drive innovation in the kitchen automation space.”

In the future, Serve Robotics is expanding its offerings into the foodservice market to provide even more options in automation. The company will collaborate with more national restaurant chains on its growth strategy to service the changing needs of that industry. Serve Robotics sees an opportunity to deliver both front- and back-of-house solutions for restaurants in one end-to-end technology platform by integrating Vebu’s kitchen automation technology and its autonomous delivery services.

source: iotworldtoday