Key Takeaways
- Travis Kalanick’s CloudKitchens is developing a restaurant automation venture called Lab37, featuring its first robot, Bowl Builder.
- Bowl Builder, capable of producing hundreds of bowls daily, is undergoing successful trials, boosting revenue at participating locations.
- Lab37 is targeting partnerships with ghost kitchen operators, including Salted, to expand its robotic solutions in the food industry.
CloudKitchens Ventures into Food Automation with Lab37
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has shifted focus from ride-sharing to revolutionizing the food industry through his ghost kitchen enterprise, CloudKitchens. Under the umbrella of City Storage Systems (CSS), Kalanick is now developing a robotics business called Lab37, which aims to enhance restaurant operations.
Lab37 recently introduced its inaugural product, the Bowl Builder, a robot designed for assembling food bowls. This NSF-certified machine operates within a 20-foot by 9-foot space and can produce multiple bowl variations throughout the day. The innovative robot employs a conveyor system with 18 different dispensers for ingredients and sauces, completing the bowl assembly process efficiently and preparing for pickup.
Led by Eric Meyhofer, a seasoned executive with a background in self-driving technology at Uber, Lab37 is based in a dedicated facility near Pittsburgh. This location features various operational areas, including research and development kitchens and testing labs, where the Bowl Builder was conceived and trialed.
The Bowl Builder has already been tested within CSS’s Hungry Group, an initiative focused on exploring the future of dining through technology and diverse culinary options. Early trials have shown promising results, with participating locations noting significant revenue growth. Plans are in place to expand these trials to additional CloudKitchens sites in the coming months.
One prospective client for Lab37’s technology is Salted, a bowl-food startup that has gained traction through the ghost kitchen model. The company, which maintains some physical locations, intends to prioritize growth via ghost kitchens, a strategy aligning with Lab37’s offerings.
Notably, the emergence of Lab37 follows recent developments with competitors like Remy Robotics, which are also delving into automation solutions for the U.S. food market. Remy has launched its own robotic model, debuting under its virtual restaurant brand, Better Days, in New York City.
The establishment of Lab37 reflects Kalanick’s enduring ambition to innovate within traditional industries. Much like his journey with Uber, this new venture involves reimagining existing models—this time in restaurants—and providing enabling technologies that cater to evolving consumer demands. By creating a long-term vision for food automation, Kalanick aims to reshape how dining services operate, leveraging technology as a fundamental element of the restaurant experience.
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