Startup Rolo Robotics has recently introduced Singapore’s first fully autonomous food vending unit or what its CEO Ravi Nahappan termed more suitably as ‘kiosk kitchens’ where food is freshly-prepared by the robotic arm which does the frying, mixing and serving with no human intervention.
According to Ravi, “We see our proprietary hardware and software solutions more as fully functioning kitchens freshly preparing food rather than as vending machines. However, the smaller footprint and unmanned nature do share similar commercial attributes to that of a vending machine.”
The introduction of a kiosk kitchen (food vending) is timely as it aims to solve many of the financial and operational challenges facing the restaurant industry globally. These include high rentals, high labor costs, less people looking to work in the industry and the challenge of maintaining consistency in food products. Ravi said, “We believe that automation, robotics, and AI will help restaurants scale and keep prices low for consumers as well.”
Prior to the launch of ‘kiosk kitchen’, Rolo Robotics face numerous challenges associated with R&D as well as in terms of reliability and subsequent development. The cost of prototyping has also been challenging but this has been mitigated with 3D printing. Ravi attributed the company’s team composition as well as strong partnerships with companies like igus® to facilitate knowledge transfer and speed to market for the ‘kiosk kitchen’ model.
For a start, the first model will focus on fried products like finger foods and beverage dispensing. However, Rolo Robotic’s system design architecture enables it to roll out new products fairly quickly for different customers. Ravi mentioned that for a kiosk kitchen to break-even, it needs to sell on average 20 to 30 meals daily.
The ‘kiosk kitchen’ model is suitable for businesses that intend to keep their costs low, scale fast and reach markets that they may not be able to operate as a full-service restaurants. He added, “Given our robotics as a service model, the upfront costs are also kept low as it is a subscription-based pricing model.”
The ‘kiosk kitchen’ model aims to address the numerous paint points faced by the food services segment from high staff turnover to rising food prices as well as addressing inconsistent quality of prepared food.
The first ‘kiosk kitchen’ (food vending) by Rolo Robotics will be unveiled at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in October this year. On average, a typical kiosk model will take approximately 4 minutes to prepare a meal ordered by a customer. Ravi envisioned its potential application with enterprise clients and SMEs across the 4 following target segments:
- Micro Communities – Highly residential areas, Factories
- Mobility – Metros, Airports, Train Stations
- Convenience Retail – Convenience Stores, Petrol Stations
- Education and Healthcare – Universities, Schools, hospitals
(Yap see attached photo under Rolo Robotics Team…please caption ‘Mr Tushar Mohan, CTO (2nd from left) and Mr Ravi Nahappan, CEO (far right) with the Rolo Robotics Team showcasing their kiosk kitchen model at FHA Food & Beverage 2024 event in Singapore’
igus® contribution to the kiosk kitchen model
igus is one of the partners engaged by Rolo Robotics in the development of the kiosk kitchen (food vending). Ryan Ong, Product Manager at igus® Singapore Pte Ltd said, “The demand for vending has significantly increased in recent years. Previously, vending machines were limited to simple products, such as freezers for dispensing drinks or ovens for heating frozen meals. However, with evolving consumer demands, vending systems also need to evolve to meet these consumer needs.
igus® parts and components address this demand, particularly in its ability to withstand sudden temperature changes from -20°C to cooking temperatures. The need for bearing solutions that meet these requirements is crucial, especially those that do not contaminate food. igus® products fulfill all these criteria, perfectly catering to the industry’s growing demands.”
igus® linear actuators and entire product line offers exceptional lubrication-free and low-maintenance performance. These features ensure that customers can rely on the system to function effectively, even in remote areas where maintenance may be limited or overlooked.
Andrew Tan, igus® Team Lead added, “As a supplier for Rolo Robotics, igus® has successfully met their orders in less than the standard lead time due to the urgency of the ‘kiosk kitchen’ project, thereby ensuring its success.”
Ryan is optimistic of the ‘kiosk kitchen’ vending concept introduced by Rolo Robotics as 24-hour ‘on-demand’ freshly prepared food is rising in popularity due to changing social norms and eating habits.
However, in regions where food prices are relatively affordable, challenges remain with pricing, speed of dispensing and food quality. This new vending concept could serve regions in Asia with limited access to fresh food (hawkers/dining-out areas) as long as there is adequate access to water and electricity.
For more information, click on: igus Singapore Pte Ltd
