Automation technology helps robots cook the perfect pizza
Carissa De Santis is the Chief Technology Officer for Brix Holdings, a multi-brand franchising and restaurant management company, based in Dallas, Texas. Brix Holdings has teamed up with L2F for a culinary innovation: pizza made by robots. Tom Kunkel is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at L2F and he enjoys sharing the wonders of technology with young minds.
“We often have youth visiting the Dallas Innovation kitchens and it's a great opportunity to show them what a mechanical engineer, electrical engineer or software engineer can accomplish. It's important to demonstrate that engineering is a cool and fascinating field.”
Naturally, the combination of robots and pizza has caught their attention.
Kitchen innovations with automated automation
L2F has pioneered the use of collaborative robotics.
“Collaborative robots, also known as “cobots”, are automated robots specifically designed to work harmoniously and safely alongside human workers in a shared workspace,” says De Santis.
The robots excel at complementing the intelligence and problem-solving capabilities of their human counterparts. The precision, reliability and repeatability of collaborative robots are engineered to enhance the overall productivity.
Pizza Jukebox is an innovative new concept that L2F has developed, introducing a one-of-a-kind automated pizza-making robot. This technology not only delivers delicious pizzas, but also provides an interactive experience that guests will remember long after their visit.
“We take pride in offering something truly unique—a robot that crafts delectable pizzas with impeccable precision,” says De Santis. “It serves as a source of entertainment for the entire family, making dining at Pizza Jukebox an extraordinary experience. We are thrilled to be launching this exceptional brand.”
Automated solutions for the food sector
The PizzaBot - a vital component of Pizza Jukebox - operates as a highly automated solution.
“We take an existing proven Red Mango concept for smoothies, add the PizzaBot™ technology that leverages robotics and automation to offer pizza without the need to add additional labour,” explains De Santis.
“It precisely measures and dispenses each ingredient, ensuring consistent placement and quantity with every pizza,” Kunkel says. “The beauty of automation lies in its ability to maintain recipe accuracy. Once the desired recipe is dialled in, the machine and the robot are programmed to deliver pizzas cooked in the same manner, within the same timeframe, every single time.”
This guarantees two key benefits: Firstly, customers can enjoy consistently delicious pizzas and second, operators benefit from predictable execution, encompassing factors such as cost, production time and inventory management.
According to Kunkel, using automation and robotics, like the Pizza jukebox concept, it requires less labour and minimises waste in the process, thereby increasing profits with lower labour and food costs.
In their partnership, L2F and Brix aim to combine the strengths of both worlds to create new and innovative food concepts.
“Brix specialises in multi-brand franchising, offering superior products in the Better for You segments,” explains Kunkel. “Their mission is to provide exceptional franchise opportunities and they have a proven track record in successfully running and launching new concepts.
Meanwhile, L2F brings extensive experience in automation and robotics, with a particular focus on food automation.”
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