Delivery service leader DoorDash is reportedly buying Chowbotics, a California-based automated food preparation company. As part of the DoorDash platform, Chowbotics technology will be used to help DoorDash merchants expand menu offerings and reach new customers without investing in entirely new stores.
The salad robotics company was founded in 2014 as business-to-business food preparation service. Its headline product is Sally the Fresh Food Robot, which functions like a vending machine to create custom salads, bowls, cereals and snacks.
See it in action here.
Chowbotics differentiates its food robot from traditional vending machines noting that robots prepare made-to-order meals or snacks, and enable patrons to make customizable ingredient and portion selections. Sally the Fresh Food Robot, for instance, enables ingredients to be prepped right where they are served. Food robots enable onsite food preparation, increasing culinary control and maximizing freshness.
In a blog post, DoorDash general manager Penn Daniel wrote: “…while salad bars, vending machines, and even automats may sound familiar, Chowbotics has successfully built and commercialized a product that provides made-to-order fresh meals at the touch of a button. And it’s not just theoretical. Chowbotics has deployed its product to hundreds of locations, including universities, hospitals, and grocery stores…”
