Traditional pizza makers may have just met their match.
A Seattle firm has unveiled an assembly-line-style food production robotic platform that is capable of making 300 pizzas an hour.
An empty crust is loaded onto the conveyor belt and using computer vision, configurable equipment and deep learning, the robot adds desired toppings and bakes the pie to perfection.
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A Seattle firm has unveiled an assembly-line-style food production robotic platform that is capable of making 300 pizzas an hour
The robotic pizza maker was developed by Picnic, which designs food production technology and Robotics-as-a-Service solutions.
‘We are defining the new standard for food preparation and offer the only pizza automation platform supporting mass customization,’ said Picnic CEO Clayton Wood.
‘Picnic enables food service operators to eliminate many current pain points and address evolving consumer tastes.’
The platform will initially focus on the production of high-volume, customizable pizzas, made with any kind of ingredients, consistently and sequentially, at a rate of up to 180 18” or 300 12” pizzas per hour.
Because it uses modular in the pizza making process, business that purchase the robot have the ability to customize each pie that is made.
An empty crust is placed on the conveyor belt then a human worker inputs the specifications of the pie – such as size of the pizza and desired toppings.
The crust then goes through the assembly, starting with the sauce, then cheese and toppings and finally, the pie is baked to perfection.
An empty crust is loaded onto the conveyor belt and using computer vision, configurable equipment and deep learning, the robot bakes and adds desired toppings for a perfect pie
And because this pizza making robot does not require an oversized industrial arm, workers can work alongside the machine with no safety concerns
‘We always seek to be on the cutting edge, when it comes to AI, robotics and identifying new technological solutions that enable us to provide a better experience for our fans,’ said Adrian Dishington, Senior Vice President, Centerplate.
‘We are happy to roll out a pilot of the Picnic pizza-making technology in our kitchens, as we look to enhance our quality and speed of service.
‘Technology that enables employees to be more successful will influence the guest experience at ballgames, concerts and all types of events moving forward.’
And because this pizza making robot does not require an oversized industrial arm, workers can work alongside the machine with no safety concerns.
Picnic will deliver, install and maintain the system, and provide platform and software updates for a monthly fee with no money upfront. The company can also provide custom design software solutions for operators to integrate with existing point-of-sale and ordering systems
Pizza industry experts and food innovators agree that Picnic can transform the pizza landscape and help food operators better succeed. Human workers use accompanied software to input the desired size and toppings of the pizza
Picnic will deliver, install and maintain the system, and provide platform and software updates for a monthly fee with no money upfront. The company can also provide custom design software solutions for operators to integrate with existing point-of-sale and ordering systems.
‘The assembly system is extremely flexible and painless to set up. It’s safe to work around, takes little space to operate and only minimal training is required,’ said Aaron Roberts, Co-CEO of Zaucer Pizza.
‘Their technology’s secret sauce will make our pizza production process more efficient and business more competitive.’
The platform will initially focus on the production of high-volume, customizable pizzas, made with any kind of ingredients, consistently and sequentially, at a rate of up to 180 18” or 300 12” pizzas per hour
‘Having Picnic’s capabilities in our kitchens makes me confident we can navigate future market dynamics and better manage our resources.’
Pizza industry experts and food innovators agree that Picnic can transform the pizza landscape and help food operators better succeed.
‘Consistency of product is a food operator’s biggest indicator for re-occurring business,’ added Kati Fritz-Jung, former VP of Research, Development and Quality Assurance at Little Caesars.
‘Picnic’s breakthrough pizza platform will ensure ongoing convenience and consistency of food quality for consumers. Operators will exponentially increase the ability to attract new customers and keep them coming back for more.’
