- The company's cobots (collaborative robots) are assisting crew
members in Chipotle restaurants for the first time
- Through its Cultivate Next venture fund, Chipotle has invested
in Vebu, a product development company that has co-created
Autocado, and Hyphen, a foodservice platform that automates kitchen
operations and has co-developed Chipotle's Augmented Makeline
NEWPORT
BEACH, Calif., Sept. 16,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:
CMG) announced today Autocado, its avocado processing cobotic
prototype developed in partnership with Vebu that cuts, cores,
and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the
restaurant's signature guacamole, and the Augmented Makeline, a
cobotic makeline built in collaboration with Hyphen, are being
tested in Chipotle restaurants for the first time. Autocado is
currently operating at Chipotle's Huntington Beach, Calif. location at 20972
Magnolia St and the Augmented Makeline is being utilized at the
company's Corona del Mar (CDM),
Calif. location at 3050 East Coast Hwy.
Photos and B-roll video of Autocado and the Augmented Makeline
can be accessed here:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/kjcz5fjv6xun2l7z8zygm/ANVzEjOguvkF172YcyMhlp0?rlkey=00jmgufel1ku0fzftwckse5i0&st=dkaus6e0&dl=0.
"These cobotic devices could help us build a stronger
operational engine that delivers a great experience for our team
members and our guests while maintaining Chipotle's high culinary
standards," said Curt Garner, Chief
Customer and Technology Officer. "Optimizing our use of these
systems and incorporating crew and customer feedback are the next
steps in the stage-gate process before determining their broader
pilot plans."
Autocado Continues Through the Stage-Gate Process
Vebu and Chipotle worked closely with Certified
Training Managers from Chipotle's restaurants to analyze the
company's preparation process and identify tasks that are time
consuming and less favorable among crew members. In the
Huntington Beach restaurant where
Autocado is operating, crew members can focus on assisting with
other food prep items and delivering exceptional hospitality to
guests while Autocado cuts avocados, removes their skin, and
separates their fruit through an automated process. On average, it
takes Autocado approximately 26 seconds to fully flesh out the
fruit inside an avocado. In Chipotle locations across the
U.S., Canada, and Europe this year, the company is
expected to use approximately 5.18 million cases of avocados,
equivalent to 129.5 million pounds of fruit.
The current iteration of Autocado features an updated design and
size agnostic avocado processing abilities, meaning that the
machine recognizes variability in the fruit and automatically
adjusts itself to accommodate the size of the avocados being
loaded.
Enhancing Digital Ordering with the Augmented
Makeline
Chipotle's Augmented Makeline, created in collaboration with
Hyphen, uses automated technology to build bowls and salads while
Chipotle employees operate the top makeline to make burritos,
tacos, quesadillas, and kid's meals. Approximately 65% of all
Chipotle digital orders are bowls or salads, so the Augmented
Makeline can improve employee efficiency and digital order
accuracy, ensuring a more consistent experience for digital guests.
Cultivate Next
Chipotle has invested in Vebu and
Hyphen through its $100 million
Cultivate Next venture fund. Introduced in 2022, Cultivate Next
makes early-stage investments into strategically aligned companies
that further Chipotle's mission to Cultivate a Better World and
help accelerate the company's aggressive longer term growth plans
to operate 7,000 restaurants in North America.
Companies interested in collaborating with Chipotle through the
Cultivate Next venture fund can apply by emailing
cultivatenext@chipotle.com.
About Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
(NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly
sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients
without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. There are over
3,500 restaurants as of June 30,
2024, in the United States,
Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Kuwait and it is the only restaurant company
of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants in
North America and Europe. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500
and is recognized on Fortune's Most Admired Companies 2024 list and
Time Magazine's Most Influential Companies. With over 120,000
employees passionate about providing a great guest experience,
Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry.
Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to
everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose
as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business
practices. For more information or to place an order online, visit
www.chipotle.com.
About Vebu
Vebu is a full stack Automation,
Robotics, and Intelligence company focused on building technology
solutions for and with the broad food industry. With a partner
driven team of experts spanning engineering, robotics, artificial
intelligence, and product development, Vebu is building products to
help humans do more. Vebulabs.com.
About Hyphen
Hyphen is a foodservice platform
designed to help restaurant owners, operators, and budding chefs
move their business forward by automating kitchen operations. Visit
Usehyphen.com for more information on Hyphen and its team.
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SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill
