Chowbotics and Bonduelle have come together to form the brand ‘Cabaletta’ for deployment in Europe. This means that 'Sally the fresh food robot' is set to make her European debut.
After the robot was rigorously tested and endorsed last November, Bonduelle made a commitment to deploying several robots at their food service outlets. The robots will also be deployed in several offices at some of the big companies around Lille, as well as a business school and a self-service family restaurant.
The move is part of Bonduelle’s mission to both innovate and diversify. Focusing on “well-living” through plant-based food, Bonduelle products are sold in over 100 countries and are grown over more than 1,300 km² worldwide.
"After visiting the Chowbotics office in Silicon Valley a year ago, I knew Sally the Robot could be the perfect solution to several challenges with salad bars including contamination of ingredients and accessibility," said Bonduelle Group R&D Director, Patrick Lesueur. "We are excited to embark on this journey with Chowbotics, as they have delivered a very promising platform."
Like its transatlantic cousin Sally, Cabaletta is able to operate 24/7 and will offer salads custom made from a combination of 20 ingredients, as well as pre-programmed recipes from human chefs. Users can also choose to add or remove ingredients, fine-tuning their calorie total and having access to full nutritional details.
Industryeurope.com reports that the technology will help in reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses by ensuring the ingredients are kept sanitary and separate. Ingredients will be regularly replenished and contained within the robot, greatly reducing contamination risk.