A world premiere took place in Düsseldorf, Germany: a fully automated robot chef, using artificial intelligence, has started working in a Rewe supermarket to prepare hot meals. This innovation, developed by the startup Circus, aims to address staff shortages in the food service sector and offer customers meals ready in just a few minutes.

The automated culinary module, located behind a glass panel, uses two mechanical arms skillfully handling standard kitchen utensils. The robot can prepare almost any dish — from pasta arrabbiata and lentil curry to pumpkin soup.

Ordering and preparation process:

• The customer selects a dish on a touchscreen.

• The robot independently selects ingredients and cooks the meal.

• The finished meal is delivered to the customer in serving dishes within minutes.

Developers claim that the smart machine can reduce labor costs by up to 95%, allowing a single unit to prepare up to 400 meals continuously. This is seen as a key solution to the severe staff shortage in the food industry following the pandemic.

• Rewe network’s position: Management emphasizes that the robot is an additional service, not a replacement for human staff. Its purpose is to compensate for staff shortages and expand the product range.

• Customer feedback: Early visitors were pleasantly surprised. One customer noted that the curry was “excellent” and much better than expected from an automated system.

If the pilot project succeeds, the robots will be rolled out to three more supermarkets in Düsseldorf and Bonn in the coming months.

ORIENT