Aramark Healthcare+ is betting big on robotic foodservice.
The foodservice provider, along with ABB Robotics and WellSpan Health, has invested in technology company RoboEatz to bring a robotic bowl concept to the hospitals it serves.
Taking up 400-square-feet, the Autonomous Robotic Kitchen (ARK) uses a robotic arm to grab ingredients from bins to prepare four customized bowls at a time. Up to 80 fresh ingredients can be loaded into the machine. Customers can place their orders via app or kiosk.
Aramark Healthcare+ officials say the technology will help provide a meal option to hospital staff working overnight shifts.
“We are impressed with the performance of this technology in our pilot testing and excited to begin offering it to our hospital partners,” said Bart Kaericher, president and CEO of Aramark Healthcare+, in a statement. “ARK is intended to complement our current workforce by streamlining operations and boosting efficiency and access, particularly for hospital staff during late night hours.”
Healthcare dining teams have been increasingly turning to tech to provide hospital staff with 24/7 access to meals.
Some hospitals are installing smart vending machines which can offer everything from lattes to ramen, while others are opening 24-7 c-stores that use AI to allow customers to enter the store, pick up the items they want to purchase and then leave without ever having to physically check out.
