Chipotle has collaborated with robotics startup Vebu Labs to develop an Autocado robot

 

Chipotle has collaborated with robotics startup Vebu Labs to develop an Autocado robot that can efficiently cut, core, and peel avocados for their guacamole.  This innovative technology is expected to reduce guacamole preparation time by half, from about 50 minutes to a significantly shorter duration. The $50M venture arm of Chipotle, Cultivate Next, also disclosed on Wednesday that it had invested in Vebu.  Due to a labor crisis in the restaurant business, interest in robots and automation has surged. The Autocado can process up to 25 pounds of avocados by slicing, coring, and peeling them, allowing employees to hand mash and mix them with other guacamole ingredients easily. Chipotle will test the Autocado at its restaurants later this year to cut food waste, labor costs, and waiting times. Sweetgreen has opened a fully automated location in Naperville, Illinois, while Starbucks is investing in coffee-making equipment to reduce barista work, and fast-food chains like Carl's Jr. are using AI software to take drive-thru orders.