4,000 employees returning to work at Ocado’s headquarters are receiving fresh, personalised lunches cooked by food service robot Semblr.

According to Karakuri, the UK-based tech company which develops the robot, the Ocado roll-out is the first ever installation of foodservice robotics in a large, high-volume catering environment.

In 2019, Ocado acquired a minority stake in the robotics start-up.

With 2,700 different combinations of the dishes on offer, customers can specify down to the gram what hot and cold items, proteins, sauces and fresh toppings are included.

“Ocado and Karakuri share a vision of automating key elements within the food value chain; this
real-life installation is an exciting and long-anticipated moment,” said Stewart McGuire, head of corporate development and strategy at Ocado Group. “Karakuri is developing systems
that sit at the intersection of food, people and technology, and we are delighted to help make their vision a reality.

“As demonstrated by us opening up our canteen, our investment goes beyond financial support, and this 'living lab' gives Karakuri a way for them to perform stress-tests in a production environment. Plus, we get to give our staff a sneak peek at the potential future of food service.”

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