French food company and facilities management firm Sodexo has rolled out spatial intelligence features for its first Australian autonomous shop.

Opened on Friday, the new shop is located in a Rio Tinto mining village in Western Australia and features frictionless shopping experiences and use of advanced camera systems and an intelligence (AI) technology that helps track items picked up by shoppers.

The technology was implemented in collaboration with AiFi, a technology company which provides camera-based spatial intelligence solutions. Its platform creates a real-time 3D digital twin of physical spaces, enabling businesses to track people and objects, optimise layouts and improve the overall customer experience.

Spatial intelligence technology is used in a range of environments, including retail shops, stadiums and airports. The technology combines artificial intelligence (AI) with spatial data analysis and visualisation techniques to enables machines to interact with the physical world in a more intelligent and meaningful way.

Sodexo said in on LinkedIn post that the new shop’s launch was celebrated with a number of activities: "We officially launched Australia's first remote autonomous store, and it was smiles all around. From chatting with residents about the cutting-edge technology behind the store to soaking in the great vibes brought by the Red Bull DJ spinning some awesome tunes, it was a grand opening to remember."

It added: "To make the day even sweeter, we ran a draw where five lucky residents scored gift cards to enjoy shopping at the store - congrats to the winners! Plus, the freebies (thanks to Red Bull and Coca-Cola) and delicious snacks made sure no one left empty handed. We're excited to bring more choices, more convenience, and happier residents."

In January, the company announced it would launch 100 ‘Food-hive’ community-oriented campus convenience stores in the US by 2026.

The stores are designed to provide a cashless payments experience with a community focus, aiming to support local partners and minority- and women-owned businesses by featuring their products and other healthy options for students, the company said.

“We know that Gen Z prefers shopping experiences that support their community while getting what they want as fast as possible with frictionless checkout,” said Sodexo campus head of marketing, Drew Nannis in January. “Food Hive delivers just that, fuelling stronger campus communities and providing the convenience today’s students need.”

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