News Briefs

Chipotle Mexican Grill  announced Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant’s guacamole. The prototype, developed in collaboration with Vebu, is currently being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine, California. 

How It Works 

1. A team member loads Autocado with a full case of ripe avocados and selects the size setting. Autocado can hold up to 25 lbs. of avocados at once.
2. One at a time, avocados are vertically oriented, then transferred to the processing device.
3. The avocados are sliced in half. Their cores and skin are automatically removed, and the waste is discarded. 
4. The fruit is safely collected in a stainless-steel bowl in the bottom of the device. 
5. A team member removes the bowl of avocado fruit and moves it to the counter where they add additional ingredients and hand mash the avocados to make Chipotle’s signature guacamole. 

Autocado’s Origin Story 

Vebu worked closely with Certified Training Managers from Chipotle’s restaurants to analyze the company’s preparation process and identify tasks that are time consuming and less favorable among crew members. Chipotle currently has individuals dedicated to cutting, coring, and scooping avocados. On average, it takes approximately 50 minutes to make a batch of guacamole. 

 

• Chipotle’s VP Talks Transformative Tech 

Autocado’s Potential Impact
The Vebu team is aiming to improve the device’s processing speeds, which could ultimately reduce guacamole prep time by 50%, allowing Chipotle employees to focus on serving guests and providing great hospitality. In restaurants across the U.S., Canada, and Europe this year, the company is expected to use approximately 4.5 million cases of avocados, equivalent to more than 100 million pounds of fruit. In support of Chipotle’s sustainability initiatives and waste reduction efforts, Autocado also aims to increase avocado fruit yield through precision processing, which could lead to millions of dollars in annual food cost savings if the cobot is successfully developed and deployed widely.

“We are committed to exploring collaborative robotics to drive efficiencies and ease pain points for our employees,” said Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer at Chipotle. “The intensive labor of cutting, coring, and scooping avocados could be relieved with Autocado, but we still maintain the essential culinary experience of hand mashing and hand preparing the guacamole to our exacting standards.” 

Integration of AI and Machine Learning  

Vebu is developing an artificial intelligence and machine learning stack to be connected to all its robotic solutions, where applicable. The goal is for future iterations of Autocado to use machine learning and sensor fusion to evaluate the quality of the avocados and quantify waste reduction as well as the efficiency of the cutting, coring, and peeling processes.

Cultivate Next 

Chipotle is investing in Vebu as part of Cultivate Next, the company’s $50 million venture fund that intends to make early-stage investments into strategically aligned companies that further its mission to Cultivate a Better World and help accelerate its aggressive growth plans. As a people-first company, Chipotle is seeking opportunities that will elevate the human experience for its teams as well as increase access and convenience for its guests. Investments may include innovations in farming and supply chain, advanced robotics, alternative proteins, and more.

Through Cultivate Next, Chipotle has previously invested in Hyphen, a foodservice platform designed to help restaurant owners, operators, and budding chefs move their business forward by automating kitchen operations. Hyphen’s first product, The Makeline, is being tested as a system that uses advanced software and robotics to automate meal production for all digital orders under the counter while allowing staff to assemble in-house orders from the top of the counter.

Chippy 

In addition to Autocado, Chipotle is currently testing Chippy, an autonomous kitchen assistant that integrates culinary traditions with artificial intelligence to make tortilla chips, in a Fountain Valley, Calif., restaurant. 

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Steak n Shake will offer PopID Check In and PopPay on its self-ordering kiosks in select locations in the Orlando market, with plans to expand to more than 300 corporate locations. PopID Check In is an opt-in service that enables consumers to scan their face to automatically sign into their loyalty reward account and see their past orders, making the ordering process as convenient as possible. When a guest checks in with PopID, they also have the option to use PopPay to automatically complete their payment.

• 57% of respondents say enabling new payment options is a  top business driver impacting POS upgrade decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

“Our partnership with PopID is a key part of our effort to provide guests with a fast and seamless ordering experience," said Keith Correia, Chief Information Officer. "When using PopID Check In, a guest does not need to use their phone or take out their wallet as part of the ordering process. They will automatically be checked in for loyalty rewards, and they can choose to make an automated payment with PopPay. A guest can even see their past orders and quickly reorder their favorite menu items. Ordering at Steak n Shake has never been easier or more convenient.”

In addition to enhancing the guest experience and improving order throughput, PopPay helps to reduce fraud and offers lower payment processing fees.

Knowland, a provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, reports June meeting and event volume is up 30.3 percent over June 2022. This data is sourced from Knowland’s sales intelligence platform designed to help hoteliers build and protect a hotel’s revenue base.

The top 25 markets in the U.S. are 90 percent recovered for year-to-date June 2023 performance compared to 2019. Austin, TX, and Nashville, TN, were the stars, with growth topping 74 percent and 42 percent, respectively. This reflects the return of seasonal events to these markets known for big music, art, and entertainment. Both venues offer amenities that groups need for work and play - including several new hotels on the horizon, growing nonstop flight options, and some of the most unique meeting spaces in the country. When the work is done, meeting attendees enjoy a balance of the environment, local flair restaurants, live music, and entertainment, which make these cities popular destinations with meeting planners.

• Year-over-year comparison – June 2023 event volume increased 30.3 percent over June 2022.  
• Top five markets (by event volume) – Chicago led the top 25 markets, hosting National Association meetings followed by Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology. The following four markets, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Washington D.C., San Diego, and Anaheim-Santa Ana rounded out the top five. Below is additional insight into the top drivers for these markets.
  • Chicago, IL: National Association, Pharma/Biotech, Wedding, HealthCare, and Technology.
  • Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA: Education, National Association, Training/Education, Entertainment/Media, and Charity/Non-Profit/Social.
  • Washington, DC-MD-VA:  National Association, Travel, Charity/Non-Profit/Social, Education, Federal Government Agency.
  • San Diego, CA: National Association, Wedding, Education, Training/Education, and Charity/Non-Profit/Social.
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana, CA: Wedding, Financial/Banking, Technology, Training/Education, and National Association.
• Top markets (by percentage growth) – The top overall U.S. markets by year-over-year growth in meetings and events were Michigan South; Delaware; Kansas; and Mobile, AL.

About the Data: This data is provided to help hoteliers still building momentum gain insight into the top locations selected by today’s meeting planners. This information about the leading industry drivers provides a clear picture of those groups that are returning to the meeting and event space. Insights presented are a result of the analysis of meetings and events data acquired through Knowland data collection and aggregation methods, including field reporting and automated methods of customer and non-customer data collection in primary, secondary, and tertiary markets, as well as its large historical database.

IDeaS, a SAS company, a provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, has announced that Starhotels will deploy IDeaS’ G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) to improve revenue generation and forecasting at 28 of its properties across Italy and the UK.  The rollout will allow Starhotels’ properties to compete equally with international brands backed by advanced technology and strong revenue management practices.

Starhotels has been historically a leader and always adopted an explorer role to ensure being ahead of the competition. Starhotels turned to senior executives from IDeaS to identify areas for improvement regarding revenue management, sales, and operations where IDeaS technology could help. This engagement and analysis built a strong relationship between both organizations and led to further commitments from Starhotels’ executive team to use the technology and identify areas for improvement using revenue management technology as a basis.

Using G3 RMS, Starhotels’ properties can make proactive pricing decisions based on actionable insights and real-time data. This agility and vision enable hotel operators and revenue managers to maximize a property’s revenue and profit potential by making strategic decisions with a complete understanding of their competitors’ capabilities, offerings, and positioning.

Alexandro Della Croce, group director of revenue and distribution said: "IDeaS is the right partner to further support Starhotels’ continuous growth in revenues, market-share and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) across the entire portfolio.”

Michael McCartan, area vice president - EMEA, IDeaS, said: “IDeaS is excited to work with the hotel and operation teams of Starhotels’ caliber to help them improve revenue management and operations across its hotels in Italy and the UK. The most exciting aspect of this latest partnership is the relationships we have built with Starhotels throughout the sales and education process. It was an incredible experience engaging with Starhotels’ senior leadership team along the way.”

INTELITY®, provider of hospitality’s leading guest experience and staff management platform, has announced today a new partnership with Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta. The fun-seeking hotel has deployed INTELITY’s mobile offerings providing guests with mobile check-in, mobile check-out, and mobile key, while streamlining the day-to-day operations for staff through GEMS® — INTELITY’s suite of staff-facing tools.

Located in West Edmonton Mall, the most comprehensive retail and entertainment complex in North America, Fantasyland Hotel is an ideal location for travelers looking for a uniquely adventurous guest experience. With one-of-a-kind theme rooms ranging from Modern Igloo to Victoria Coach, and Luxury Western to Space Exploration, guests can enjoy in-room features like jacuzzis and bunk beds. The property also features accommodations for business travelers with luxury executive suite offerings, as well as an onsite restaurant and upscale bar.

“At Fantasyland Hotel, our goal is to create a fun guest experience for more than just the weekend,” said Jay Vashi, Director of Operations at Fantasyland Hotel. “We strive to make our guests feel at home, and today that means bringing the convenience of technology to the guest’s stay. Our attention to detail doesn’t stop with our themed rooms, but continues through to our digital guest journey, allowing customers to access their rooms and communicate with staff on their terms.”

Powered by the INTELITY platform, contactless service and digital amenities are available to Fantasyland Hotel guests throughout their stay. Guests can download the property’s app and enjoy the convenience of using their mobile devices to check-in and check-out, all while keeping their payment on file. By using the mobile app and INTELITY’s BLE Lock integration with ASSA ABLOY, guests can bypass the front desk and securely access their rooms from their mobile device while never worrying about losing their key again. Guests can also submit pre-arrival requests, access hotel information, view special promotions, discover local attractions, contact the valet, assess transportation options, see maps and directions, review property dining menus, and make service requests, through the branded mobile app. Additionally, INTELITY’s back-of-house workflow management system, Guest Experience Management System, or GEMS, provides staff with an in-depth overview of guests’ digital needs from a single location. GEMS automates guest requests and work orders, streamlines services, and delivers business insights to the management team.

“We are excited to welcome Fantasyland Hotel to the INTELITY family of properties,” said Robert Stevenson, CEO of INTELITY. “Fantasyland Hotel prides itself on offering a guest experience that customers will remember long after they’ve left the property. The INTELITY platform will help take that experience one step further.”