Food service robot in the EsselungaLab: a testing centre for new technologies

by Julia Pott

Sometimes it feels like you've been transported into the future as technological developments progress so rapidly: a supermarket that knows what you're buying, a robot that prepares meals... This is not yet a reality on every corner, but the technologies are ready for use and are being applied by forerunners in the retail and catering industry.

Pioneering technologies of this kind are often not immediately profitable but have to be trialled by users and adapted to their purposes. This is exactly what the Italian supermarket chain Esselunga in Milan is doing with its EsselungaLab. Opened in January 2024, the "test laboratory" consists of a supermarket and a catering area. All kinds of new things are tried out here, from innovative technologies and processes to new products, recipes and materials.

Experimentation continues in the 130-seat restaurant with its panoramic terrace. New dishes for the supermarket delicatessen departments are trialled here. Visitors can even watch the most exciting experiment live: Alfred the robot helps the staff prepare salads. The cobot was developed by the US start-up Dexai Robotics.

The cobot Alfred can fill a bowl with over 30 ingredients using two arms. According to the manufacturer, he can complete 25 bowls per hour and hand them over to employees or other cobots. Alfred uses a camera to recognise not only the ingredients, but also the fill levels and informs employees in good time when they are running low. A robotic arm can use various utensils for preparation and change them independently. The robot is controlled by employees via a tablet, allowing them to change recipes or monitor performance using an app.

What the smart supermarket and the use of the cobot Alfred show: Those who dare to invest in new technologies can already create futuristic and inspiring shopping experiences today. Alexandre Rochat, Head of the Innovation Department at Esselunga, puts it like this: “EsselungaLAB is not a store of the future but a store of the present – incorporating technologies and ideas already available in Italy or worldwide, adapted to Esselunga’s standards.”

The motto here is: "Fail fast, learn fast", i.e. try out solutions and concepts quickly, gain insights and change the things that don't work. It is important to the Esselunga management that all solutions are transferable to other locations. This also applies to the salad expert Alfred. We spoke to Alexandre about this in more detail:

Alexandre, what experiences have you had so far at Esselunga with the robot that prepares the salads?

Alexandre Rochat: For our IT and technology departments as well as for our catering brand Bar Atlantic, the salad-preparing robot has provided a wealth of new know-how and experience. Plus, our employees are learning to work with robots, which includes managing orders, product placements, and balancing the benefits and drawbacks of such technologies. Overall, our experience with the cobot has been immensely valuable, despite it still being an immature technology. The know-how gained in AI, machine learning, process building, and recipe development has been substantial.

How do your consumers react to food prepared by a robot?

Rochat: The response from our consumers has been great. Although these machines are not all designed to be in plain sight, in our specific case, we added security windows to install the cobot at the centre of our food court. It has become the star of the show! While some customers may have reservations, we make it a point to explain that the goal is not to replace the human touch but to enhance efficiency. Our employees still play a crucial role by adding the final ingredients, placing the salads on trays, and adding bread, olive oil, and vinegar, thereby acting as the final quality control step. This approach helps to reassure our customers and demonstrate the collaborative nature of human and robotic interaction.

What goals are you pursuing with the use of the food service robot?

Rochat: The goal of this experiment is to understand how our employees will be able to work with and integrate this kind of technology in the future, freeing them from repetitive tasks.

That’s why we are continuously exploring new solutions and are eager to test them. We believe robotic kitchens could help us offer new services: both in stores with limited floor space for a standard Esselunga kitchen and for our employees in our production and logistics plants. For instance, a 24/7 cafeteria with hot meals prepared with Esselunga recipes and products could be a valuable service for our employees working in the plants.

Additionally, robotic kitchens installed in some of our city centre stores, which see high client traffic during lunch breaks and after work, could benefit from the ability to prepare hot and cold meals on demand.

How will innovative technologies such as robotics influence the food service sector and retail in general?

Rochat: Innovative technologies will enhance efficiency. We do not see them as a means to reduce our workforce but rather to enable us to add personnel and create value in the tasks our employees perform. Our goal is to rethink the roles of our employees and find new ways to bring value to them and our customers. 

Testing innovative technologies like those in the EsselungaLab is a major investment. What do you expect for your brand as a result?

Rochat: Our aim is to create know-how. We see many new solutions and startups emerging in this field. We believe we understand why there is such hype, but we are still defining what these technologies can transform and how they can do so.

The frontier for us right now is understanding what is available on the market as well as the capabilities in terms of ingredients and recipes. We want to determine what our clients really want and where to install these technologies.

Sources: Press release Esselunga, CIBO TODAY, DEXAI Robotics and MIND Milano