US Restaurant Chain Chipotle Employs Robot That Peels Avocados In 26 Seconds

Could a robot be the future of your guacamole? Chipotle Mexican Grill is shaking up the kitchen with a game-changing innovation. The popular chain has begun testing a cutting-edge robotic device designed to simplify food preparation. Autocado, a high-tech avocado-processing machine, is making waves at Chipotle’s Huntington Beach location in California. This savvy robot does not just slice avocados — it peels them and separates the fruit with precision. To complete the entire procedure, Autocado requires around 26 seconds.

The introduction of this robot has no doubt aided in time management. Once the machine finishes its task, the human employees mash those fruits with their hands and use them to prepare Chipotle’s iconic guacamole — an avocado-based dip that goes well with burgers, quesadillas and tacos.

Chipotle has collaborated with product development company Vebu to develop the technology. They initially identified the tasks that could be time-consuming and delay the delivery of orders. While Autocado peels avocados, the other employees can now take care of the other aspects of food preparation and welcome the guests with the required hospitality.

“These cobotic (collaborative robotics) devices could help us build a stronger operational engine that delivers a great experience for our team members and our guests while maintaining Chipotle’s high culinary standards,” Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer of Chipotle said.

Besides the peeling technology, Autocado also has some other fascinating features. It can recognise variability in avocados and automatically configure itself according to the size of the fruit. Chipotle is expected to use “approximately 5.18 million cases of avocados, equivalent to 129.5 million, in its outlets across the US, Canada and Europe.

Collaborating with Hyphen, the company has designed another robot called ‘Augmented Makeline’ which can assist in making bowls and preparation of salads. As per a report by Reuters, this automated machine can dispense rice, corn, lettuce and other ingredients in a perfect ratio to prepare the meal bowls. Chipotle will evaluate the feedback from its customers and employees before deploying these robots in its other outlets.