Avocado Peeling Company Acquired by Robotics Firm

Autonomous robot delivery company Serve Robotics is acquiring Vebu, maker of the Autocado robot.

Launched last year, the Autocado was designed to cut, core and peel avocados and has been in pilot testing in the Chipotle Mexican restaurant chain. It is now in pilot testing in the Chipotle's Huntington Beach, California, restaurant. Chipotle said it reduces prep time for its guacamole by as much as 50% and frees its staff to perform other duties.

The Autocado was intended to be the first of several collaborative kitchen automation robots (cobots) to be introduced at Chipotle to drive efficiencies in the face of ongoing workforce shortages and high labor costs. 

Serve Robotics said the acquisition would strengthen its position by offering restaurant partners automation solutions and expanding into back-of-house automation. Serve plans to expand its footprint in new cities as it looks to partner with more restaurants. 

The company said introducing Vebu automation to its existing offering would open new market opportunities to address more operational needs of restaurants. 

Serve said it aligns with its recent expansion of its delivery services through its Wing Aviation partnership.

It also plans to add more partners, extending its existing business relationships which currently include Shake Shack and 7-Eleven. 

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Buck Jordan, Vebu founder and CEO, joins Serve Robotics as senior vice president of kitchen automation, where he will continue to lead the Vebu team, oversee the continued development of the Autocado and drive additional innovations. 

“By adding Vebu's pioneering kitchen automation capabilities to our autonomous delivery offering, we will be uniquely positioned to utilize robotics and AI to solve the labor shortages plaguing the restaurant industry,” said Ali Kashani, Serve Robotics CEO and co-founder.

“This acquisition underscores our commitment to helping our partners operate more efficiently and to expanding our partnerships with national chain restaurants. We are thrilled to have Buck and his accomplished team pioneering an innovative technology join us once we close this transaction.”