Throughout human history, agricultural and industrial revolutions have profoundly influenced the social, economic, administrative, political, and cultural dimensions of life. The Agricultural Revolution introduced division of labor, while the First and Second Industrial Revolutions created machines to make tasks easier. In the Third Industrial Revolution, the advent of electronic transistors and optical amplifiers marked the beginning of the information technology and computer age. The advent of the Internet facilitated long-distance communication between different electronic systems, thereby completely changing the way humans lived.
In 2016, Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, popularized a new term, IR 4.0 or Industry 4.0. As per Schwab, cyber-physical systems are the foundational principles of this new era that blur the lines between the biological, digital, and physical worlds. In this ‘Age of Imagination’, technologies such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, IoT, machine learning, biotechnology, quantum computing, etc., are expected to play a major role in transitioning the global economy. As per many experts, robotics is one such innovation that is projected to develop new streams of employment in almost all end-use industries, revolutionizing their revenue generation models. Even in the food and beverages sector, the use of robots and automated systems in packaging and processing operations has created numerous investment opportunities in the last few years.
Simplifying food processing operations using robotics technology
Robotics is an interdisciplinary field that involves the design, development, and deployment of robots to perform various tasks without human intervention. In the past few years, a concept called food robotics has come up which refers to the integration of different types of robotic systems into the food processing and packaging industries to improve their productivity. As per a report published by Allied Market Research, the food robotics market accounted for $ 2,047.3 million in 2020. The industry is expected to gather a revenue of $ 5,787.9 million by 2031, citing a CAGR of 10.4% during 2022-2031.
As the pace of urbanization has increased across the globe, the disposable incomes of people have surged. Additionally, the overall lifestyle, eating habits, and daily routines have undergone a lot of changes due to accelerated industrialization. As a result of these factors, people are increasingly opting for ready-to-eat and frozen foods, thereby broadening the scope of food processing companies. These enterprises are hence deploying robotic systems to cater to the demands of their consumer base and expand their footprint around the world.
Increased use of food robotics in meat and dairy processing industries
The meat and dairy industries are among the oldest sectors in food and beverage processing. Since ancient times, animals have either been domesticated or hunted for dairy and meat products. Both these sectors are highly labor-intensive and require a skilled workforce to minimize operational errors and enhance efficiency. Some processing tasks are even dangerous and put the health of workers at risk. In such a scenario, businesses have to invest heavily in training and capacity building of the employees, to ensure their safety and reduce downtime.
Over the years, the emergence of automation technologies and robotics has transformed these industries. These companies are now actively engaging in R&D activities to design and deploy robots in their facilities to perform various activities and reduce the burden on their workforce. For instance, workers in meat and dairy companies are regularly required to work in freezers and cold storage rooms which poses a risk to their physical condition.
To address this issue, food robotics solutions with specialized materials are used to perform different tasks such as sorting, packaging, palletizing, etc. Automated systems with advanced cameras and sensors are used to cut animal carcasses, debone chickens and fish, stir curds, and slice cheese cubes before packaging and processing. For example, Tyson Foods, a major poultry processing company in the US, has recently started the use of automation solutions for fileting meat and deboning poultry products.
Integration of AI and machine learning in food robotics
Apart from improving operational efficiency and productivity, food robotics solutions also aid in improving overall hygiene in the food processing and packaging facilities. Many developed and developing countries across the world have enacted specific laws and regulations that make it compulsory for these companies to maintain certain hygiene standards. Food safety authorities in these sovereign states conduct regular audits and inspection drives to check whether these norms are adhered to before granting or renewing licenses.
Companies operating in these countries have started adopting AI-based tools to ensure quality control and regulatory compliance. Food robotics solutions embedded with sensors and other such devices are used to identify defects in packaging materials before the goods are released on the market. Also, machine learning algorithms and natural language processing techniques are used to check if each packaged food item passes all the requirements. This helps businesses detect food adulteration and reduces the chances of damaged or impure food products from reaching consumers. This, in the long run, helps the enterprise to build its brand image and expand its consumer base globally.
Along with this, companies are also using these technologies to forecast the demand for their goods, regulate their operations, and manage their inventories accordingly. Using machine learning, businesses analyze consumer behavior, their spending patterns and preferences, and historical consumption data to optimize their resources and deploy robots accordingly.
Robotics in restaurants and food delivery services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries enacted social distancing norms, lockdowns, and travel restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus and bring down the infection rate. As a result of these regulations, restaurants, fast-food chains, hotels, pubs, and other establishments experienced significant losses due to a decline in overall customer footfall. On the other hand, cloud kitchens were able to run their businesses in a better way as they adopted emerging technologies easily. In the post-pandemic period, many fine-dine restaurants and fast-food joints have transitioned to food robotics solutions to revive their businesses and maximize their sales.
Robot chefs and waiters serving food items in restaurants across the globe
In May 2022, Yellow House Robot Restaurant, an eatery in Sector 104, Noida, India, unveiled its two robots, Diva and Ruby, developed to serve food to customers. Touted as the first robot-assistant outlet in Noida, the restaurant is managed by TLC Hospitality, a major hospitality company in India. Harsh Surana, the Director of Operations, stated that the company’s internal studies have shown that with just two robots, the hotel has managed to cut down its manpower by around 25%, thereby reducing operational costs drastically. These two food robotics solutions are powered by AI and use GPS navigation technology to move around in the 2,600-foot restaurant.
In December 2023, Cali Group, an investment company, announced the launch of CaliExpress Flippy, the world’s first fully autonomous restaurant in Pasadena, California. For this venture, Cali Group has partnered with Miso Robotics, a US-based automation company, and PopID, a biometric identification and payment system developer. Cali Group released a press statement stating that the fast-food joint features a robotic grill and fry station that makes use of AI-powered solutions to grind beef, flip patties, and make cheeseburgers without any human intervention. On the other hand, PopID’s biometric platform helps customers to complete online transactions easily, thereby ensuring consumer convenience and satisfaction.
Unmanned aerial vehicles and drones for food delivery
In the last few years, many hotels and fast-food companies have used drones to deliver food to their customers. The deployment of UAVs has helped restaurants to automate repetitive tasks and employ their labor in more productive activities. Since these UAVs are not subject to conventional logistical problems such as traffic congestion, they are able to deliver food items swiftly and efficiently. Moreover, the cost of delivery is also reduced substantially, thus increasing the company’s profit margin.
Traditional delivery methods adopted by restaurants are quite polluting in nature, which increases the business’s carbon footprint. On the other hand, delivery drones have a minimal impact on the environment, thereby helping the company to decarbonize its operations. Many leading food enterprises have partnered with technology firms to launch state-of-the-art delivery UAVs. For example, in March 2024, Tele2, a mobile network provider in Sweden, announced a collaboration with foodora, an online food ordering platform. Under this partnership, both players jointly unveiled drones powered by 5G and IoT technology to deliver different food items in Stockholm. The company, in its press release, stated that this service will also be launched in Värmdö in the coming months.
The final word
The emergence of robotics and other innovative technologies such as AI, ML, and data analytics has opened new avenues for growth in almost every industry of the economy, including the food and beverages sector. From packaging food and beverage items to delivering them, food robotics solutions have played a major role in helping companies align their operations with the fundamental principles of Industry 4.0. The increasing investment in R&D and partnerships with technology giants are expected to accelerate the growth rate of the food robotics landscape in the coming period.
Meta Description: In the era of IR 4.0, many companies in the food and beverages sector have food robotics solutions to simplify their operations and maximize their profits in the long run.
Akhilesh Prabhugaonkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the reputed Vishwakarma Institute of Technology. He has a special interest in forensics, world history, international relations and foreign policy, sports, agriculture, astronomy, security, and oceanography. An ardent bibliophile and melophile, Akhilesh loves to write on topics of interest and various other societal issues. His love for writing made him enter the professional world of content writing and pursue his career in this direction.
