As reported by CNN Business, Chipotle has now launched the "Autocado," a robot "designed to perform the more tedious tasks involved in creating the chain's guacamole, including cutting, coring and peeling avocados." The goal is to automate some back-of-house labor, although Chipotle says that the Autocado "will not eliminate jobs, but instead employees will work with the robot to speed up guacamole production," as per CNN. The Autocado works in bulk, prepping about 25 pounds of avocados at once.
The human employee will still be tasked with making the actual guacamole once the robot prepares the avocados, though. Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer of Chipotle said that "the device was designed specifically for Chipotle with the goal of easing identified pain points for restaurant employees." The aim is that the Autocado will cut guacamole production time in half. Chipotle worked with Vebu Labs in order to design the Autocado; "automated avocado peeling machines already exist," according to CNN, but Autocado is "specifically designed" for Chipotle.
It should be noted, though, that Autocado is not the first fast-casual food production robot. That title goes to "Flippy 2," an automatic robot who operates the fry station at White Castle.
