Food robotics company Karaduri, has unveiled the DK-One – the world’s first automated meal making canteen.

Karakuri says is new robotic system will revolutionise how and what we eat in restaurants, canteens, buffets, hotels and supermarkets as the industry looks for new ways to operate in a post-COVID world.

The DK-One is the world’s first robotic solution for high throughput, fast turnaround, completely personalised, portion-controlled, volume catering.  Customers are able to customise and place their order from their phone or an in-store tablet.

The robot will individually prepare each meal, selecting from 18 hot or cold ingredients with precise accuracy. The DK-One prepares multiple orders at the same time, ensuring it meets the demand of the busiest restaurants.

The UK-based company recently showcased a pre-production version of its new DK-One robot, for the production of made-to-order healthy convenience food.

The pre-production machine uses the latest innovation in robotics, sensing and control technologies to offer freshly prepared, high quality hot and cold meals.

The company says the new technology aims to maximise nutritional benefits, restaurant performance and minimise food waste.

The unit is being demonstrated and evaluated by customers in Karakuri’s facility in Hammersmith, London.

Post-COVID restrictions, further on-customer-site trials of the DK-One are expected to take place in the first half of 2021.

Key features of this version of the DK-One include:

1. Consumer flexibility and choice – The DK-One produces personalised hot and cold meals with complete accuracy of portion size, giving total traceability of ingredients, nutrients, calories and quantity of every meal.

2. Food waste reduction – It reduces food waste through the provision of accurate portions and real-time data on ingredient usage.

3. Improved Restaurant Performance – Optimising scarce human resources which improves thin margins for restaurateurs and provides a better working environment for employees.

4. Safe. Hygienic. Automated – The DK-One minimises human-to-human contact during meal preparation and strictly adheres to food and safety standards for hygiene and allergen separation. The DK-One is equipped with real-time monitoring of ingredient temperatures, stocking dates and refill times.

5. Easy to Operate – The DK-One has not only been developed to provide infinitely repeatable quality and delivery of meals but also is focused on making sure the machine’s cleanliness can be maintained all day, every day using equipment readily available in existing commercial kitchens.

Barney Wragg, CEO and co-founder of Karakuri, said, “This is one of the most highly-anticipated stages of our business and a really important step. We’ve spent time talking to our customers and industry specialists, and seen huge enthusiasm for DK-One’s potential.”

Professor David Lane, CBE, Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics and Co-Chair of the UK Government Robotics Growth Partnership says the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up the challenges of distancing and remote working that can now readily be addressed through robotic innovation.

“This is why there has been a huge interest in the developments Barney and his team are innovating at Karakuri and it’s a pleasure to be supporting them in the next stage of the business,” he says.

Karakuri is a UK robotics startup established in February 2018. It emerged from the Founders Factory venture studio with the goal of utilising groundbreaking intelligent robotics, to transform and improve ready to eat catering and, at the same time, reduce the associated food wastage. Karakuri was founded by Barney Wragg, Simon Watt and Brent Hoberman and has closed £13.5m funding including investments from Ocado, Hoxton Ventures, firstminute capital, Taylor Brothers and the Future Fund.