Dairi-O Launches PopID In North Carolina

November 26, 2019

Dairi-O is Latest of Dozen-Plus QSR Brands Adopting PopID To Reduce Ordering Time, Increase Loyalty Usage and Streamline Payments

PASADENA, Calif. – PopID, a Cali Group company, announced today that it is launching its facial recognition platform in self-ordering kiosks at Dairi-O, one of the fastest growing restaurant concepts in America. Using PopID, Dairi-O customers will be able to conveniently and instantly pull up their favorite customized orders and pay for their meals without needing a card or phone.

Dairi-O intends to install the PopID software in all of its locations in the first half of 2020.

“We love how PopID makes it so easy for our customers to re-order their favorite items in a matter of seconds, resulting in shorter lines during peak hours and faster delivery of food to customers,” said Jeff Speaks, Chief Executive Officer of Dairi-O. “Additionally, our customers can pay for their food without reaching into their wallets and fumbling through cards.”

Operating in North Carolina since 1947, Dairi-O is preparing for a major wave of expansion. Currently, the brand has one of the highest average unit volumes in the industry and is the most recent chain to follow a growing list of small and medium sized restaurant brands using PopID, including CaliBurger, Deli Time, Plant Power, Rounds Bakery, Global Village Cafe, Saola, Treehouse, Ray’s, Coffee House and Milkcow Cafe. In these stores, consumers generally prefer to use PopID to login to their loyalty accounts on kiosks, with kiosk logins reaching up to approximately 1,500 times per week at some locations. Of those consumers that use PopID to login, approximately 75% also use it to pay. Further, transaction times for those using PopID are generally three times faster than for non-PopID users.

“One of the oldest and most successful fast casual concepts in the country is leading the QSR industry into the future of food,” said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group and CEO of PopID. “We look forward to sharing the magic of digital identity with Dairi-O customers. ”

For more information about PopID and all of its solutions, visit PopID.com.

About PopID:
PopID is a cloud-based platform that enables merchants to offer consumers the option of authenticating their identity using facial recognition. After registering for the service once, consumers can choose to use PopID for various purposes, including logging into loyalty accounts, receiving personalized food ordering recommendations, processing payments and entering facilities. Learn more about PopID’s vision at PopID.com.

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PopID Expands Face-Based Identify Verification Service to Entry Applications

Integration of PopID’s Cloud-based Software Into Door Entry Hardware Creates Simpler and More Secure Method for Access Control in Commercial Buildings

PASADENA, Calif., October 24, 2019 (Newswire.com) – ​PopID, a Cali Group company, announced today that its personal digital identity service can now be used to more conveniently unlock doors in workplaces. The platform is now being used in various locations in the Los Angeles area to enable employees to enter their access-controlled buildings using only their face. Managers of buildings that currently utilize electronic key cards or smartphones for controlled access into and inside of the buildings can replace their existing entry system with the PopID entry system; when a registered PopID member that is authorized to enter taps the PopID button on the entry module, the door unlocks. For those workers that do not wish to use biometrics to authenticate, key cards and mobile devices can also be used with the PopID hardware to unlock the doors. Building managers
can designate authorized employees and hours of entry at each location.

“Phone-based entry systems have been replacing electronic key cards, and PopID powered entry systems offer several advantages over phone-based entry systems,” explained Scott Ziola, President of Ziola Enterprises, a firm specializing in access control systems. “In addition to being faster than phone-based entry systems, PopID allows consumers to enter even when their phone batteries fail or they just left their phone in the car.” Ziola continued: “Further, unlike traditional access control solutions, PopID will soon provide building and facility managers with alerts about tailgaters following authorized users into a secure location without installing any additional equipment.”

Over the last two years, PopID has enabled thousands of consumers at restaurant chains ​across the country to quickly and easily access their loyalty accounts, view and select from past orders and pay at self-service kiosks. Consumers can register once for PopID at www.popid.com and then use service at participating restaurant chains to order and pay without having a credit card, as well as to enter their workplace without having an electronic key card. The initial deployments of the PopID door entry system will be in close proximity to areas where PopID is already being used by consumers for food ordering and payment.

“The expansion of our platform from kiosk check-in and payment authentication to door entry authentication illustrates how personal digital identity will become an important part of everyday life,” said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group and CEO of PopID. “We believe the PopID service will be trusted by both businesses and consumers in any situation where individual identities must be confirmed, in various environments in the physical world as well as the digital world.”
For more information about PopID and all of its solutions, visit PopID.com.

ABOUT PopID:
PopID offers a cloud-based platform that enables consumers to authenticate their identity using facial recognition. The PopID platform is available through the company’s line of self-ordering kiosks or readily integrated into customers’ existing hardware. Founded in 2016, PopID is revolutionizing customer interactions at brick-and-mortar businesses via kiosk ordering and payment processing, as well as streamlining identify verification for building entry at commercial, residential and professional facilities. Learn more about PopID’s vision at PopID.com.

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Kitchen United Raises $40M to Fuel the Future of Restaurants as Preferences Shift to Off-Premise Consumption

Series B, co-led by RXR Realty and GV, will bring first Kitchen United kitchen centers to NYC market

September 19, 2019 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, the kitchen as a service company built to serve the fast growing world of off-premise dining, today announced it has closed on its $40 million Series B funding round. The round was co-led by RXR Realty – one of New York City’s largest real estate owners, investors, operators and developers – and GV, with participation by certain funds managed by Fidelity Investments Canada ULC, DivcoWest and G Squared. Existing investors and founders John Miller, Harry Tsao and others also participated in the round.

As part of its relationship with RXR Realty, Kitchen United will be entering the New York City market, with kitchen centers opening in RXR and other properties in the tristate area. The company continues to seek out attractive properties in its primary growth markets, which include New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston.

“We share Kitchen United’s vision for the future of the restaurant industry and believe the consumer shift toward off-premise dining is already having a huge impact on both residential and commercial real estate,” said Scott Rechler, Chairman & CEO of RXR Realty. “We are thrilled to be an early supporter of Kitchen United and look forward to working together to change how New Yorkers live, work, play, and stay.”

RXR Realty is a vertically integrated private real estate company, with its core growth strategy focused on New York City and the surrounding Tri-State area, a priority market for Kitchen United as it marches forward on its path to enable restaurant growth, success and expansion.

“In just over two years, we have only scratched the surface on the massive opportunity for brands to serve their guests where they want to be served, which is increasingly outside their traditional four wall space,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “We’re incredibly appreciative of our investors who understand the opportunity we present as a strategic real estate partner, meeting the needs of the top restaurant brands in the country as they find new ways to serve their loyal customers.”

Launched in 2017, Kitchen United offers innovative restaurant chains a value-driven, low-risk opportunity to grow their business without the high cost of building out a standalone restaurant. According to William Blair, U.S. off-premise restaurant sales in 2018 were $279B, with an expectation for that number to grow to $402B in 2022. Kitchen United’s commerical kitchen centers each house 10 to 15 restaurant brands, allowing the restaurant to focus on the food, while Kitchen United takes care of the rest. With locations open in Pasadena and Chicago, Kitchen United will soon open in Scottsdale and Austin, with additional sites under construction in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other major markets.

About Kitchen United

Kitchen United is a kitchen as a service company that provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to enter into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand delivery areas by removing barriers such as capital or technology challenges. For additional information, please visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.

About RXR Realty

RXR Realty LLC (“RXR”), is a New York-based, vertically integrated real estate operating and development company with expertise in a wide array of value creation activities, including distressed investments, uncovering value in complex transactions, structured finance investments and real estate development. RXR’s core growth strategy is focused on New York City and the surrounding region. The RXR platform manages 68 commercial real estate properties and investments with an aggregate gross asset value of approximately $18.8 billion, comprising approximately 24.5 million square feet of commercial operating properties and approximately 6,300 multi-family and for sale units in various stages of development in the New York Metropolitan area.

Contacts

Kate Ottavio-Kent, ICR for Kitchen United
KitchenUnitedPR@icrinc.com 
(203) 682-8276

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Kitchen United Announces Newest Markets for Expansion

Company to open Kitchen Centers in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with second location coming to Chicago

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, the GV-backed start-up creating a new way for restaurant brands to expand via off-premise optimized kitchen centers, today announced that it has signed lease agreements bringing new locations to San Francisco and Los Angeles, and a second location to Chicago in the Fulton Market District. The off-premise kitchen concept currently has locations in Pasadena and Chicago’s River North neighborhood, and new kitchen centers scheduled to open this year in Atlanta, Columbus, Austin and Scottsdale.

“The popularity of off-premise consumption in the restaurant industry – through both third-party delivery and pick-up – has quickly evolved from something that’s exciting and interesting to talk about, to something that is an absolute must for many restaurants across the country”

“The popularity of off-premise consumption in the restaurant industry – through both third-party delivery and pick-up – has quickly evolved from something that’s exciting and interesting to talk about, to something that is an absolute must for many restaurants across the country,” said Massimo Noja De Marco, Chief Culinary Officer and Founder of Kitchen United. “The opportunity to improve the customer experience by providing food for consumption outside the four walls of the restaurant space is undeniable. We are thrilled to bring our kitchen centers to San Francisco and Los Angeles and to expand into a new neighborhood in Chicago, providing a turnkey solution for growing brands in each market.”

Each of the newest locations is in the process of accepting restaurant partners. The first kitchen center in San Francisco is located at Kilroy’s new 100 Hooper Street development, on the ground floor of Adobe’s San Francisco offices. This location will have retail and outdoor seating in a neighborhood where there are few other food options available. It also provides easy access downtown for delivery providers. The Los Angeles kitchen center is located at 52 W. Pico Boulevard with access to downtown L.A.’s dense residential and corporate city center. The newest Chicago kitchen center is located in Fulton Market at 201 N. Elizabeth Street, where it is surrounded by new residential development and a strong millennial and Gen Z population.

Kitchen United’s commercial kitchen spaces provide restaurant operators the ability to increase revenue by expanding their off-premise delivery, pickup and catering business, as well as enter new markets without the expensive build-out of a new restaurant. The company provides its restaurant partners with consumer and operational insights, allowing concepts to tailor their business to best meet local demand, improve efficiency and drive revenue growth. The company is expanding across the U.S. to other major metropolitan areas with plans to end the year with 15 kitchen centers open, each housing between 10 and 15 restaurant brands.

About Kitchen United

Kitchen United is a GV-backed virtual kitchen company that provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to enter into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand delivery areas by removing barriers such as capital or technology challenges. Each Kitchen United kitchen center is home to approximately 10 to 20 restaurant partners who leverage the company’s exper

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Cali Group Announces Expansion of CaliBurger Brand

PASADENA, Calif., December 13, 2018 (Newswire.com) – Cali Group’s restaurant operating division Cali Group Restaurants Concepts Inc. announced expansion plans for the CaliBurger brand in different regions.    

North America

In North America, CaliBurger will continue to grow steadily on the West Coast and East Coast. The new “CaliBurger Version 2.0” will feature kiosks with loyalty and payment programs based on Cali Group’s POPIQ facial recognition platform. Additionally, the new CaliBurger kitchens are designed for Flippy (by Miso Robotics) to cook burger patties on the grill and french fries in the fryers. A new CaliBurger restaurant will open at Westlake Village in downtown Seattle in late December and another unit will also open in early 2019 in Surrey, Canada. A second drive-through is under construction in Southern California.  

Recently, CaliBurger signed an Area Development agreement to enter the Florida market in partnership with Jeff Burns and Tim Fredric, formerly a multi-unit McDonald’s operator. The first store in Florida will open in Fort Myers in Q3 2019. “We look forward to showcasing Cali Group’s technologies for interactive gaming, face-based ordering and an automated kitchen in Florida next year,” said Mr. Fredric.     

Latin America

CaliBurger has three restaurants operating in Mexico and three new restaurants will open in December. Fourteen new CaliBurger restaurants are expected to open in Mexico in 2019. CaliBurger will launch Cali Group’s POPIQ platform in the Mexico market at the upcoming opening of its Monterrey store. “We will be the first business in Latin America to allow customers to pay using their faces instead of their credit cards,” said Juan Carlos Orea Sordo, manager of CaliBurger Mexico.    

Asia  

In Asia, CaliBurger will open its next restaurant in early 2019 on Hainan Island in Sanya, China. The 200-square-meter restaurant will be a premier offering in the front of Sanya Haitang Fantasy Town, a newly built amusement park.    

Middle East 

CaliBurger continues to operate restaurants throughout the Middle East. New stores will open in 2019 in Kuwait and other countries

Source: Cali Group

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KITCHEN UNITED NAMES FORMER YUM! BRANDS EXECUTIVE MEREDITH SANDLAND AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

PASADENA, Calif., March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Culinary on demand startup Kitchen United today announced that Meredith Sandland will join the company as Chief Operating Officer, effective March 5, 2018. Sandland most recently served as Chief Development Officer for Taco Bell, a division of Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) with 7,000 locations and $10 billion in system sales. In this role, she added more than $1 billion in sales to the system through the addition of 1,000 restaurants in just four years. Sandland will be responsible for driving revenue and overseeing Kitchen United’s business strategy, operations and national rollout plan.

“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Meredith to Kitchen United’s leadership team. She embodies the strong business instincts, deep knowledge of the industry, extensive leadership and passion that will drive our mission forward,” said Kitchen United CEO Jim Collins. “We have ambitious goals for 2018, and the addition of Meredith will enable us to help restaurant operators and independent food professionals expand their footprint and integrate seamlessly with delivery operations by using our turnkey back of house infrastructure.”

Sandland joins former McDonald’s executive Atul Sood and celebrated restaurateur and SBE Entertainment leader Massimo Noja De Marco, who will serve as Kitchen United’s Chief Business Officer and Chief Culinary Officer, respectively. Sood will spearhead administrative, financial, and operations management. De Marco will drive all aspects of food development for Kitchen United’s culinary partners. Kitchen United is led by Chief Executive Officer Jim Collins, founder, owner and operator of Town Kitchen and Grill in Montrose, CA, a 100-seat new American restaurant that recently made the list of 10 best new American restaurants in Los Angeles.

“I am thrilled to join Kitchen United at this pivotal time in the evolving restaurant industry landscape,” said Kitchen United Chief Operating Officer Meredith Sandland. “I have tremendous respect for Kitchen United’s powerful mission to help restaurants thrive with off-premise dining and will focus on delivering value for our existing partners, attracting new ones and growing our brand.”

Kitchen United was spun out of Cali Group, the holding company behind Miso Robotics’ burger-flipping robot, Flippy, and the first application of facial recognition technology in U.S. restaurants that allows consumers to pay with just their faces, who invested in both rounds of the company’s financing. Last month, Kitchen United introduced its new center of culinary imagination and excellence with the opening of its first facility in Pasadena, Calif. The 12,000 sq. ft. fully equipped kitchen space leverages technology, including integrated point of sale software, back of house automation, and efficient order interfaces that combine inbounds from various delivery platforms, to enable new levels of efficiency for food businesses. The facility will be used by regional and national food and restaurant brands to produce fresh food solely for the purpose of takeout, catering and delivery.

Kitchen United also provides kitchen space that can be rented by the hour to food truck operators and catering firms in need of licensed preparation space, as well as by entrepreneurs seeking to develop new food products or restaurant concepts.

About Kitchen United

Based in Pasadena, Calif., Kitchen United is on a mission to evolve the ecosystem for food enthusiasts and restaurant operators. Their back-of-house infrastructure empowers food businesses to innovate, dream, and grow. For more information visit www.kitchenunited.com.

SOURCE Kitchen United

Related Links

http://www.kitchenunited.com

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MISO ROBOTICS AND LEVY ENTER INTO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO BRING ROBOTIC KITCHEN ASSISTANTS TO SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Miso Robotics, the leading robotics and artificial intelligence solutions company, today announced it has partnered with Levy, the renowned sports and entertainment hospitality company, to bring robotic kitchen assistants to sports and entertainment venues. The partnership expands the presence of Miso Robotics’ collaborative, adaptable robotic kitchen assistants, which will help kitchen staff provide speedy and tasty food options to on-the-go sports fans and concert goers.

“Levy values the role our robotic kitchen assistants play in helping staff deliver faster, freshly prepared food and we’re excited to join forces with such a forward thinking partner to achieve our collective mission in improving consumers’ dining experiences.”

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“Serving food in sports venues can be a more complex challenge than in fast food restaurants,” said Melissa Burghardt, chief operating officer of Miso Robotics. “Levy values the role our robotic kitchen assistants play in helping staff deliver faster, freshly prepared food and we’re excited to join forces with such a forward thinking partner to achieve our collective mission in improving consumers’ dining experiences.”

In February, Levy participated in Miso Robotics’ $10 million Series B funding. As part of the investment, the companies agreed to team up and will launch the first autonomous robotic kitchen assistant in a Levy-operated venue later this year.

Andy Lansing, president and chief executive officer of Levy added, “We understand that our guests desire exceptional experiences and we’re committed to making sure each one we serve has the most memorable and frictionless dining experiences possible. What appealed to us most in partnering with Miso Robotics is our shared vision in changing the way food is prepared through advanced technology. Their platform will enable us to operate more efficiently, control waste, decrease wait times, enhance consistency and, most importantly, meet guests’ needs.”

David Zito, co-founder and chief executive officer of Miso Robotics added, “I’m thrilled that one of the biggest names in hospitality chose Miso Robotics to assist kitchen staff in their venues. We have a strong vision of improving working conditions for chefs and line cooks with our technology and I look forward to working with Levy to accomplish making kitchen tasks more fun, collaborative, safe and productive.”

Miso Robotics is publicly debuting its first robotic kitchen assistant ‘Flippy’ today in CaliBurger’s Pasadena, California location. The company is also expanding the capabilities of its Miso AI platform for restaurants and food preparation businesses.

Editors Notes: Miso Robotics Media Kit with video and images available here

About Miso Robotics

Miso Robotics (misorobotics.com) is revolutionizing the restaurant and prepared food industries with innovative robotics and artificial intelligence AI solutions. Miso was founded with a mission to leverage AI technology to help chefs cook food perfectly and consistently and enable restaurants to increase labor productivity, reduce costs and drive profitability while improving the overall dining experience. Miso employs a respected team of roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.

About Levy

A disrupter in the premium sports and entertainment dining experience, Levy is recognized as one of the fastest growing and most critically acclaimed hospitality companies. Named one of the 10 most innovative companies in sports by Fast Company magazine, Levy’s diverse portfolio includes award-winning restaurants, iconic sports and entertainment venues, and convention centers, as well as the Super Bowl, Grammy Awards, PGA Championship, US Open Tennis Tournament, Kentucky Derby, and NHL, MLB, NBA All-Star Games. Levy subsidiary companies include E15 Group (technology and analytics), Curiology (experience design and innovation) and Rank + Rally (retail). For more, visit www.levyrestaurants.com.

Contacts

For Miso Robotics
Stephanie Cirigliano
press@misorobotics.com

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FLIPPY, THE WORLD’S FIRST AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC KITCHEN ASSISTANT, NOW COOKS BURGERS AT CALIBURGER IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Miso Robotics, the leading robotics and artificial intelligence solutions company, today announced the public debut of ‘Flippy,’ the world’s first autonomous robotic kitchen assistant. Flippy will begin working alongside kitchen staff at CaliBurger’s Pasadena, California location during lunchtime by flipping burger patties and removing them from the grill when cooked to order.

“The deployment of Flippy in CaliBurger restaurants represents a major milestone in helping our staff produce mouthwatering burgers more consistently and in a timely manner. The ease of integration into our existing kitchen lines will also allow us to quickly install Flippy in more locations nationwide.”

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Aiming to augment commercial kitchen operations with advanced technology, Miso Robotics developed Miso AI, a cloud-connected learning platform that powers industrial robotic arms. Miso AI combines 3D, thermal and regular vision to automatically detect when raw burger patties are placed on the grill and monitors each one in real-time throughout the cooking process. As the patties cook, Miso AI displays the cooking time on a screen that also alerts kitchen staff when to place cheese on top or when to dress a burger. It also enables Flippy to switch from using a spatula for raw meat and one for cooked meat. In addition, Flippy has the ability to clean spatulas while cooking and to wipe the surface of the grill with a scraper.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my incredibly talented team for their hard work in bringing Flippy to life and we are just getting started,” said David Zito, co-founder and chief executive officer of Miso Robotics. “Our mission is to improve working conditions of chefs and line cooks with assistants, not replace them. Anyone who’s ever worked in a restaurant knows how hard the work is and the value of extra hands and that’s exactly what we built.”

Miso Robotics understands the many challenges restaurants face, including turnover rate and increasing demand for prepared foods. In 2016, the team partnered with CaliBurger, Cali Group’s restaurant operating division, to develop a cost-effective and highly efficient solution leveraging their expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence. This resulted in the concept for Flippy, which was specifically designed to operate in an existing commercial kitchen layout and to serve alongside kitchen staff to safely and efficiently fulfill a variety of cooking tasks.

John Miller, chairman of Cali Group, added, “The deployment of Flippy in CaliBurger restaurants represents a major milestone in helping our staff produce mouthwatering burgers more consistently and in a timely manner. The ease of integration into our existing kitchen lines will also allow us to quickly install Flippy in more locations nationwide.”

“I can’t think of anything more rewarding than working on something so challenging that also has the potential to be impactful,” said Dr. Ryan Sinnet, co-founder and chief technology officer of Miso Robotics. “Our team poured their hearts into getting Flippy ready to cook for people and I’m so proud of the grit we displayed to accomplish this in record time.”

For more information on when Flippy will be operating, visit CaliBurger’s Pasadena website.

Editors Notes: Miso Robotics Media Kit with video and images available here.

About Miso Robotics

Miso Robotics (misorobotics.com) is revolutionizing the restaurant and prepared food industries with innovative robotics and artificial intelligence AI solutions. Miso was founded with a mission to leverage AI technology to help chefs cook food perfectly and consistently and enable restaurants to increase labor productivity, reduce costs and drive profitability while improving the overall dining experience. Miso employs a respected team of roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.

About Cali Group

Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group’s C-Vision platform ties together the various software products developed by its affiliated companies to enable the entire restaurant to be controlled from one operating system run on a tablet. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the C-Vision platform.

Contacts

For Miso Robotics
Stephanie Cirigliano
press@misorobotics.com

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CALI GROUP’S RESTAURANT OPERATING SUBSIDIARY ANNOUNCES GLOBAL EXPANSION PLAN FOR 2018

PASADENA, CA, Feb. 8, 2018 – Cali Group announced today that its restaurant operating subsidiary, CaliBurger, will expand in 2018 throughout North America, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. The company also announced that its face-based loyalty and payment ordering kiosks as well as Flippy, the burger flipping robot, will be available at multiple CaliBurger locations this year.

“Every new CaliBurger restaurant is being designed with an eye toward implementation of the technologies being developed by Cali Group’s affiliated companies,” said Jonathan Wong, Chief Operating Officer of CaliBurger. “Our goal in the next 12 to 24 months is to begin deploying the unified Cali Group C-Vision™ technology platform, where the entire restaurant — from front of the house to back of the house — is operated from one app on a single tablet.” New CaliBurger locations coming in 2018 include:

North America

In North America, the brand currently operates restaurants and food trucks in the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and the DMV (Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area). New locations currently under construction in these markets are:

• British Columbia, Canada (10330 152 St, Surrey, BC) • British Columbia, Canada (8901 Cornerstone Mews, Burnaby, BC) • Seattle, Wash. (Westlake Village Mall) • Additionally, later in 2018, CaliBurger is planning to open new in-line restaurants in the Washington D.C. area and drive thru formats in Maryland. Following, will be a flagship store in Santa Monica, slated to arrive by the end of the year.

Middle East
CaliBurger has more restaurants in the Middle East than any other region. New stores currently under construction include:

• Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (Al Mansar Mall) • Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Moj Plaza) • Plus, the brand is planning to open additional stores throughout 2018 in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Asia

In Asia, CaliBurger is repositioning the brand to be higher end, moving away from a QSR and leaning into casual dining. New locations include:

• Manila, Philippines: a new flagship restaurant, debuting the latest store presentation

Latin America

CaliBurger plans to expand faster in Latin America than any other region of the world. The regional flagship, a 400 square meter drive thru, opened in Puebla, Mexico in early 2018. The company also plans to launch additional new markets in Latin America later this year, for a total of 15 restaurant openings in the region. Four stores are currently under construction in Mexico, including:

• Puebla, Mexico (Calz. Ignacio Zaragoza 410) • Puebla, Mexico (Plaza Sinfonía) • Hermosillo, Mexico (Bulevar José María Morelos 248) • Ciudad Juárez, Mexico (Plaza Tres 08)

Cali Group’s state -of-the-art technology will be on display at the International Franchise Expo to be held in Mexico City on March 1-3 in Booth 1410. To schedule a demo and interview at the show, please contact caliburger@dkcnews.com.

ABOUT CALIBURGER CaliBurger is a 21st century revival of the classic California burger joint. Our founders are California-bred with global ambitions, bringing the best of California culture, technology, imagery and food to markets that have long craved the famous California style burger. CaliBurger provides a premium quality burger experience at an accessible QSR price point. CaliBurger now operates in 12 countries. CaliBurger’s products feature the highest quality beef, buns baked fresh, top-grade chicken, hand-selected vegetables, zero trans-fat oils, sauces made in house, and hand-mixed shakes. Our made-to-order meals are always prepared in open kitchens, and our restaurants incorporate advanced technologies to create a unique dining experience. CaliBurger customers can enjoy a taste of California in an environment that looks, smells, and feels like California. For more information, please visit www.caliburger.com.

ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group’s C-Vision platform ties together the various software products developed by its affiliated companies to enable the entire restaurant to be controlled from one operating system run on a tablet. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the C-Vision platform

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CALI GROUP BEGINS TAKING FACE BASED PAYMENTS IN ITS RESTAURANT OPERATING SUBSIDIARY

PASADENA, CA, Jan. 26, 2018 – Cali Group, a pioneer in developing innovative technologies for the restaurant and retail industries, announced today the launch of a face-based payment pilot program at CaliBurger, its restaurant operating subsidiary, in Pasadena, California, where the Quick Serve Restaurant chain showcases new technologies developed by its parent company. The program, which will be available to the public on Tuesday, January 30th, enables the customer to pay with a glance at the camera without ever needing to swipe a credit card.

In late 2017, Cali Group launched face based loyalty login on its large format self ordering kiosks. Customers login to their loyalty accounts at the self ordering kiosks without needing to type in any identifying information. Now, in addition to accessing their loyalty account by looking at the camera on the kiosk, customers can also complete the transaction by looking at the camera.

“The positive customer reaction to face based loyalty login at the kiosks encouraged us to quickly deploy face based payments at the kiosks,” said John Miller, CEO of Cali Group. “To our knowledge, this is the first time in America that customers in a retail environment can pay without needing a physical or digital wallet.”

Privacy and security are a top priority for Cali Group. Cali Group’s face based system requires a two-step authentication process. In addition to smiling at the camera, the customer will also need to enter a 3-digit CVV number from their credit card to process the transaction. Longer run, after demonstrating that face based authentication of payments is significantly more secure than swiping credit cards, Cali Group plans to eliminate the entry of the CVV number and only require a smile to authenticate the transaction.

“NEC is a leading innovator in delivering retail technologies and solutions from the point of sale to the back office and beyond,” said Matt Worley, Vice President of NEC Retail Solutions. “Cali Group’s face payment technology powered by NEC can be used to reinvent the customer experience and reduce transaction costs for merchants.”
Face based payment is a component of Cali Group’s unified C -Vision™platform, which ties together software products developed by Cali Group’s affiliated companies to enable the entire restaurant to be controlled from one operating system run on a tablet. If customers are pleased with the new ordering and payment experience, the face-based payment feature will be rolled out to CaliBurger’s global locations.

ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group’s C-Vision platform ties together the various software products developed by its affiliated companies to enable the entire restaurant to be controlled from one operating system run on a tablet. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the C-Vision platform.

ABOUT NEC CORPORATION OF AMERICA NEC Corporation of America (NEC) is a leading technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work and communicate. NEC delivers integrated Solutions for Society that are aligned with our customers’ priorities to create new value for people, businesses and society, with a special focus on safety, security and efficiency. We deliver one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions that unleash customers’ productivity potential. Through these solutions, NEC combines its best-inclass solutions and technology, and leverages a robust partner ecosystem to solve today’s most complex business problems. NEC Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 160 countries and $25 billion in revenues. For more information, please visit www.necam.com.

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