Network International and Carrefour implement PopID’s face verification platform, a first for biometric payments in the UAE

In a first for biometric payments in the UAE, Network International, the leading enabler of dig-ital commerce in the Middle East and Africa region, and Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE, announced today that they have implemented the Face Pay face verification platform for payments from consumer authentication service provider PopID.

Customers to Carrefour stores in Deira and Amsaf are now able to purchase food, daily essen-tials, and more using Face Pay. Consumers can enroll for the service through the Carrefour mo-bile app or website, and then purchase products at Carrefour by smiling at a payment terminal instead of pulling out a phone or card. This solution is based on proprietary facial recognition technology developed by PopID, and provisioned through Network International’s acceptance network for mass adoption across the UAE.

“Carrefour is a leader in introducing new technologies that enhance the customer experience, whilst finding solutions that can eliminate friction,” said Bernardo Perloiro, Chief Operating Of-ficer – GCC at Majid Futtaim Retail. “Face verification will make it easier and more convenient for our customers to check out efficiently – without having to reach for their wallets. This safe, seamless payment method only takes a few seconds, and we are excited to be one of the first re-tailers to be rolling this out across the UAE in partnership with PopID and Network Internation-al.”

“We are thrilled to continue driving the evolution of biometric payments with the UAE’s first-of-its-kind face verification platform. Face Pay aims to make checkouts quick, convenient and seam-less for a superior customer experience, and secure businesses from potential fraud with robust security protocols,” said Andrew Key, Group Managing Director – Acquiring at Network Inter-national. “Network International is proud to be the first acquirer to launch Face Pay-enabled bi-ometric payments acceptance in the country. With a strong track record of leading payments in-novation in the region, we aim to continue investing in strategic partnerships that further the po-tential of payments across the UAE.”

“In America and Japan, we have demonstrated that allowing consumers to link Face Pay to loyalty accounts and payment methods enhances revenue, increases speed of ordering and check out, drives loyalty engagement, and reduces fraud,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID and investment company, Cali Group. “We are excited to implement the platform with Carrefour and Network International in grocery for the first time in this region.”

QNB is first in Qatar to launch Facial Payments Solution

Doha, – January 22, 2023 – QNB Group, one of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East and Africa, has launched a new biometric payment acceptance solution for its merchants in Qatar.
QNB, together with its key partners, will be helping merchants with outlets in Qatar to offer customers the simplicity, convenience, and security of facial biometric payments.
This solution is based on proprietary facial verification technology developed by PopID, provisioned through QNB’s acceptance network, and supported by Visa via tokenization.
The technology enables customers to authenticate payments for goods and services through facial verification, without a physical card or mobile phone after initial enrolment. As a one-time sign-up, users will create their profile by taking a selfie of their face using their smartphone, before entering their phone number and card details. The technology then tokenizes the card number and securely links it to the facial biometric template. It only takes a minute or two to set this up and then only a few seconds to make the payment. The merchants will offer the in-store sign-up using a QR capability.
These developments highlight the driving forces behind facial biometric technology and the wide range of opportunities it is opening up for the future of payment solutions and much more.
Mr. Adel Al-Malki, Senior Executive Vice President – Group Retail Banking, stated:
As the payment landscape evolves, QNB is always at the forefront of this evolution, and constantly willing to be an early adopter of innovative technologies that drive frictionless and enhanced payment experience – putting our customers and merchants experience at the centre of everything we do. Being the ‘first in Qatar’ in another innovation that augments the already rich range of payment options that includes functionality such as contactless payments, QNB “MyPOS” (Tap on Phone payment acceptance) and Samsung/Google/Apple pay, to mention a few.
“In America and Japan, we have demonstrated that allowing consumers to link PopPay to loyalty accounts and payment methods substantially increases speed of ordering and check out, drives loyalty engagement, and reduces fraud,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID and its parent company, Cali Group. “We are excited to work with Visa and QNB to bring this loyalty and payment platform to businesses and consumers in Qatar.”

About QNB
QNB Group, currently ranked as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa. Through its subsidiaries and associate companies, the Group extends to more than 30 countries across three continents providing a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The total number of employees is 27,000 operating through 1000 locations, with an ATM network of more than 4,600 machines.
About PopID
PopID provides a comprehensive platform, PopPay, for revolutionizing digital interactions and payments using facial verification. PopPay gives consumers the option of identifying themselves in the most natural way possible – with their face – for ordering and payment – enabling more personalized, secure, and streamlined experiences. To learn more about PopPay, visit www.popid.com
About Visa
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa and @VisaNews.

PopPay Integrated Into XPR-Samsung Self Service Kiosks For QSR Restaurants

PopID-XPR Partnership Powering Samsung System Displayed at Booth #3657 at NRF

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, January 15, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — PopID, a biometric fintech company and XPR, a global kiosk software platform, announced today a fully integrated solution on the new Samsung Kiosk Windows 10 IoT Enterprise edition using face verification to check in and check out. These products, which are also in commercial production in quick service restaurants, are on display at the NRF Show in New York at Booth #3657.

The face verification platform for ordering and payment, called PopPay, has been demonstrated to have various benefits for operators and consumers over the last few years. Specifically, the benefits of PopPay Check In for quick service restaurants are:

* Increased speed. When consumers use face verification to check in at the beginning of the ordering process, they immediately see their favorite orders and can quickly click to repeat the order instead of having to spend time recreating the entire order from scratch. The result is that the average time to order for regular customers moves from minutes to seconds.

* Increased ticket size. When consumers repeat their favorite orders, there is an opportunity to upsell them based on their ordering history. Statistically significant data shows that consumers using PopPay Check In spend about 4.5% more than consumers anonymously ordering.

* Increased loyalty engagement. Loyalty engagement on self ordering kiosks is limited by the complexity of consumers needing to open up an app on their phone and scan a QR code or type in a phone number on the kiosk in a public environment. PopPay has been shown to substantially increase loyalty enrollment and usage on self ordering kiosks in quick service restaurants.

“Consumer expectations are ever-evolving, especially in the food service industry, which is prompting quick-service restaurants to dramatically transform the way they meet these growing demands,” said Chris Mertens, Vice President of U.S. Sales, Displays, Samsung. “Delivering quality meals is no longer enough – restaurants must now entice and delight customers through seamless and secure transactions. Through our strategic partnerships with PopID and XPR, our customers can achieve this goal by embracing the new Windows kiosks that captivate consumers through every point of contact.”

The benefits of PopPay Check Out on the new Windows kiosk for quick service restaurants are:

* Decreased payment processing fees. PopPay has developed new forms of money transfer and settlement that can substantially reduce payment processing fees for operators.

* Reduced fraud. PopPay has been working with global financial institutions to demonstrate that, when a picture is used to verify a payment transaction, there is less risk of fraud.

“Samsung and XPR have delivered a high quality, low cost self ordering kiosk to the fast food market,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of retail tech investment company, Cali Group. “Now their customers can increase revenue, lower costs, and improve the guest experience by adding PopPay software to their hardware systems.”

“We are excited to deliver this new solution to our global customer base. Facial verification for payment and reorder from history will speed up the ordering process” said Nikhil Lagoo, Vice President Global Sales of XPR. “XPR can ‘turn on’ this enhanced functionality with a simple software update, and operators can easily leverage the benefits of personalized communications with their customers on self ordering kiosks.”

About PopID

PopID provides a comprehensive platform, PopPay, for revolutionizing digital interactions and payments using facial verification. PopPay gives consumers the option of identifying themselves in the most natural way possible – with their face – for ordering and payment – enabling more personalized, secure, and streamlined experiences. To learn more about PopPay, visit www.popid.com.

About XPR

XPR is a leading hospitality technology solution provider that offers Plug & Play, Cloud-based and AI-backed Self Ordering Solutions, including Self Ordering Kiosks, Virtual Kiosks for Contactless Ordering and Mobile Apps. XPR’s solution helps every restaurant set a new standard of guest experience while simultaneously boosting revenue. With a customer base across restaurant types, locations, and countries, XPR’s success is driven by the agility and commitment to innovate and develop customer focused solutions. Visit www.xprpos.com for more information.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
Evan Grant
PopID, Inc.
+1 949-478-2012
Evan@popid.com

PopID and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Partner to Deliver Biometric Enabled Point-of-Sale and Self-Checkout Systems

PopID, a biometric fintech company, and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, retail’s first choice for unified commerce solutions, have announced a partnership to integrate PopPay into Toshiba’s front-end point-of-sale and self-service solutions running its ELERA Commerce Platform. PopPay enables consumers to authenticate their identity for payment and/or loyalty using artificial intelligence-based facial verification software. Toshiba will distribute the integrated solutions to the restaurant, quick service restaurant (QSR), convenience stores (C-store), grocery and other retail segments.

One of the first fully integrated solutions will feature PopPay biometric cameras incorporated with the Toshiba Pro-X Hybrid Kiosk and will be showcased at NRF 2023 in New York, on January 15-17, 2023. Customers who opt-in can scan items using the Pro-X scanner and then tender the transaction by selecting the on-screen PopPay button to have their face scanned. PopPay then authenticates loyalty and payment without requiring a card or phone.

“Whether at restaurants, convenience stores, or in other retail segments, consumer interest in non-traditional payment methods is growing exponentially across the globe with regions previously dominated by cash leapfrogging card transactions into mobile payments,” says Rance Poehler, President and CEO of Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions. “Even in the U.S., where card payments showed strong acceptance, the adoption of non-traditional payments has seen an uptick. We know the market is ready with Gen Z and Millennials trending in this direction.”

Younger consumers have learned from prior generations that revolving credit debt is risky therefore driving them to pay via debit, electronic funds transfer, or Automated Clearing House (ACH) because there are no interest fees. MX reports that reduced consumer confidence has many Gen Z respondents supporting the growing interest in mobile payments. The same report cites that most respondents (73%) have connected mobile payment apps to their financial accounts. In addition to their aversion to credit, Millennials and Gen Z also seek more convenience in their retail interactions. The Food Industry Association reports that 53% of Gen Z and 55% of millennial shoppers want greater convenience in their future grocery shopping experience.

“With nearly a quarter of America’s consumer spending running through Toshiba’s point-of-sale solutions, Toshiba is the largest retail-focused solutions company in the U.S. and globally,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID and Chairman of the investment company, Cali Group. “This partnership will enable Toshiba’s customers to use our technology to increase revenue, drive loyalty engagement, improve operations, and lower costs while enhancing the overall customer experience.”

“We are excited to partner with PopID to deliver speed, ease of use, and convenience to retailers and their shoppers,” continued Poehler. “We look forward to implementing PopPay in new industries to meet growing demand across retail segments.”

ELERA and its suite of solutions help free retailers from legacy technology constraints. With more control over store operations, retailers can enhance efficiency and productivity at scale. Integration of PopPay for automatic payments offers the retailer offers numerous benefits like faster transactions, higher throughput, reduced stress at checkout for the shopper leading to larger ticket size, increased loyalty participation driven by automation, and lower payment processing fees when integrated into point-of-sale systems, self-ordering kiosks, and drive-thru systems at QSR chains.

About PopID
PopID provides a comprehensive platform, PopPay, for revolutionizing digital interactions and payments using facial verification. PopPay gives consumers the option of identifying themselves in the most natural way possible – with their face – for ordering and payment – enabling more personalized, secure, and streamlined experiences. To learn more about PopPay, visit www.popid.com.

About Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions
Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions is a global market share leader in retail store technology and retail’s first choice for unified commerce solutions. Together with a global team of dedicated business partners, we advance the future of retail with innovative commerce solutions that enhance customer engagement, transform the in-store experience, and accelerate digital transformation. To learn more, visit commerce.toshiba.com and engage with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions
Elizabeth Romero
Director, Corporate Communications
elizabeth.romero@toshibagcs.com

Visa Brings Innovative Payment Experiences to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

DOHA, Qatar–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the world awaits kick-off of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Visa (NYSE: V), the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA, has readied a payments network that will enable contactless purchases throughout all official venues, including eight stadiums and the FIFA Fan Festival™. With more than one million fans expected to travel to Qatar for the tournament, Visa has installed 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals at official FIFA venues, making FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever. Visa will also trial new payment innovations to give fans easy access to simple and secure digital ways to pay.

The FIFA World Cup™ provides a global stage for Visa to showcase and test new technologies, enhance the fan experience and leave a lasting impression on the host country. Visa will bring a number of digital payment solutions to Qatar, including several limited pilots to demonstrate how future Visa payment solutions may come to life:

Pay with Your Face: Marking the first-time it will be used for payments in Qatar, facial recognition technology is a collaboration between Qatar National Bank (QNB) and POP ID and supported by Visa via tokenization. The solution allows customers to authenticate payments using just their face, without a physical card or mobile phone after initial enrollment. It will be piloted at three Flat White Specialty Coffee branches.
Card Art Gets Animated: As consumers become more accustomed to getting things instantaneously, Visa is piloting a digital card issuance solution for limited cardholders in Doha. After simply scanning a QR code, a digital prepaid card will be instantly issued and can be added to a mobile wallet. The digital card will feature animated card art, with the official mascot La’eeb, demonstrating a future in which consumers could bring greater personalization and even digital animation to their Visa cards.
Accepting Payments Gets Simpler for SMBs: In partnership with three Qatar-based banks the Visa Tap to Phone solution is now available to merchants in Qatar who want to fast-track their ability to accept digital payments in advance of the expected tourist influx. Visa Tap to Phone makes it easier for merchants to use their Android NFC-enabled devices they already own to accept contactless payments—simply by downloading an app.
Tap to Ride Around Doha: Keeping traffic flowing smoothly during FIFA World Cup™ has been a top priority and Visa, in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, is enabling contactless payment acceptance on taxis so fans and Qatari residents will be able pay for their trips with their Visa card or smartphone, making paying for their journeys in and around Doha faster and more convenient.
Earlier this month, Visa unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a first-of-its-kind hybrid experience featuring an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Doha where fans will be able to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements. Eligible fans will have the option to mint this digital art into their own NFT in partnership with Crypto.com.

Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa, said: “As FIFA’s long-standing partner, Visa wants to give football fans from around the world the best way to pay in Qatar, while experiencing exciting new innovations such as the fusion of art, football and technology at Visa’s Masters of Movement venue. With thousands of contactless payment terminals, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ promises to be the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever for the more than one million fans coming to enjoy the magic of football.”

Visa has been FIFA’s Official Payment Technology Partner since 2007. As a global supporter of both men’s and women’s football, Visa aims to offer experiences that bring people closer to the action, whether they are among the one million people anticipated in Qatar or the five billion viewers expected worldwide for this year’s tournament. In addition to providing the latest in payments innovations at official FIFA venues, Visa seeks ways to further its commitment to uplift lives through the power of sport through programs such as Financial Football, a video game that combines entertainment and education in an action-packed virtual football tournament.

For more information about Visa’s activities during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, please visit Visa.com.

About Visa Inc.

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

Contacts
Media Contacts
Kryssa Guntrum (Global)
kguntrum@visa.com

Anna Shulga (Central Europe, Middle East & Africa)
ashulga@visa.com

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Visa and PopID Form Partnership to Launch Facial Verification Payments in the Middle East

PASADENA, Calif. and DUBAI, UAE, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — PopID, a consumer authentication service, and Visa (NYSE: V), the world’s leader in digital payments, announced a partnership to collaborate on launching facial verification payment acceptance in the Middle East region. The goal of the partnership is to provide cardholders with new safe, secure, and innovative ways to pay.

The first operators to welcome PopPay (PopID’s facial biometric payment solution) in the market will be Costa Coffee, MMI, and grocery chain Géant, in addition to Cove Beach at Caesars Palace Dubai and Coca-Cola Arena Dubai, both of which belong to the portfolio of Dubai Holding, the diversified global investment company headquartered in Dubai, UAE.

In addition to select brick-and-mortar businesses of Dubai Holding adopting PopPay as a new way to accept payments, PopID has recently signed an agreement with Dubai Holding to soon establish a joint venture that will support the roll-out of PopPay in the CEE and MENA regions.

During the initial phase of the partnership, Dubai Holding will deploy PopPay at some of its assets across its leading destinations and attractions, which will be followed by the adoption of the payment technology across Dubai Holding’s wider ecosystem and through partners across CEE and MENA region.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, 85% of executives believe biometrics will be used to authenticate the vast majority of payments in the next ten years. “Facial biometric payments are at the forefront of payments innovation, providing cardholders a fast, seamless and most importantly, secure way to authenticate and make a payment,” said Akshay Chopra, Head of Visa CEMEA Innovation & Design. “From across our partner network, we’ve seen heightened interest in co-creating new facial and biometric payments moments. Through this partnership with PopPay, we are keen to help clients roll out biometric payment capabilities faster and with more success.”

Under the alliance with Visa, issuing banks will be invited to join the platform and give their customers the ability to link their facial biometrics to their debit or credit cards to make payments; and acquiring banks will be offered the opportunity to distribute PopID’s proprietary face pay terminals to brick and mortar businesses. “We expect face pay to become the global standard for payments, and we are determined to make PopPay the consumer brand that is used and trusted by people all over the world,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID.

Throughout 2022, the platform will look to further scale across the Middle East region by partnering with key merchants to provide this leading payments technology to consumers. This second international deployment follows the launch of PopPay Japan through a joint venture with a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp.

About PopID
PopID provides a trusted and secure platform that enables businesses to give their customers and employees the option of authenticating their identity using advanced facial verification.

About Visa
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa and @VisaNews.

About Dubai Holding
Dubai Holding is a diversified global investment company with operations in over 13 countries and employing over 20,000 people. Established in 2004, Dubai Holding touches the lives of millions of Dubai residents and visitors through its extensive portfolio of over AED 130 billion worth of assets that support the diversification and sustainable growth of Dubai’s economy across 10 key sectors: Real Estate, Hospitality, Leisure & Entertainment, Media, ICT, Design, Education, Retail, Manufacturing & Logistics and Science.

www.dubaiholding.com
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/dubai-holding

Press Contact
Diane Zuniga
Golin
dzuniga@golin.com / 909-510-0433

Kitchen United, the Ghost Kitchen and Restaurant Hub Technology Pioneer, Announces $100M Series C Fundraise

Blue Chip Investors & Strategics, Founders, and CEO Bet on World-Class Proprietary Technology and Capital Efficient Growth to Drive Further Consolidation of the Ghost Kitchen Industry

PASADENA, Calif., July 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Kitchen United, ghost kitchen and restaurant hub technology pioneer, announced a $100M Series C fundraise, which includes some of the world’s preeminent financial and strategic investors. Kitchen United welcomes new investors: Alimentation Couche-Tard / Circle K (TSX: ATD), The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), Restaurant Brands International (NYSE: QSR), B. Riley Venture Capital, a subsidiary of B. Riley Financial (NASDAQ: RILY), Simon (NYSE: SPG), Phillips Edison & Co (NASDAQ: PECO), and The HAVI Group. Additionally, strong participation continued from all existing institutional and strategic investors: GV, various funds managed by Fidelity Investments Canada ULC, RXR, DivcoWest, Cali Group, GoldenArc Capital, General Global Capital, and Rich Product Corporation. Lastly, Kitchen United founders, Harry Tsao and John Miller, Kitchen United CEO, Michael Montagano, and two-time NFL Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, made significant investments in the round. On completion of this round, the company’s total raise to date reaches approximately $175M.

“This Series C financing further solidifies Kitchen United’s leadership position in the industry,” said Michael Montagano, Kitchen United’s Chief Executive Officer and Board Member. “Kitchen United uniquely sits at the intersection of technology, food, and real estate. Our solution serves as the technological and physical infrastructure revolutionizing centrally located distribution hubs through streamlining off-premises ordering and consumption. To that end, we are thrilled to partner with leading investors across grocery, convenience, restaurants, malls, packaging, logistics, distribution, automation, and urban and suburban real estate development,” says Montagano.

“We see many commercial opportunities in partnering with Kitchen United as it prepares for considerable scale. We believe this business stands apart from other industry players with its centralized locations, multi-format offerings, experienced management team, and mature technology stack — all of which align with Circle K’s mission to make our customers’ lives a little easier every day as we work together to shape the future of convenience,” said Kevin Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer, Alimentation Couche-Tard.

“The rising trend of off-premises dining presents a major growth opportunity for the ghost kitchen sector, and Kitchen United is uniquely positioned for significant expansion in the years ahead,” says David Krane, CEO and Managing Partner, GV. “We’ve long been impressed with Kitchen United’s exceptional execution and unparalleled leadership in the sector. We’re excited to continue partnering with Michael Montagano and the entire Kitchen United team as they open more kitchen centers across the country and reach more restaurants and consumers.”

In the past two years, Kitchen United has unveiled multiple industry-leading initiatives, including collaborations in grocery with Kroger and at Simon properties nationwide.

Kitchen United currently has approximately 200 operational kitchens across 20 regions, powered by its industry-leading proprietary technology, with plans to significantly increase its technological and physical footprint in the near term. The company has seen triple-digit top-line growth for three consecutive years, all supported by industry-leading metrics. Kitchen United’s proprietary technology enables customers to order from multiple prepared food and consumer goods brands on the same ticket and with the same delivery driver, all synchronized to maximize quality and payload, and minimize time and expense.

Kitchen United will continue its focus on Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Texas as key markets with continued expansion throughout other US trade areas. Additionally, Kitchen United will be further evolving its industry-leading multi-concept ordering technology platform Kitchen United OS, for use by customers including Burger King, Popeyes, Chick-Fil-A., Portillo’s, Panera Bread, Dog Haus, Wingstop, and Brinker International.

About Kitchen United
Founded in 2017, Kitchen United is a leading provider of restaurant hub technology, streamlined logistics and turn-key commercial kitchen space that empowers foodservice operators to tap into the growing off-premises business opportunity and offers consumers a first-of-its-kind to-go experience. The company offers a value-driven, low-risk way for emerging and established restaurant brands to enter into new markets, grow revenue through off-premises dining and expand delivery areas. For additional information, please visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.

CHIPOTLE TESTS AI KITCHEN ASSISTANT, CHIPPY

Brand leverages Miso Robotics to innovate its culinary process for tortilla chips

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., March 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced its latest digital innovation, Chippy, an autonomous kitchen assistant that integrates culinary traditions with artificial intelligence to make tortilla chips. Chipotle’s culinary and technology teams called on Miso Robotics to customize its latest robotic solution to cook and freshly season Chipotle’s delicious tortilla chips.

“We are always exploring opportunities to enhance our employee and guest experience. Our goal is to drive efficiencies through collaborative robotics that will enable Chipotle’s crew members to focus on other tasks in the restaurant,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer, Chipotle.

Chipotle’s culinary team guided Miso in tailoring its technology to maintain the culinary integrity of the brand. Leveraging artificial intelligence, Chippy is trained to replicate Chipotle’s exact recipe – using corn masa flour, water and sunflower oil – to cook chips to perfection, season with a dusting of salt, and finish with a hint of fresh lime juice. It was imperative that the technique remained the same so customers receive delicious, craveable chips every time.

“Everyone loves finding a chip with a little more salt or an extra hint of lime,” said Nevielle Panthaky, Vice President of Culinary, Chipotle. “To ensure we didn’t lose the humanity behind our culinary experience, we trained Chippy extensively to ensure the output mirrored our current product, delivering some subtle variations in flavor that our guests expect.”

Chippy is currently being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center, Chipotle’s innovation hub in Irvine, Calif., and will be integrated into a Chipotle restaurant in Southern California later this year. The company is leveraging its stage-gate process to listen, test and learn from crew and guest feedback before deciding on a national implementation strategy.

“When Chipotle challenged us to see if our technology could meet the brand’s high standards for culinary quality, we couldn’t wait to flex our engineering and design muscles,” said Mike Bell, CEO, Miso Robotics. “This partnership will allow us to move into new territory to help improve back-of-house functions and assist team members with their day-to-day responsibilities.”

An innovator in restaurant technology, Chipotle continues to invest in emerging solutions to support its growing digital business and reduce friction in its restaurants. The company believes technology deployed consistently and correctly can improve the human experience. Chipotle already leverages artificial intelligence with its concierge chat bot, Pepper. Pepper ensures guests have an exceptional experience on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com. Chipotle customers can select from frequently asked questions or ask their own questions to get a response quickly. Chippy joins Pepper in Chipotle’s artificial intelligence suite to improve Chipotle’s overall guest and employee experience.

ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 2,950 restaurants as of December 31, 2021, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on the 2021 lists for Forbes’ America’s Best Employers and Fortune’s Most Admired Companies. With nearly 100,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. For more information or to place an order online, visit WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.

ABOUT MISO ROBOTICS
Miso Robotics is revolutionizing commercial foodservice through intelligent automation solutions that solve some of the largest gaps in back-of-house kitchen operations. Ready to make an immediate financial impact on a restaurant’s bottom line, Miso’s AI-driven platform incorporates robotics, machine learning, computer vision and data analytics to power and develop its breakthrough products, including: Chippy, Flippy 2, CookRight and Sippy.

With real industry knowledge and learnings accrued through brand partnerships over its first five years, Miso’s products are constantly evolving to drive consistency, increase productivity, reduce costs and improve the overall dining experience. For more information about the future of restaurant automation, visit: https://misorobotics.com.

SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

White Castle Expands Partnership with Miso Robotics to Install Flippy 2 in 100 New Locations

he world’s first fast-food hamburger chain doubles down on automation after success of pilot program

PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 15, 2022 — Today, White Castle – the world’s first fast-food hamburger chain – announced plans to further expand its work with Miso Robotics and install Flippy 2 in 100 standalone locations. The announcement is the latest milestone for the partnership, which began in September 2020 with the deployment of the original Flippy to a White Castle in the Chicagoland area. Following an upgrade to Flippy 2 in November 2021, White Castle’s commitment to Miso’s technology was cemented after seeing an immediate positive impact on daily operations and the productivity of its team members.

By taking over the work of an entire fry station, Flippy 2 alleviates the pain points that come with back-of-house roles at quick-service restaurants to create a working environment for its human coworkers that maximizes the efficiency of the kitchen. The improved workflow allows for the redeployment of team members to focus on creating memorable moments for customers. White Castle anticipates many improvements in efficiency, product quality and team member experience as a result of its partnership with Miso Robotics.

Rollouts of Flippy 2 are being phased by region and will be planned out and scheduled in the months and years ahead.

“We could not be more grateful for the confidence White Castle has shown in us as we enter into the next phase of our partnership,” said Mike Bell, CEO of Miso Robotics. “White Castle was the first large brand to embrace our technology and we are thrilled that our Flippy pilot made such a positive impact on their operations that they want to integrate 100 more. We can’t wait to continue on this journey with such an outstanding partner.”

Miso Robotics is primarily funded by individual investors and has been one of the most successful equity crowdfunding campaigns in history. With over 15,000 shareholders, the company has raised more than $50MM in crowdfunding to date and is currently in its Series E round, which kicked off with a market valuation of $500 million. To invest in Miso Robotics, visit: https://invest.misorobotics.com/.

Miso Robotics is offering securities through the use of an Offering Statement that has been qualified by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Tier II of Regulation A. A copy of the Final Offering Circular that forms a part of the Offering Statement may be obtained from: Miso Robotics https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1710670/000110465922012145/tm222587d2_partiiandiii.htm.

About White Castle

White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty sliders as a family-owned business for 100 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider® in 1921. Today, White Castle owns and operates 350 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers’ cravings morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time Magazine’s most influential burger of all time, is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle’s Impossible™ Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the “Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger.” White Castle’s commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and of its faithful fans, affectionately referred to as Cravers, many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play, makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pickup orders any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle’s delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com.

About Miso Robotics

Miso Robotics is revolutionizing commercial foodservice through intelligent automation solutions that solve some of the largest gaps in back-of-house kitchen operations. Ready to make an immediate financial impact on a restaurant’s bottom line, Miso’s AI-driven platform incorporates robotics, machine learning, computer vision and data analytics to power and develop its breakthrough products, including: Flippy 2, CookRight and Sippy.

With real industry knowledge and learnings accrued through brand partnerships over its first five years, Miso’s products are constantly evolving to drive consistency, increase productivity, reduce costs and improve the overall dining experience. Miso is now accepting new investors for its Series E round. To invest in the future of restaurant automation, visit: https://invest.misorobotics.com.