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

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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.

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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.

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PopID and SoftBank’s Japan Computer Vision Partner to Launch PopPay In Japan

Wendy’s First Kitchen is First QSR Chain in Japan to Accept Face Pay

PASADENA, Calif. & TOKYO PopID, Japan Computer Vision (“JCV”, a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp), and Wendy’s First Kitchen (“WFK”) announced today the launch of PopPay – PopID’s face-recognition-based ordering and payment system – in Tokyo, Japan. As a first step in the launch, Wendy’s First Kitchen locations in Akasaka Mitsuke, Shibuya Center, and Jiyugaoka will begin accepting payments using PopPay, representing the first time a QSR chain in Japan is accepting payments authenticated using a customer’s face.

Using the new system, WFK’s customers will be able to link their face to a credit card or First Kitchen prepaid card and then pay by simply smiling at a camera-equipped tablet connected to a self-ordering kiosk manufactured by PLANET Co. Ltd. (“PLANET”). They will also be able to see their order history to simplify their ordering experiences. In cases where consumers’ hands are full or when they don’t have their wallets with them, they will be able to make payments without the need for cash or a mobile phone.

“We believe that PopPay is a safer, more convenient, and faster way for our customers to order and pay. We will work together with our partner companies to make this payment method the one that our customers prefer,” said a spokesperson from WFK. “In the near future, we would like to upgrade the system so that customers can enjoy even more of the benefits of being a loyal customer with just one look, even if they come to the store empty-handed.”

PLANET and JCV have jointly developed a hospitality solution that uses face recognition technology to simplify transactions in restaurants, solve problems, and strengthen the creation of new points of contact with customers.

Building on their success with WFK, PopID and JCV, (a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp.), will collaborate to pursue additional business opportunities aimed at providing the PopPay platform to other restaurant and retail businesses in Japan.

Andrew Schwabecher, CEO of JCV said, “Hundreds of brands now accept PopPay in the United States, and we have witnessed exponential growth in consumer usage.” He also said, “We have worked closely with the PopID engineering team to customize the platform for the Japanese market, and we expect businesses and consumers in Japan to embrace PopPay as a better way to transact.”

In Asia, face pay has recently exploded as the preferred payment method for consumers, because it is more convenient and secure. “Multinational financial institutions believe that face pay is likely to become a global standard, because it is the most effective way to prevent payment fraud,” said John Miller, CEO of PopID. He also said, “Outside of the US market, we will create open loop platforms for banks, wallets, and other payment companies to enable consumers to link any payment system to their faces to spend against.”

In addition, a presentation for the media regarding this initiative (co-hosted by First Kitchen and JCV) is scheduled for December 1, 2021 (Wednesday).

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 recognition.

Contacts
Yale Goldberg
Chief Operating Officer
440-781-9036 | yale@popid.com

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Miso Robotics Partners with Lancer Worldwide to Bring Automated Beverage Dispenser to Quick-Service Restaurant Industry

The Intelligent Automation provider for the commercial kitchen and trusted global manufacturer set out to bring new efficiency to order fulfillment.

PASADENA, Calif., June 22, 2021 — Today, Miso Robotics – the startup transforming the foodservice industry with Intelligent Automation – announced its partnership with Lancer Worldwide – a global beverage dispenser manufacturer trusted by the world’s top food and beverage brands – to build an intelligence backed, automated beverage dispenser that will bring enhanced functionality for a future-focused commercial kitchen.

Miso Robotics and Lancer Worldwide Automated Beverage Dispenser
At a time when the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry is facing record labor shortages, operators are looking for ways to streamline operations, cut costs and implement solutions that drive a better and faster customer service experience. The pandemic drastically shifted the paradigm, creating new models for operator revenue streams that relied on drive-thru, takeout and delivery more so than ever before. While sixty to seventy percent of certain QSR sales came from the drive-thru lane pre-pandemic, as COVID spread, major QSRs experienced a jump as high as 90 percent.1Yet, the new delivery and drive-thru model have made the always-critical need of speed and efficiency an even bigger challenge as volume increases and staff decreases have added minutes to the clock for order completion. Because of this, total average drive-thru times slowed down by 29.8 seconds last year.2

Savvy operators are warming up to the power of automation and robotics to accelerate recovery and meet demand. Miso Robotics has been leading the field in commercial kitchen automation through a robot-as-a-service (RaaS) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) model that began with Flippy and has since branched out to CookRight. While these two flagship products focus on food specifically, implementation success has proven broader back of house tasks can benefit from intelligent operational efficiency. Miso Robotics and Lancer saw the need for beverage automation in the commercial kitchen – an area of order completion that has long been plagued with inefficiency as workers look to navigate compact, fast paced kitchens and unpredictable order volume during shifts.

“Lancer has consistently supplied the market with dependable products for more than 50 years and there was no question when it came time to decide who to partner with to create an automated beverage dispenser,” said Jake Brewer, Chief Strategy Officer of Miso Robotics. “Lancer has a legacy of stand-out industry quality and shares in our vision for beverage innovation and futuristic design. Order fulfillment is a major factor for customer satisfaction and operators can’t afford to have a beverage left behind when a delivery driver or customer visits. We are extremely excited to create a product that will not only make the lives of those working in commercial kitchens better, but will be a game changer for the industry as a whole to deliver a world-class customer experience.”

The new automated beverage dispenser will integrate with the point of sales (POS) system and come equipped with a guided workflow for employees to ensure accurate order completion synced with driver and customer arrival times. The machine will be able to automatically pour drinks and advance beverages to enable an easy grab-and-go format for staff. When an order comes in, the connected approach will allow the beverage dispenser to ‘know’ the beverage needs associated with the order and will automatically issue the appropriate sized cup, begin pouring and seal the drink. The entire process is timed to complete as close as possible with the time the meal/remainder of the order is ready for hand off to the customer or delivery driver.

“Lancer has always stood out as a trusted global beverage dispenser manufacturer because we put our customer and partner needs at the forefront of every project we undertake,” said Brad Davis, Director of Applied Technologies for Lancer Worldwide. “The quick service brands we work with every day are well aware of what their challenges are – they know they need more efficiency, and they know there is new technology out there that could make it possible. Miso Robotics will help us bring all the right pieces together for an innovative design that makes automation, connectivity, and intelligence possible for operators. We are excited to collaborate with them to bring this concept to life, and into the hands of operators around the world.”

Miso Robotics’ Series D Opens
The need for new technology to enter the back of house has quickly become a business imperative for quick service brands. As a result, interest in Miso Robotics has continued to surge. The company was able to able to raise over $25mm in crowdfunding during their Series C, which recently closed. On the heels of this partnership, the company is announcing the open of their Series D round raise – which kicks off with a market valuation of $350mm, a $270mm increase since their $80mm Series C open. To invest in Miso Robotics’ Series D and Intelligent Automation visit https://invest.misorobotics.com/ today and shape the future of the commercial kitchen.

About Miso Robotics
Miso Robotics is revolutionizing the restaurant and prepared food industries with innovative robotics and artificial intelligence 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 scientists, roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Harvey Mudd, UCLA, USC, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill. Miso Robotics is now taking reservations for their equity crowd-funding raise, to invest in the future of restaurant automation go to https://invest.misorobotics.com/.

About Lancer Worldwide
Lancer Worldwide, a leader in next-generation beverage dispensing, was established in 1967 in San Antonio, Texas. Lancer Worldwide leads in innovation and is committed to delivering a beverage dispensing experience that exceeds customer expectations. Through quality and a passion for innovation, Lancer creates products that generate profit for its global customers and gives them a distinct advantage in the marketplace. Lancer Corporation is a subsidiary of Hoshizaki Corporation, one of the world’s largest suppliers of commercial kitchen equipment. Lancer Worldwide maintains sales and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, China and the United Kingdom.

1 Bluedot: State of What Feeds Us Report
2 SeeLevel HX: 2020 SeeLevel HX Annual Drive-Thru Study

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Miso Robotics Announces CookRight Software as a Standalone Offering to Increase Accuracy in Kitchens

Equipped with new expanded cooking capabilities, the artificial intelligence-driven platform powering Flippy will now be available without a robotic counterpart

PASADENA, Calif., May 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Miso Robotics – the startup transforming the foodservice industry with intelligent automation – announced the release of its standalone software as a service (SaaS) offering, CookRight. Packed with expanded cooking capabilities and accessible through an affordable subscription model, CookRight is the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) powered cooking platform able to automatically identify and track products and tasks. CookRight’s first platform application is focused on the grill and will deliver new levels of precision, quality and efficiency to restaurants – a long-standing gap within the industry. As operators look to rebound from the effects of the pandemic, Miso Robotics brings a data-driven operational approach to enhance customer satisfaction and curb costs to help move the industry into long-term recovery and new growth.

The food service industry has historically relied exclusively on humans to manually follow a cooking workflow that adheres to cooking standards set by operators and health officials. A worker is expected to monitor the cook time, quality and consistency of food in kitchens. Yet, while most cooks think they are accurately overseeing the items on the grill, the traditional practices of relying on a wall clock, a manual timer or intuition when deciding to flip or remove those items has continuously caused food to be undercooked, cooked incorrectly and inconsistently. The resulting effects have led to frequent health and safety risks, as well as customer dissatisfaction. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), every year, an estimated 1-in-6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases – often caused by exposure to bacteria because the food has not been handled properly or cooked to the correct internal temperature. One outbreak has the potential to drastically reduce the immediate and future success of a restaurant.

CookRight offers a proven method to ensure food safety and cooking standards are met. An advanced AI platform that incorporates machine learning, sensors and computer vision, CookRight has served as the foundation of Miso Robotics’ flagship product, Flippy – known for its robotic grilling and frying capabilities. The software allows cooks to track a food item on a grill and monitor cooking time automatically to deliver precision-level cooking. Able to provide a data-rich workflow with alerts built in to guide staff and keep cooking on track from the moment an item is placed on the grill, CookRight not only improves the cooking process but also assists in ensuring accurate order completion. Built and designed with the modern-day digitized employee in mind – CookRight simplifies tasks and provides operational assistance through an easy-to-navigate user interface to help employees focus on customer service needs such as speed, accuracy and quality. With the adoption of the platform, operators and workers benefit from a streamlined training approach that cuts time investment and costs, while improving cooking performance.

The new release of CookRight as a standalone software service comes to market with advanced grilling capabilities. Now operators can apply precision cooking to a variety of grilled food items on their menus, without the need to purchase Flippy, giving them access to a cutting-edge technology tool capable of unearthing valuable insights that reduce operational expenses and help deliver the best customer experience possible.

Key benefits of the platform and expanded capabilities that will come with the new SaaS offering include:

Wide Range of Grilling Capabilities

In addition to burgers, CookRight provides precision grilling to chicken, fish, steak, sausage, hot dogs, and more. Miso Robotics plans to expand cooking ‘applications’ to other common quick-service menu items as well.

Perfect Consistency and Precision Targeting

Accurate Image Recognition and Product Timing: True cook time is tracked for each product placed on the grill and requires no manual intervention. As soon as a product goes on, CookRight immediately identifies what the item is (with greater than 96% accuracy) and starts the timer for it – eliminating human error like starting a timer late or not at all.

Machine Learning: CookRight identifies exactly where a product is placed on the grill and has the ability to learn each grill’s heat distribution to cook those items more precisely. The software can also flag performance and maintenance issues to the kitchen staff.

Critical Task Alerts: Alerts are sent to kitchen staff when an action needs to occur like flipping the product or taking it off the grill.

Correct Assembly Process: Allows for real-time quality control to prevent quality errors before they go out – ensuring that everything that belongs in the bag gets in the bag.

Powerful Analytics

Miso Kitchen Intelligence (Miso KI) Dashboard: Delivers operational insights – including real-time metrics, automated reporting and data drill downs – to improve food quality, drive efficiency and save money. This intuitive dashboard will enable restaurant managers to supervise multiple workflows simultaneously and understand any precise issues that might compromise the quality of food coming out of their kitchens.

Supply Management: Closely monitors for any supply chain issues – using data to track problems with the food instead of relying on the person cooking it.

Easy Installation

Because CookRight was designed by restaurant people for restaurant people, the software comes with an easy self-installation kit that includes a user interface tablet, camera(s) and a small computer.
“The beauty of CookRight and its machine learning capabilities is that it can literally learn how to identify any item placed on a grill and know how long it needs to be cooked, moved or flipped in real-time,” said Buck Jordan, President and Chairman of Miso Robotics. “CookRight obtains unprecedented amounts of information on kitchen operations that have never been captured before – leading to better food for customers, a better workplace for kitchen staff and cost savings for restaurant owners. It’s the partner restaurant operators and staff need in the kitchen. This is a critical time for the industry and solutions like CookRight can truly turn the tide and move us into recovery.”

According to the National Association of Restaurants, tech adoption for the industry has rapidly accelerated during the pandemic. Across all 6 segments—quick service, fast casual, casual, family, fine dining, and coffee and snack—some 40% of operators said they added tech solutions to their businesses. Miso Robotics is leading the way in valuable solutions to bring the industry forward into a more promising future. Since the pandemic, interest in Miso Robotics has exploded. This announcement comes on the heels of the closing of Miso Robotics’ Series C funding round on April 30.

Since the crowdfunding campaign launched on SeedInvest in April 2020, the company has raised more than $21 million and has become the highest-grossing technology deal ever featured on the crowdfunding platform. To invest in the future of intelligent kitchen automation before the close of the round, visit https://invest.misorobotics.com/.

About Miso Robotics
Miso Robotics (www.misorobotics.com) is revolutionizing the restaurant and prepared food industries with innovative robotics and artificial intelligence 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 scientists, roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Harvey Mudd, UCLA, USC, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill. Miso Robotics is now taking reservations for their equity crowd-funding raise, to invest in the future of restaurant automation go to https://invest.misorobotics.com/

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

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Miso Robotics’ Flippy ROAR Hits Global Commercial Availability to Spur Regrowth Amid Pandemic

New Flippy ROAR comes equipped with zero-footprint design and advanced cooking capabilities including the Impossible Burger and financing options

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Miso Robotics today announced global commercial availability of the Flippy Robot-on-a-Rail (ROAR) – a zero-footprint, cost-efficient intelligent robotic kitchen assistant for the evolving commercial kitchen. Flippy ROAR hits the market with advanced cooking capabilities to quickly learn menu items, allowing operators to appeal to new customers and retain eaters with consistently cooked options. As the restaurant industry looks to reopen and regrow in a post-pandemic world, Miso Robotics plans to offer financing options through TimePayments to empower food service providers to quickly adopt automation technology – now mission critical for addressing ‘new normal’ challenges such as indoor staffing and dining limitation, the need for enhanced health and safety standards, and improved margins as delivery and takeout increase in popularity.

Earlier this year, Miso unveiled a prototype enabling Flippy to glide across multiple workstations on a rail. The final design for global commercial availability mounts Flippy on an overhead rail (ROAR), keeping it out of the path of busy kitchen staff to increase safety and throughput by interacting with a food hopper capable of dispensing the perfect amount of food for preparation before moving to the cooking station. New backend advancements to ChefUI, Miso Robotics’ proprietary software, assist kitchen workers with operational interactions and workflows through an easy to navigate dashboard view of the web-based application displayed on a 15.6″ touchscreen monitor mounted on the ROAR system.

Through the dashboard, employees can see the foods in line to be prepared next. Capable of identifying current temperatures, predicting time remaining to meet consistency in taste perfection, and alerting staff of unsafe internal cooking temperatures, ROAR features powerful image processing and depth perception from Intel® RealSense™ technology. Enabled by Intel® RealSense™ Depth Camera D415, ChefUI can not only identify food and temperatures, but can also learn and reclassify new foods introduced to Flippy. Staff can also opt to change cooking times and alter portion sizes for foods coming out of the hopper to map back to customer customization requests.

“Intel® RealSense™ technology is used to develop products that enrich people’s lives by enabling machines and devices to perceive the world in 3D,” said Joel Hagberg, head of product management and marketing, Intel® RealSense™ Group. “We are excited to be a part of the new Flippy ROAR design that delivers new automation and intelligence to the restaurant industry.”

Along with enhanced camera, thermal sensing and UI capabilities, Flippy ROAR makes new advances in machine learning to quickly adapt to new menu items – jumping to include 19 (and counting) total food items to its frying abilities, and adding the Impossible Burger to Flippy ROAR’s grilling skillset. With a different patty make-up than the traditional burger, Impossible Burgers require special cooking care to lock in the flavor and taste that has escalated them as a new menu item favorite across quick service restaurant chains and independent operators. The combination of advanced computer vision and deep learning software Miso Robotics has brought to their latest design is able to account for differences in texture and thickness of the Impossible Burger, in real-time, adjusting grilling technique to achieve perfection.

Adapting to new food trends is key for operators looking to attract customers and stay competitive as delivery and takeout explodes to offer customers a wider pool of restaurant choices amid the pandemic. Operators reopening are being faced with smaller margins, less foot traffic and new health and safety concerns. The need to minimize the risk of contamination and scale production with limited staffing options due to social distancing concerns – quickly – has never been more important for the industry. With that in mind, Miso Robotics’ brings Flippy ROAR to global commercial availability with NSF International (NSF) certification. An independent, global public health organization that certifies products to regulatory standards and protocols, NSF ensures health and cleanliness standards are incorporated into new product designs.

“Certification to NSF/ANSI food equipment standards mean Flippy ROAR meets rigorous requirements for material safety, hygienic design and performance,” said Sara Risley, associate managing director of food equipment at NSF International. “The NSF mark signifies Miso Robotics’ commitment to health and safety – providing reassurance that the product can be easily cleaned to prevent foodborne illness and won’t leach harmful chemicals into food.”

Flippy ROAR gives operators a certified product to decrease human contact in the cooking process and recent partnerships with PopID and Pathspot will further bring less contamination and spread of viral infections to future kitchen environments. With Flippy ROAR, production speeds increase and social distancing concerns in the kitchen are quickly addressed. Staff are able to shift to front of the house roles where needs have increased for customer service-oriented activities like heavier and regular cleaning regimes, delivery and takeout order fulfillment, and outdoor ordering and hosting.

“We’re are incredibly excited to announce global commercial availability of Flippy ROAR,” said Mike Bell, CEO of Miso Robotics. “After we shared a sneak peek of the prototype in January, we’ve seen demand through the roof from operators, especially in light of COVID-19. Miso Robotics is confident that this demand will set us up for success and provide the automation the industry needs to not only recover but accelerate growth.”

To help operators tackle regrowth challenges immediately, Miso Robotics has partnered with TimePayments to offer financing options for immediate access for Flippy ROAR. Miso Robotics will also evolve their robot-as-a-service model to include cheaper upfront cost Flippy ROAR and a manageable monthly software fee for operators.

For more information, please contact jwilliams@misorobotics.com. The company also continues its crowdfunding raise on SeedInvest to allow individual investors to become a part of bringing innovative technology to the food service market. To invest in Miso Robotics visit: https://www.seedinvest.com/miso.robotics/series.c

About Miso Robotics

Miso Robotics (www.misorobotics.com) is revolutionizing the restaurant and prepared food industries with innovative robotics and artificial intelligence 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 scientists, roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Harvey Mudd, UCLA, USC, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill. Miso Robotics is now taking reservations for their equity crowd-funding raise, to invest in the future of restaurant automation go to https://invest.misorobotics.com/.

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

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Senior Communities Rush to Adopt AI-Enabled Health Screening System to Enhance Safety of Staff & Residents

Newest Release of PopEntry+ Platform Lets Employees 

Answer Health Questions Using Hand Gestures Alone 

 

PASADENA, CA, September 14 – No population has been struck harder by COVID-19 than seniors. PopID, a Pasadena-based company, today announced the installation of its AI-enabled health screening system at its 35th senior living community in the U.S. The fixed biometric device, PopEntry+, is the first true, contact-free platform to combine facial recognition for employee identification, instant fever detection, and hand gesture recognition for health question screening.

PopID’s latest system was installed this week at Modena Cherry Creek, a newly built 96-unit senior community in Denver owned and operated by Solera Senior Living, which develops, owns and operates many innovative senior communities across the country. The system will serve as a key safety measure to protect this vulnerable demographic.

Solera’s founder and CEO Adam Kaplan said this: “We are confident that PopEntry+, as part of our overall suite of technology, will continue to be an important protocol for helping keep our residents, staff and family members as safe as possible.” He added: “Solera has had no members infected with COVID-19 within any of our properties. I really credit that to our protocols and technology such as PopID’s, which has been an important line of defense to keeping this virus outside our walls.” 

The employees at senior communities simply scan their faces into the system via the PopID website. They then can stand before the fixed device to be recognized and have their temperatures taken instantly, hands-free, with or without masks. The device lets them know within seconds whether they have a fever. Additionally, the employee uses a thumbs up or thumbs down hand gesture to answer health questions on the screen, making the process 100% contact-free.

“Our new hand gesture recognition technology enables humans to communicate with public devices without touching the screen,” said John Miller, chairman of the Cali Group and founder/CEO of PopID. “This new mechanism for human-computer interaction will play a central role in the future of facilities management as well as retail ordering and payment.”    

 

The PopEntry+ device also integrates easily with different HR systems, resulting in efficient storage and organization of health screening data for audibility and traceability. Finally, it offers office and academic building administrators an added level of security. Once the device recognizes the employee or student, it can unlock the door for entry or deny entry if the user is unrecognized or determined to have a fever.

Video of the Denver installation here:

https://youtu.be/vNGSYbc4hjo

About PopID

PopID, a Cali Group company, offers businesses a secure platform that gives workers and consumers the option of authenticating their identity using advanced facial recognition. The company’s PopEntry device adds temperature screening to help ensure their safety and wellness. The company’s PopPay opt-in digital wallet allows customers to pay with their faces as a hands-free alternative to cash, credit cards or Apple Pay. After registering for the service once, people 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: https://www.popid.com.

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Academic Institutions Adopt New Automated Temperature Screening Technology As Plans to Return to Classrooms and Athletic Fields Take Shape

Ole Miss Among Many to Implement PopID’s “Return to Learn” Platform  

 

 

PASADENA, CA, August 26 – As college, university, and K-12 school administrators grapple with how best to enhance the safety of their communities for a possible return to the classroom and athletic field, a growing number have embraced a new automated temperature screening technology as one important measure to help them do so.

 

The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is among many academic institutions across the nation that are implementing PopID’s “Return to Learn” platform, which utilizes PopEntry+ for automated temperature testing, a health screening questionnaire, and on-campus certification.

 

Keith Carter, Athletic Director, University of Mississippi, had this to say: “Like other college athletic programs around the country, Ole Miss puts the health and safety of its student-athletes and staff above all else. We are pleased to add PopID’s technology to the steps we are taking to ensure their safety on and off the field.”

 

Once students, faculty, administrators, and athletic staff scan their faces into the system via a website, they need only stand before the fixed device to be recognized and have their temperatures taken instantly, hands-free, with or without masks. If they are shown not to have a fever, they will receive a text message confirming their daily health status, thus allowing entry to other campus buildings. PopID is offering academic institutions a significant discount for its “Return to Learn” platform versus the commercial sector.

 

Dozens of large and small academic institutions are installing PopEntry+, including: University of Antelope Valley (CA), Bismarck State College (ND), Lane College (TN), Lock Haven University (PA), Metropolitan Community College Kansas City (all schools) (MO), and University of Redlands (CA).

 

“As a college professor, I am extremely satisfied with the progress made by our university’s leadership,” observed Bill Southworth, University of Redlands. “Return to Learn complements the many measures we are implementing to provide the safest possible environment for students and faculty returning to campus.”

 

In addition to temperature screenings, PopEntry offers college communities enhanced security using advanced facial recognition technology. When affixed to the entryway of a dormitory, for example, the hands-free device can unlock the door when the student is recognized. It is easily adaptable to a variety of on-campus locations, e.g., library turnstiles, dining halls, auditoriums, and stadiums, and is expandable to include pay-by-face transactions on and around campus using PopID’s PopPay function.

 

Video showing PopEntry+ on a college campus:

 

https://youtu.be/pD-7MEydT2o

 

About PopID

PopID, a Cali Group company, offers businesses a secure platform that gives workers and consumers the option of authenticating their identity using advanced facial recognition. The company’s PopEntry device adds temperature screening to help ensure their safety and wellness. The company’s PopPay opt-in digital wallet allows customers to pay with their faces as a hands-free alternative to cash, credit cards or Apple Pay. After registering for the service once, people 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: https://www.popid.com.

 

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Restaurants & Retailers in Pasadena Establish Nation’s First Pay-by-Face Network

Debut of Hands-Free, Facial Recognition Payment System, from PopID, Follows Rollout of Company’s Entry Devices at Workplaces and Colleges 

PASADENA, August 14 – With California imposing strict restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19, a number of restaurant and retail store owners in the city of Pasadena have quietly established the nation’s first dense “face-pay” network. These small business owners have embraced an advanced facial recognition technology that lets their customers make secure, hands-free purchases using only their faces.

PopID, a Cali Group company, today announced the city-wide deployment of its PopPay “face-pay” service following the successful roll-out of the company’s PopEntry facial recognition device that lets workers and students safely “scan-in” to their workplace and college campus facilities. Users can now add a credit or debit card to their PopID accounts for a safer, truly hands-free alternative to cash, credit cards or Apple Pay.

The launch in Pasadena of a dense network of businesses and people using the PopID platform for both payment and entry kicks off a city by city rollout of the contactless payment service. “In each new city we enter, we initially focus on installing PopEntry systems in the workplace and on local college campuses,” said John Miller, chairman of Cali Group and CEO of PopID. “As these communities grow comfortable using PopID to check in, we enlist area restaurants and retailers to offer PopPay for transactions.”

Some of the Pasadena restaurants and retailers now accepting PopPay include:

  • Again Café
  • Arroyo Chop House
  • BAN SUP refill
  • Barcelona
  • Bubble Puff and Tea
  • CaliBurger
  • Contessa Italian Foods
  • Daddy’s Chicken Shack
  • DogHaus
  • Fair Oaks Burger
  • The Fit Bar Superfood Cafe
  • Food Bar
  • Lêberry Bakery
  • Lemonade
  • Mediterranean Grill
  • Milkcow Café
  • Monopole Wine
  • Parkway Grill
  • Pho Banh Mi Che Cali
  • Real Food Cafe
  • Space Bar Wellness Center
  • Smitty’s
  • Sorriso
  • Taste of Pace
  • Tortas Mexico
  • …others

Customers can take advantage of PopID’s facial recognition payment service in one of a number of ways: at the drive-thru, at an in-venue kiosk, via a display screen affixed to the sneeze guard at the counter, or tableside with a waiter scanning the patron’s face using a hand-held Android device. Once recognized, the business simply draws from the customer’s PopIDaccount before sending a text message confirming payment. PopID accounts also tie to loyalty programs for automatic credit with every purchase. The user has full control over their account and can opt out of the secure service at any time.

Links to videos showing how PopPay works: 

Self-Ordering Kiosk:

https://youtu.be/fEMtvi-QsZk

Order at Counter:
https://youtu.be/0QEOPEnK4E0

Drive-Thru:
https://youtu.be/M5wRbWuBXek

Over the last three years, PopID has been tested and adapted for payment and loyalty programs at regional and national restaurant brands throughout the country including Belcampo , Bojangles, CaliBurger, Dair-i-o, Deli Time, Plant Power, and Port of Subs. In addition to allowing a safer, hands-free payment method, the system has been shown to make the ordering process quicker and more efficient.

PopPay follows the national roll-out of PopEntry+, the combined facial recognition and thermal temperature screening device now in use in private and government offices, factories, restaurants, assisted living facilities, sports venues and on college campuses.

About PopID

PopID, a Cali Group company, offers businesses a secure platform that gives workers and consumers the option of authenticating their identity using advanced facial recognition. The company’s PopEntry device used facial recognition to allow entry to a building or office, while its PopEntry+ device adds thermal temperature screening as a measure to help ensure worker safety and wellness. The company’s PopPay opt-in digital wallet allows customers to pay with their faces as a hands-free alternative to cash, credit cards or Apple Pay. After registering for the service once, people 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: https://www.popid.com

Contact:

Peter Himler

Flatiron Communications LLC (for PopID)

Google Voice: 516-308-1120

phimler@flatironcomm.com

WhatsApp: peterhimler

Twitter: @peterhimler

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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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CALI GROUP DEMONSTRATES FACE BASED LOYALTY PROGRAM PILOT IN ITS RESTAURANT OPERATING DIVISION

New AI-Enabled Self Ordering Kiosks Available at CaliBurger Pasadena, Showcase at NRF 2018

PASADENA, CA – December 19, 2017 – Cali Group and NEC Corporation of America today unveiled new AI-enabled self-ordering kiosks at CaliBurger, Cali Group’s restaurant operating division. The kiosks use NEC’s NeoFace® facial recognition software to identify registered customers and pull up their loyalty accounts and order preferences. The kiosk pilot program is now at CaliBurger’s Pasadena location, where the Quick Serve Restaurant chain showcases new technologies developed by its parent company. If customers are pleased with the new ordering experience, the kiosks will be rolled out to CaliBurger’s global locations next year. Also in 2018, the platform will be used to allow customers to pay using their faces.

As shown in the demo video, customers will have the option of immediately activating their loyalty accounts as they approach the kiosks without needing to swipe a card or type in identifying information. The loyalty account shows a customer’s favorite historical meal packages, enabling the customer to complete the ordering transaction in a matter of seconds. “Face-based loyalty significantly reduces the friction associated with loyalty program registration and use; further, it enables a restaurant chain like CaliBurger to provide a customized, one-on-one interactive experience at the ordering kiosk,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group. “Our goal for 2018 is to replace credit card swipes with face-based payments. Facial recognition is part of our broader strategy to enable the restaurant and retail industries to provide the same kinds of benefits and conveniences in the built world that customers experience with retailers like Amazon in the digital world.”

In addition to using facial recognition to enhance and improve the customer experience in restaurants, Cali Group is pioneering: AI and robotics to automate kitchen equipment and monitor the dining area; social gaming for entertainment in the dining area; and infrastructure for autonomous vehicles to deliver fresh food.

Cali Group worked with global technology firm NEC Corporation of America to integrate NEC’s facial recognition technology into its loyalty program. In 2017, the US National Institute of
Standards and Technology ranked NEC’s platform the most accurate in the world for one-to-many searching.
“NEC’s face recognition software technology is considered among the world’s most accurate, making it an ideal tool for retailers seeking to provide the best possible customer service and convenience for their customers,” said Matt Worley, Vice President, Retail Solutions, NEC Corporation of America. “We are committed to helping Cali Group reinvent the customer experience in the best ways possible, and I encourage anyone attending NRF 2018 to come see a demonstration of the technology in action.”

Cali Group’s new facial recognition self-ordering kiosks will be on display at NRF 2018 | Retail’s Big Show in New York City on January 14-16 in Booth 3153. To schedule a demo and interview at the show, please contact caliburger@dkcnews.com.

Editor’s Note: Please credit video and visuals to Cali Group. Additional video clips here.

ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group is pioneering restaurant and retail operating software systems to drive revenue, lower costs, collect data, and improve operations. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the software products developed by its sister companies.

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-in-class 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.

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CALI GROUP TO EXPAND USE OF ITS POP ADVERTISING PLATFORM TO DRIVE CALIBURGER SALES

Walkers Will Wear “Cali Coins” That Can Be Captured, Purchased, and Redeemed For Food At Substantial Discounts

October 9, 2017 – Cali Group, a technology company focused on transforming the restaurant and retail industries, announced today that it is expanding use of its PoP wearable advertising platform to further drive sales at its restaurant division, CaliBurger. The first marketing campaigns using the PoP platform took place in areas surrounding CaliBurger units on the West Coast, where “Walkers” wore digital displays (integrated into backpacks) showing special offers taking place inside of the restaurants. The campaigns were a cost effective tool to increase store sales.

The next phase will involve sale of “Cali Coins” through the wearable digital display network. Consumers will have the opportunity to identify Cali Coins on the backs of Walkers in public places and use their mobile devices to immediately capture and purchase the Cali Coins. The Cali Coins can then be exchanged for food at substantial discounts in a local CaliBurger restaurant using the self ordering kiosks.

The restaurant and retail industries sell billions of dollars of coupons through various online distribution channels. There is little differentiation between the different online platforms, and the audience reach is limited. PoP enables restaurants, retailers, and consumer brands to deliver digital coupons and digital coins to a broad audience dwelling in the built world within hundreds of yards of their locations. “The PoP platform is a key component of the restaurant and retail operating system of the future that Cali Group is pioneering,” said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group. “In addition to delivering immediate ROI at the store level, PoP increases enrollment by Millennials and Gen Z in the CaliBurger loyalty program.”

Separate from CaliBurger, PoP is also in pilot trials with other retailers and consumer brands at trade shows, on college campuses, and in malls and other densely populated retail areas. PoP’s wearable machine vision system provides ad buyers with detailed data about the targeted viewers.

ABOUT POP PoP is a smart, micro-location marketing and commerce platform, powered by machine vision and artificial intelligence. PoP helps offline businesses drive profitable growth by influencing high-potential customers with near-me offers and content, delivered in intent-rich moments. By seamlessly blending content and commerce, PoP’s fresh and engaging format creates durable brand affinity and loyalty across user segments, while simultaneously building rich shopper behavior and location intelligence. ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group is pioneering restaurant and retail software systems to drive revenue, lower costs, collect data, and improve operations. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the software products developed by its sister companies.

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CALI GROUP ANNOUNCES FINANCING FOR MISO ROBOTICS

Capital To Be Used To Deploy “Flippy” In CaliBurger Restaurants

July 6, 2017 – Cali Group announced today that Miso Robotics has received over $3 million in funding from strategic investors, including Acacia Research and Match Robotics VC. The press release describing the financing can be viewed at goo.gl/bnK6nS. Miso was co-founded and funded by Cali Group in 2016 to revolutionize the restaurant industry with machine vision, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Miso will use the funding to deploy in CaliBurger restaurants its first commercial product, an AI-driven robotic kitchen assistant named “Flippy” that works alongside kitchen staff to improve operational efficiency for the restaurant industry.

“While the biggest companies in the world are focused on using computer vision and artificial intelligence to drive cars and manage the home, Cali Group will facilitate and lead the adoption of these emerging technologies in the restaurant and retail industries,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group.

Miso received worldwide attention following the initial debut of Flippy in CaliBurger’s restaurant in Pasadena, California. Miso and CaliBurger were featured in TechCrunch (https://goo.gl/hM4oa6), Forbes (https://goo.gl/1QnkTC ), Fortune (https://goo.gl/FWL48X ), and Fox News (https://goo.gl/fWDNnP). And on July 4th, Miso demonstrated a Flippy 2.0 prototype cooking patties on existing kitchen equipment with a standard spatula on CNBC, at https://goo.gl/pAzozZ.

Cali Group’s mission is to transform the restaurant and retail industries with new technology platforms. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate operational proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the software products developed by its sister companies. In addition to CaliBurger and Miso Robotics, Cali Group also has significant ownership positions in Super League Gaming, FunWall, and PopPacks.

ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group is pioneering software systems for restaurant and retail operators to drive revenue, lower costs,
coll ect data, and improve operations. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the software products developed by its sister companies.

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CALI GROUP TO DEMONSTRATE ITS “MOBILE ADVERTISING” PLATFORM TO MARKET CALIBURGER BRAND AND DRIVE STORE SALES

POPpack’s Machine Vision Software Offers a Pay Per View Advertising Model On Wearable Displays

PASADENA, June 30th – Cali Group announced today that its subsidiary, CaliBurger, will begin marketing campaigns in July using POPpacks, the first “mobile advertising” platform based on machine vision. The campaigns will take place around CaliBurger’s restaurants in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Maryland. Through POPpack’s automated marketplace, CaliBurger will deliver customized messages to digital displays integrated into backpacks worn by Millennials and Centennials walking within hundreds of yards of CaliBurger’s locations. POPpack’s proprietary machine vision system (leveraging the camera on the display) offers brands like CaliBurger the ability to pay based on the number of people that see the messages. Similar to Uber, as shown in the video, “walkers” can earn income through the mobile App.

“Our mission at Cali Group is to use new technologies to transform the restaurant and retail industries and aggregate data about the offline world,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group. “Cali Group invested in POPpacks to enable restaurants, retailers, and brands to have personal brand ambassadors deliver messages in places that have been traditionally inaccessible.” The initial launch of the platform allows walkers to buy a custom POPpacks backpack, insert their iPad, and download the POPpacks app to begin making money. As featured on Episode 2 of Apple’s new TV show, Planet of the Apps, POPpacks is also developing its own flexible display hardware integrated into backpacks that is low cost, daylight readable, shatterproof, and can last for months without needing to be charged. In addition to POPpacks, Cali Group also has significant ownership positions in Super League Gaming, FunWall, and Miso Robotics.

ABOUT CALI GROUP Cali Group is a holding company that comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group is pioneering software systems for restaurant and retail operators to drive revenue, lower costs, collect data, and improve operations. Cali Group uses its CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate proof of concept and lead the commercial adoption of the software products developed by its sister companies.

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CALI GROUP ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL FINANCING FOR SUPER LEAGUE GAMING

Over $28M of Capital Raised Into Cali Group’s E-Sports Spin Out, Including Follow On Investment By Cali Group

June 29, 2017 – Cali Group announced today that Super League Gaming (“SLG”), the e-sports platform for every day gamers, has received $15 million in Series C funding from Nickelodeon (a division of Viacom), DMG Entertainment, a SoftBank managed fund, Toba Capital, premier esports entity aXiomatic, and various professional sports owners. Cali Group also invested in the financing to increase its ownership position in Super League and become the largest shareholder. The press release describing the SLG financing is at https://goo.gl/DfJfjA. Earlier in the week, SLG and DMG Entertainment announced a strategic partnership to take the Super League platform to a global audience, including launching the brand in various cities in China. The press release can be viewed at https://goo.gl/g8d6hj.

Super League was spun out of Cali Group in 2014 to bring gamers of all ages from around the world together for recreational and competitive gaming, content creation and sharing, and social networking. Super League has pioneered city teams in e-sports and established movie theaters as the ultimate arenas to experience some of the world’s most popular e-sports games in a new and social context. SLG has raised approximately $28M million in funding since 2014. Earlier investors include Cinemark, ET Capital, and Quadrant.

“Cali Group’s family of companies are focused on creating new technologies to transform the restaurant and retail industries,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group. “We use our growing CaliBurger restaurant chain to demonstrate how technology platforms (such as social gaming, internet of things, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and robotics) can be used in the offline world, and then capitalize companies to build businesses around these proven concepts. Offline commerce still represents 90% of the economy, and our collective goal at Cali Group is to aggregate offline data and link it to the online world.”

Cali Group also has significant ownership positions in FunWall, POPpacks, and Miso Robotics.

ABOUT CALI GRO UP Cali Group comprises CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain, and its affiliated technology companies. Cali Group is pioneering restaurant and retail operating systems that include software for: managing interactive gaming (online and offline); programming wearable digital signage; automated processes related to ordering and cooking; intelligent delivery of food from kitchen to customers in local neighborhoods; real time detection of operating errors and pathogens; and facial recognition systems for loyalty and payment verification.

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