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 [email protected]
(203) 682-8276
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Super League Will Provide Competitive Experiences to PUBG MOBILE Players in Local Communities Nationwide and Create New PUBG MOBILE Content Programming Across Social and Digital Platforms
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming (“Super League” or the “Company”) (NasdaqCM: SLGG), a leading community of gamers who connect through the Company’s live, digital and social content brands and experiences, today announced a partnership with Tencent Games, the largest video game publisher in the world based in Shenzhen, China, to bring PUBG MOBILE content and experiences to gamers throughout the U.S. Super League will work with Tencent to build local and digital PUBG MOBILE communities through amateur leagues and competitions, live stream broadcasts, and original video-on-demand content. With a growing audience across digital and social platforms, Super League will apply its proven formula to PUBG MOBILE of celebrating everyday players based on their gameplay achievements and diverse personal stories.
“PUBG MOBILE fits perfectly within Super League’s expanding offerings for more than 100 million enthusiastic gamers across the country,” said Super League’s CEO Ann Hand. “It delivers on every level with fun gameplay, competitive intensity and a passionate player base. We could not be more excited to launch this program with Tencent across our nationwide venue network, SuperLeagueTV and our recently acquired Framerate social video network.”
PUBG MOBILE is one of the top mobile games in the world with more than 400 million downloads and 50 million daily users, and is one of Tencent Game’s most successful mobile franchises. Super League’s new PUBG MOBILE experiences will include local, social gameplay nights, as well as a “City Champs” league. City Champs is Super League’s premium competitive franchise, creating a powerful bond between gamers as they battle together on behalf of their hometown and compete for city pride. The new experiences are expected to begin rolling out in September of this year.
“Tencent Games is thrilled to work with Super League and bring amateur PUBG MOBILE esports to the U.S.,” said Tencent Games’ Neo Liu, Head of North American Publishing, “The live, local gamer communities that Super League develops, and the personally engaging content produced and distributed through their digital and social channels will delight PUBG MOBILE players and help drive ongoing growth of the game.”
About Super League Gaming
Super League Gaming, Inc. (NasdaqCM: SLGG) is a leading esports community and content platform for competitive, everyday gamers, fans and friends of all ages and skill levels. With a focus on positive and inclusive gameplay, Super League enables players to experience their sport like the pros while also developing sportsmanship, communication and team-building skills. Powered by a proprietary technology platform, Super League operates physical and digital experiences in partnership with publishers of top-tier games. Local movie theatres, PC cafes, restaurant and entertainment venues are transformed into esports arenas where gamers compete, socialize, spectate and celebrate the amateur esports lifestyle. Super League’s platform offers unique amateur esports experiences that not only ratchet up the competition for avid gamers, but also attract audiences with elite amateur broadcasts that transform physical venues as well as fuel SuperLeagueTV’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
About Tencent Games
Tencent Games is the leading global platform for game development, publishing and operation, as well as operator of the largest online games community in China. The company is dedicated to offering high-quality interactive entertainment experiences for all players across the globe. It currently offers more than 140 self-developed and licensed games in more than 200 countries and regions, providing hundreds of millions of users with cross-platform interactive entertainment experiences. Honor of Kings, PUBG MOBILE and League of Legends among others are some of Tencent Games’ most popular titles around the world.
About PUBG MOBILE
PUBG MOBILE is based on PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, the phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto a remote island to battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles and supplies, and defeat every player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into a shrinking play zone.
PUBG MOBILE is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play.
Investor Relations:
Sean McGowan and Cody Slach
Gateway Investor Relations
(949) 574-3860 [email protected]
Media Contacts:
Ranese Southerland
B/HI for Tencent Games [email protected]
Ann Kaiser
High10 Media for Super League Gaming
(212) 918-2029 [email protected]
Source: Super League Gaming
Released August 14, 2019
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A first-of-its-kind partnership will enable esports gaming centers that use ggCircuit’s venue management software to seamlessly offer Super League events to local gamers
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming (NASDAQ: SLGG), a leading platform unifying communities of amateur esports players and fans across game titles and skill levels, and ggCircuit, a leading esports center services company, announced today a new partnership through which Super League experiences will be rolled out across ggCircuit’s esports center footprint. The collaboration will enable easy access to local and national Super League competitions everywhere ggCircuit’s “ggLeap” center management software is installed.
Super League Gaming has produced more than 2,500 live esports tournaments and events featuring game titles such as League of Legends, Clash Royale, Minecraft and Fortnite. The company’s proprietary technology platform powers premium in-person competitive experiences at scale, transforming physical venues into pop-up esports arenas complete with jumbotron-like visualization on available monitors and screens.
ggCircuit’s industry leading venue management software, ggLeap, is used by more than 915 gaming centers globally through which more than 1,000,000 unique players have created local accounts over 24 months. With ggLeap, esport center managers provide gamers with personalization and rewards that engender increased player loyalty to the venue.
“Partnering with ggCircuit was a natural step in Super League’s mission to provide every gamer with regular opportunities to participate in events and leagues within a venue close to their home,” said Matt Edelman, chief commercial officer of Super League Gaming. “We are fortunate to have aligned with a company that shares our commitment to supporting the growth of local player communities through best-in-class solutions and experiences.”
“Our automated venue management software unifies hundreds of esports centers and helps them establish lasting connections with gamers in their local community,” said Mark Nielsen, chief operating officer and co-founder of ggCircuit. “With Super League as a partner, ggCircuit will be able to deepen that connection by making it easy for esports centers to offer Super League’s premium social esports experiences.”
The first Super League program will be available to esports gaming centers in June.
About Super League Gaming
Super League Gaming (www.SuperLeague.com) is a leading esports community for gamers, competitors, fans and friends of all ages and skill levels. With a focus on positive and inclusive gameplay, Super League enables players to experience their sport like the pros. Powered by a proprietary technology platform, Super League operates in-person and digital leagues in partnership with publishers of top-tier games such as League of Legends, Minecraft and Clash Royale. Local movie theaters, PC cafes and restaurant and retail venues are transformed into esports arenas where players compete while also developing sportsmanship, communication and team-building skills. Super League’s primary programs consist of: the first and only city-vs-city amateur esports competition in which players compete in-person on behalf of their hometown as members of Super League’s City Clubs; monthly tournaments throughout the year playable both from home and a multitude of physical locations across the U.S.; and special events produced in partnership with consumer brands, entertainment companies and game publishers, all powered by the Super League platform. SuperLeagueTV supports all Super League experiences with live streams of the competitions and original video-on-demand content on Twitch and YouTube.
About ggCircuit
ggCircuit started out as a grassroots movement in 2008 by a group of passionate LAN Center owners/managers that wanted to provide better management software for cybercafes, universities and LAN centers worldwide. Drawing on their collective experience they developed a state-of-the-art software management system, ggLeap, that was not only easy and flexible for centers to use, but also delivered end user features that kept gamers engaged, offering more benefits than they would get by playing at home.
Since ggCircuit’s humble beginnings the company has evolved into a fully-fledged esports services company providing not only center management software solutions, but also rolling out a global competition and reward system, managed esports events and tournaments and center consulting support services.
As the esports scene continues to grow, ggCircuit is expanding and is positioned to iterate, improve and add services and solutions for centers, business partners and gamers across the globe.
Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty, are predictions only and actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include the uncertainty regarding viability and market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, the ability to complete software development plans in a timely manner, changes in relationships with third parties, product mix sold by the Company and other factors described in the Company’s most public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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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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Round Includes Leading Tech Investors and Restaurant Operators
PRESS RELEASE UPDATED: APR 17, 2019 07:00 EDT
PASADENA, Calif., April 17, 2019 (Newswire.com) – Cali Group, a food tech holding company, announced today that PopID, a company co-founded and seeded by Cali Group, has closed a $5M Series A financing. Wavemaker led the round, and Cali Group made a significant follow on investment. Other investors in the deal included franchise operators of some of the largest global restaurant brands and owners of Stoner’s Pizza Joint, Park Burger, and Bird Call. Inflection Capital and NRD Capital, a private equity firm with substantial restaurant holdings, also participated.
PopID is rapidly building a two-sided marketplace comprised of: (1) registered consumers that prefer to use one face authentication service for various purposes across multiple channels; and (2) brick and mortar merchants that install PopID software on their kiosks, POS systems, and payment terminals. Consumers register for PopID to increase convenience and also have more personalized experiences in brick and mortar environments, and merchants utilize PopID to reduce ordering time and credit card processing fees. PopID is currently focused on the restaurant industry; the platform is being used by various restaurant operators on or near a dozen college campuses and thousands of college students. As the network of registered users increases in the future, the company plans to move into other uses of its face gateway in retail payments, ticketing, and building entry. Consumers will be able to register for PopID once and use it throughout their daily lives.
“The number of restaurant operators investing in this round illustrates the benefits of PopID for both merchants and Millennial consumers,” said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group and acting CEO of PopID. “We are seeing a network effect for growth of this platform: every new merchant that purchases PopID software for operational and cost reasons results in thousands of new PopID registered users; and the rapid increase in registered users is resulting in larger chains seeking to adopt the technology.”
PopID leveraged Cali Group’s infrastructure for incubating new restaurant technology products. PopID was tested and optimized in the CaliBurger restaurant chain owned by Cali Group. Cali Group has also co-founded and made substantial investments in Super League Gaming, Miso Robotics, and Kitchen United.
ABOUT PopID:
PopID is a universal gateway for identity verification through facial recognition. Learn more about the PopID vision at PopID.com. For more information please contact Virginia Dadey, [email protected] or (917) 848-0748.
ABOUT CALI GROUP:
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses the brands in its restaurant operating division to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com
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SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming, Inc. (the “Company”), a leading amateur esports community and content platform, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 2,272,727 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $11.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on February 26, 2019 under the symbol “SLGG.” All of the shares are being offered by the Company. In addition, the Company has offered the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase from the Company up to an additional 340,909 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover over-allotments, if any. The initial public offering is expected to close on February 28, 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.
The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including sales and marketing activities, product development and capital expenditures.
Northland Securities, Inc. and Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC are acting as the joint book-running managers and National Securities Corporation is acting as the co-manager for the initial public offering.
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with and was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
The offering is being made only by means of a written prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the final prospectus related to the offering may be obtained, when available, by contacting Northland Securities Inc., Attention: Heidi Fletcher, 150 South Fifth Street, Suite 3300, Minneapolis, MN 55402, email [email protected] or telephone (612) 851-4918 or Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC, Attention: Syndicate Dept., 920 Second Avenue South, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55402, email [email protected] or telephone (612) 326-1305.
About Super League
Super League is a preeminent and unifying community for amateur esports players. Through premium in-person and digital events and leagues featuring top-tier games such as League of Legends, Minecraft and Clash Royale, Super League provides competitive video gamers with opportunities to experience their sport like the pros within a social environment that fosters positive communication, good sportsmanship and teamwork. Super League’s proprietary technology platform transforms local movie theaters, PC cafes and restaurant and retail venues into esports arenas, facilitating critical components of successful competitions such as player match-making, tournament operations, data visualization, and local and national live broadcasts, all across a wide variety of competitive formats.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including the anticipated use of the net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Contacts
Investor Relations:
Sean McGowan and Cody Slach
Liolios
949-574-3860 [email protected]
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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
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Virtual Restaurant Concept Introducing Next Location in River North Neighborhood in November, Opening to Public in January
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, a Los Angeles-based virtual restaurant provider, today announced the opening of its next kitchen center at 825 N. Sedgwick St. in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Coming on the heels of a $10M funding round led by GV, Kitchen United will work with restaurant partners to begin move-in in mid-December, and will start serving Chicago consumers in January.
With this launch, Kitchen United is offering national, regional and local restaurant chains a value-driven, low-risk opportunity to offload busy and disruptive off premise operations, or find entry into the Chicago market. Kitchen United already has commitments from several large restaurant chains who will be moving into the facility, and expects that this location will be fully subscribed by the time it starts serving consumers in early 2019.
Kitchen United’s “kitchen centers” are facilities that can house 10-20 restaurants with commercial kitchens optimized specifically for the catering, delivery and takeout marketplace. The company creates turnkey solutions for restaurants and positions its kitchen facilities in areas where demand is high and the local restaurant infrastructure is strained by the influx of non-traditional business. Chicago’s vibrant and fast growing River North ward is a perfect location and the company is excited to be opening its first location outside of California in such a busy environment.
“We select locations for our kitchen centers very carefully, and this space passed our site selection process with flying colors,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “River North has an extremely high demand for food delivery, catering and pickup services. Restaurants in the area are stressed by the new business and the new facility will cater to both the in-place community, as well as bringing new dining options into the area to meet rising consumer demand.”
Kitchen United’s core business serves local, regional and national chains, but the company reserves space in each facility to enable restaurant and food service entrepreneurs an opportunity to start or expand their business and River North will provide space for this purpose as well.
“Changes in consumer preference are dramatically shaping the food landscape across the country,” said Chief Operating Officer of Kitchen United, Meredith Sandland. “Our facilities are designed to empower local and national restaurants to meet the demand for more off-premise dining options in their most relevant target markets. We’re thrilled to bring our next kitchen center to life in Chicago, and are hard at work to meet our expansion goals for the year ahead.”
Chicago is the second market for Kitchen United’s shared kitchen spaces and the company has aggressive growth plans for the year ahead. In 2019, the company is slated to open new facilities in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver and New York City. As a data-driven organization, Kitchen United identifies the most promising locations for its kitchen centers by aggregating insights on demographics, income levels and cuisine-specific demand as well as drive time, traffic patterns and other data. The company also provides its restaurant partners opt-in consumer and operational data to tailor their businesses and menus to better meet local consumer demand and run more efficiently.
About Kitchen United
Kitchen United provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to easily expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand existing delivery areas by removing common barriers, such as capital or technology expertise. For additional information, visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.
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Cali Group CEO to Discuss White Paper at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit
October 30, 2018
LOS ANGELES, CA – Cali Group released today its vision for the future of the restaurant industry in a white paper entitled “Food Justice,” available for download at Food Justice. Authored by the partners of Cali Group, the paper first describes how the restaurant industry has historically been criticized for contributing to socioeconomic inequality by delivering poor nutrition to low income communities and serving as an employment trap for low income workers. They then propose that new technologies and business model paradigms will benefit low income communities by: (1) enabling delivery of higher quality food at lower prices direct to homes; and (2) providing higher income and more rewarding jobs without necessarily reducing the total number of jobs available.
On November 8 at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit, Cali Group Chairman and CEO John Miller will discuss the white paper as he co-moderates a session on restaurant automation. During the session, Mr. Miller will engage in a dialogue with political scientist Darrell West about the impact of new technologies on the American workforce and society. Dr. West is the author of a new book titled The Future of Work: Robots, AI, and Automation.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-10-30 19:05:312018-10-30 19:05:41CALI GROUP PRESENTS VISION FOR FOOD JUSTICE
POP IQ Reduces Kiosk Transaction Time, Increases Loyalty Usage, and Is Preferred By Customers For Payment Processing.
LOS ANGELES, October 18, 2018 (Newswire.com) –Cali Group announced today that it’s majority-owned subsidiary, POP IQ, has completed a pilot program of its face-based authentication platform in CaliBurger’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver. POP IQ was installed on self-ordering kiosks in five CaliBurger restaurants so that registered POP IQ members could log in to their CaliBurger loyalty accounts by face authentication and also process credit card payments through face authentication (instead of credit card swipe). Cali Group previously reported that the POP IQ face matching system has an accuracy of over 99%. Key highlights of this multi-location trial include:
* Transaction time at a kiosk for a typical customer is approximately three minutes while transaction time at a kiosk for a customer that logs in using POP IQ is 1:44;
* 20% of customers ordering at the kiosks registered for POP IQ;
* 99% of returning customers that previously registered for POP IQ utilized POP IQ to log in to their loyalty accounts; and
* 69% of returning customers that previously registered for POP IQ utilized POP IQ to process payments instead of swiping credit cards.
“After nearly a year of testing POP IQ at CaliBurger, we have shown that POP IQ reduces kiosk transaction time, increases use of a merchant’s loyalty program, and becomes a preferred method for payment processing over credit card swipes,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group. “Based on the success of the CaliBurger program, we will continue to deploy the POP IQ face network at other merchants in Los Angeles so that registered POP IQ members can authenticate themselves by touching the increasingly familiar POP IQ logo for a variety of different use cases ranging from building access to payment.”
ABOUT POP IQ
POP IQ is a universal gateway for face authentication. Learn more about the POP IQ vision at www.pop-iq.com.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses the brands in its restaurant operating division to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-10-18 16:39:482018-10-18 16:39:53Cali Group Reports Results From Pop Iq Pilot Program Across Caliburger's West Coast Restaurants
Kitchen United Takes Data-Driven Approach to Help Restaurants Reach More Customers
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, a virtual restaurant concept, today announced the closing of a $10 million Series A funding round led by GV (formerly Google Ventures). Co-founders Harry Tsao and John Miller (Cali Group) also participated, along with several other investors. Launched in 2017, Kitchen United offers national, regional, and local restaurant chains a value-driven, low-risk opportunity to expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining, and expand their addressable delivery market. Kitchen United’s state-of-the-art commercial kitchens also provide food entrepreneurs the flexibility and business intelligence needed to enter this rapidly growing market.
Kitchen United will use the funding to power its national growth strategy – the company has plans to open new facilities in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbus, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver and New York City by the end of 2019. These funds will also build the company’s real estate, marketing, engineering and operations functions in connection with the existing leadership team, which hails from industry giants like Taco Bell, McDonald’s, SBE Entertainment, Wolfgang Puck and more. As part of the investment, GV General Partner Adam Ghobarah will be joining Kitchen United’s board of directors.
Kitchen United leverages aggregate data to identify the best locations for its “Kitchen Centers,” which are facilities that can house 10-20 restaurants in converted warehouses, as well as big box and light industrial locations. Data on local demographics are overlaid with cuisine-specific demand mapping to determine the best locations for these centers, as well as the best partner fit from its growing list of participating restaurants. Once in the facility, Kitchen United provides its restaurants access to opt-in consumer and operational data to tailor their businesses, meet consumer demand, and realize operational efficiency. Examples of these functions include flagging unpopular menu choices, allowing restaurants to reduce menu size, and tailoring labor size based on demand.
“Kitchen United’s data-driven approach to flexible kitchen spaces unlocks critical value for national, regional, and local restaurant chains looking to expand into new markets,” said Adam Ghobarah, general partner at GV. “The founding team’s experience in scaling – in addition to diverse exposure to national chains, regional brands, regional franchises, and small upstart eateries – puts Kitchen United in a strong position to accelerate food innovation. Delivery networks have created new possibilities for food entrepreneurs, and we see significant investment opportunities in this ecosystem.”
According to UBS, the food delivery market is expected to grow from $35 billion today to $365 billion worldwide by 2030, an annual average of more than 20 percent. Capitalizing on the rapidly changing restaurant landscape, Kitchen United’s Kitchen Centers create operational efficiencies and reduce delivery costs for restaurants while providing more food options and decreasing wait time for customers. Rather than the traditional approach of spending millions of dollars and taking months to establish new locations, restaurant partners utilizing Kitchen United spaces can enter new markets at a fraction of the cost and time, simply by staffing the kitchen and advertising the local address through the delivery services and their web channels.
“Consumers are demanding new dining choices at ever increasing levels,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “Our Kitchen Centers are designed to bring production closer to homes and businesses across the country, empowering local and national businesses alike to reach new markets. We’re thrilled to work with GV as we bring many more of these kitchen spaces to life in the years ahead.”
About Kitchen United
Kitchen United offers food entrepreneurs the flexibility and business intelligence to take the next step in starting or growing their business — regardless of size or experience. Kitchen United provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to easily expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand existing delivery areas by removing common barriers, such as capital or technology expertise. For additional information, visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-10-08 19:20:402018-10-10 19:27:01GV Leads $10M Investment in Kitchen United to Bring Flexible Kitchen Spaces to New Markets
NSF International issues full certification for kitchen assistant product line to prepare food in commercial kitchens
PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Miso Robotics, a leading robotics and artificial intelligence solutions company, today announced its cloud-connected Miso AI platform now enables the company’s autonomous robotic kitchen assistants to perform frying cooking tasks. In addition, Miso Robotics’ kitchen assistant product line has received full certification by NSF International for meeting sanitation standards for commercial kitchen equipment and secured an ETL Listed Mark by Intertek for meeting UL electrical safety standards.
The company has been piloting Flippy as a frying assistant since July 30 at the Chick ‘n Tots stand in Dodger Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Flippy has helped stadium team members consistently cook and serve more than ten thousand pounds of fresh chicken tenders and crispy tater tots to Dodgers fans, producing up to eighty baskets of food per hour.
“The robotic kitchen assistant helps us more quickly and safely cook perfectly crispy chicken tenders and tater tots,” said Robin Rosenberg, Vice President and Chef de Cuisine for Levy. “It’s amazing to see the kitchen assistant and team members working together, and the consistency of product is incredible.”
Stationed in front of the fryer, Flippy assists with the frying process using three key Miso AI platform features: Miso See, Miso Serve and Miso Move. Miso See enables the six-axis industrial robotic arm to properly identify and locate food, cookware and cooking utensils, Miso Serve equips it to make optimal cooking decisions in real-time and Miso Move provides robotics control for safe and efficient grilling, frying and preparing food as assigned. Each allows Flippy to assist with picking up baskets and placing them in the fryer, gently shaking baskets in the oil and monitoring cooking time in addition to hanging baskets to drain excess oil, placing them at a designated station for temperature testing and skimming the fry oil. This permits team members to dedicate more time to food preparation and assembly as well as to improving the fan experience.
“New technologies at large scale venues and events like this need to add value for both guests and team members,” said Jaime Faulkner, CEO of E15. “Working with Miso, we were able to create a process that both delivers high quality food more quickly, and gives kitchen team members a chance to hone sought after skills working with robotics and automation.”
David Zito, cofounder and chief executive officer at Miso Robotics added, “Dodger Stadium is an ideal location to pilot our technology with a key demographic that expects the type of quality food and service we have developed Flippy to assist in fulfilling. Levy, E15 and the LA Dodgers have been incredible partners during this process; the tremendous insight we have gained during this pilot has enabled us to make improvements that ensure stadium employees benefit most from our collaborative solution.”
Flippy will continue frying at the Chick ‘n Tots stand at Dodger Stadium through the end of the 2018 LA Dodgers season. Miso Robotics, Levy and E15 will continue to plan additional opportunities during the offseason and Miso Robotics will further expand the capabilities of its autonomous robotic kitchen assistants, as well as applications for Miso AI.
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 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, UCLA, Olin, Harvey Mudd, Art Center, NASA, Tesla, and SpaceX.
About Levy
The disruptor in defining 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. For more, visit www.levyrestaurants.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About E15 Group
E15 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Levy, working with some of the most well-known organizations in sports and entertainment, and beyond. E15 brings together professionals from the fields of economics, mathematics, statistics, accounting and finance, psychology and behavioral science, and computer science and emerging technology, applying an analytical mindset to help partners enhance performance across all facets of operations.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-09-20 13:52:022018-09-24 13:59:38Miso Robotics Enhances Miso AI Platform to Include Frying Skills, Releases Pilot Program Results from Dodger Stadium
PASADENA, Calif., June 28, 2018 (Newswire.com)-Cali Group, a holding company with ownership stakes in a portfolio of synergistic food and food technology companies, announced today that its restaurant operating subsidiary, CaliBurger, will begin running “Flippy” at its Pasadena location for full day shifts. Flippy is the world’s first autonomous robotic kitchen assistant developed by Miso Robotics that works alongside kitchen staff to assist in consistently preparing freshly cooked burgers. Over the course of eight weeks, Flippy has been operating during lunch hours and will begin cooking from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily starting today.
“We have demonstrated that Flippy can work on our standard equipment and meet high volume demand with substantially greater cooking consistency than our kitchens that have not yet installed Flippy,” said Tony Lomelino, Chief Technology Officer of CaliBurger. “Additionally, we have developed a program to retrain our restaurant staff to serve as ‘Chef Techs’ that work alongside Flippy and monitor the related software and hardware systems. We expect these skills will be useful for employees across our chain to secure higher income jobs that require human / robotic interaction in the future restaurant industry and other industries.”
Since Flippy was first piloted in March, it has cooked thousands of burger patties cooked consistently for customers. Based on the success of this first commercial program, CaliBurger will begin deploying Flippy at additional CaliBurger locations later this year and plans to install Flippy in most of its domestic locations by the end of 2019.
“The collaboration between CaliBurger and Miso Robotics demonstrates how AI-driven robotics will improve food quality, decrease food production costs, and improve the lives of workers in the food industry,” said John Miller, CEO of Cali Group. “We will continue to invest in both companies, with the goal of developing other AI-driven robotic solutions to assist with other tasks at CaliBurger.”
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.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 roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-06-28 22:36:262018-06-28 22:36:26Flippy To Begin Working Full Day Shifts At CaliBurger
Award-Winning Chefs and Iconic Restaurants, Including Canter’s Deli, Neal Fraser’s Fritzi Coop and Mama Musubi Among the First Concepts to Debut in Pasadena
PASADENA, Calif., May 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Culinary on-demand startup Kitchen United today announced the grand opening of its 12,000-square-foot local food hub in Pasadena, Calif. The facility helps food businesses expand their delivery, takeout and catering operations. At opening, the space will house 15 different concepts, specially optimized to take advantage of KU’s delivery-centric infrastructure. This facility is the first opened by the company and plans are in place to open nationwide in the coming year.
Kitchen United houses several larger regional and national brands, including concepts from Canter’s Deli, Neal Fraser’sFritzi Coop, Mama Musubi, Northern California better burger chain, Barney’s Gourmet Burgers and vegan startup The Pizza Plant. As the company expands across the country, locations are selected by converging demographic data with demand indicators such as delivery application usage and unmet demand indicators as well as feedback from national and regional restaurant chains targeting expansion through Kitchen United’s facilities.
“We quickly recognized that restaurants needed much more than access to a kitchen to make these specialized ‘outposts’ work,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “So we have designed a unique solution, providing a combination of technology, equipment, marketing assistance and workflow solutions specifically optimized to ensure partner success. We’re thrilled to be working with a growing suite of impressive food innovators supplying not just the commercial kitchen space they need, but the resources and support to bring their vision to fruition.”
Kitchen United’s mission is to enable both established and new restaurant concepts to adapt to rapid changes in the restaurant industry driven by the explosive growth of consumer demand for delivery. Some restaurants have already seen the impact, with as much as 30% of order volume coming from outside of the dining room, and this trend is just beginning, with most industry analysts projecting multi-fold growth in the coming years.
“Kitchen United is transforming the food business and helping to build the future of restaurants,” said Carol Kwan, half of the brother-sister team behind Mama Musubi, a well-known Los Angeles based catering company specializing in Japanese cuisine. “Thus far, we’ve only had the capacity to be at farmers markets and popups. With Kitchen United, we’re able expand our reach through delivery while still focusing on what we love: serving our existing customer base and testing new ideas without having to worry about the operational nitty gritty that would be involved in opening our own space.”
Conceived and built by restaurant industry veterans from companies like Taco Bell, McDonalds and Wolfgang Puck, Kitchen United was designed with delivery in mind. Every process involved in the preparation, cooking, and delivery of food is optimized in the tech-enabled establishment through kitchen automation and ordering solutions seamlessly integrating most popular mobile and online delivery platforms. Restaurants save costs through shared back of house labor for non-core functions such as receiving and scullery, and facilities are designed with the new “diner” in mind, providing specified delivery driver parking as well as easy access consumer pickup. Moreover, Kitchen United has dedicated staff to work with restaurants to continuously improve the consumer experience and everything from food preparation to packaging is scrutinized in the process.
Kitchen United today also announced it has raised an undisclosed amount of Series A funding from Cali Group, Avista Investments and other private investors, which will be used to accelerate growth and fuel expansion in key markets in the U.S.
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.
Face Gateway Platform Can Be Used To Authenticate Identity For Building Entry, Loyalty Participation, And Payments
May 18, 2018 – Cali Group announced today that it will demonstrate it’s POP IQ platform at the NRA Show in Chicago on Monday, May 21. During a Super Session titled “The Future of Restaurants,” Cali Group CEO John Miller will describe how Cali Group is investing in new technologies such as social gaming, artificial intelligence, robotics, and internet of things. As part of the session, Mr. Miller will demonstrate Cali Group’s newest innovation, a universal gateway for face and hand gesture validation. With a restaurant ordering kiosk on stage, he will show how the POP IQ software can quickly enroll new customers in the gateway and be used by existing POP IQ members for loyalty activation and payment without any cards or devices.
The POP IQ platform is being commercialized as a universal authentication gateway for the “built world” by a majority owned subsidiary of Cali Group. The gateway is currently being used by merchants in the Los Angeles area. Once a consumer registers for POP IQ through a single channel powered by POP IQ, the consumer can use the system to authenticate himself or herself for any face-based application at any location that is powered by POP IQ. A video illustrating how the gateway works for various applications can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/270622870.
“Our vision of the future is that every day life will be dominated by use of face to authenticate identity,” said John Miller, CEO of Cali Group, the parent company of POP IQ. “Plastic credit cards, parking lot entry permits, gym membership bar code scanners, and concert tickets will disappear, and there will be a universal platform that consumers subscribe to and merchants utilize to authenticate identity.”
The POP IQ face gateway does not rely on images for identification; rather, it works by taking a digital fingerprint of a face and matching it against digital fingerprints of registered members. POP IQ does not keep or use images of its registered members. Use of facial recognition technology for payment processing is expected to reduce identity and financial theft, increase transaction processing speed, and increase convenience for consumers by eliminating the need for physical and mobile wallets.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
ABOUT POP IQ
POP IQ is a universal gateway for face and hand gesture validation in the built world. For more information, visit http://pop-iq.com.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-05-18 17:24:412018-06-17 00:30:23Cali Group To Present POP IQ Face Gateway On Stage At NRA Show
PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Miso Robotics, the leading robotics and artificial intelligence solutions company for restaurants and food providers, today announced it has secured $10 million in Series B financing led by Acacia Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ACTG). Strategic investors participating in this funding round include Levy, the industry-leading sports and entertainment hospitality company, OpenTable’s chief technology officer Joseph Essas, and founding investor Cali Group, as well as six members of Cali Group’s management team and its subsidiary company, CaliBurger. Miso Robotics will use the new capital to expand its suite of collaborative, adaptable robotic kitchen assistants and to broaden applications for Miso AI, the company’s machine learning cloud platform.
We are thrilled by the growing confidence in Miso Robotics and remain committed to fulfilling our goal of modernizing the $3 trillion global prepared foods industry,” said David Zito, co-founder and CEO of Miso Robotics. “Acacia’s patent expertise and our strategic investors will be invaluable as we continue to commercialize our cutting edge technology.”
Miso Robotics’ suite of collaborative, adaptable robotic kitchen assistants and Miso AI platform are designed to boost productivity and improve food quality. This also enables restaurants and food providers to accommodate increasing customer expectations for fresher ingredients prepared quickly and consistently while keeping the cost of food down.
“The company’s unique position as a pioneer in autonomous solutions for the commercial kitchen will not only transform the modern restaurant but also will change the way we think about how food is produced and served,” said Rob Stewart, President of Acacia Research.
Miso Robotics has also appointed three members to its advisory board, including Joseph Essas, CTO of OpenTable, who will serve as a key restaurant technology advisor, Charless C. Fowlkes, associate professor of University of California at Irvine Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Aaron Ames, a world renowned roboticist and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, who will both serve as machine learning and artificial intelligence advisors.
The company will soon debut “Flippy” at CaliBurger’s Pasadena location and will roll out the autonomous robotic kitchen assistant to more than 50 CaliBurger restaurants worldwide by the end of 2019.
Editors Notes: Miso Robotics Media Kit with video and images available here.
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 roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.
About Acacia Research Corporation
Founded in 1993, Acacia Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ACTG) is an industry leader in patent licensing and partners with inventors and patent owners to unlock the financial value in their patented inventions. Acacia bridges the gap between invention and application, facilitating efficiency and delivering monetary rewards to the patent owner. Acacia also leverages its patent expertise and background to invest and partner in emerging disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. For more information, visit: www.acaciaresearch.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.
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-04-23 01:42:562018-06-17 00:32:12Miso Robotics Secures $10 Million in Series B Funding Led by Acacia Research
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-03-06 09:00:232018-04-20 10:31:47KITCHEN UNITED NAMES FORMER YUM! BRANDS EXECUTIVE MEREDITH SANDLAND AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
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.”
“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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-03-05 08:01:012018-04-20 10:26:46MISO 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 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.”
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-03-05 08:00:522018-04-20 10:29:41FLIPPY, 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
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon-1.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-03-05 00:27:162018-06-17 00:29:35Flippy, the World’s First Autonomous Robotic Kitchen Assistant, Now Cooks Burgers at CaliBurger in Pasadena, California
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 [email protected].
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
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-02-08 12:00:192018-03-16 14:58:56CALI GROUP'S RESTAURANT OPERATING SUBSIDIARY ANNOUNCES GLOBAL EXPANSION PLAN FOR 2018
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2018-01-26 00:13:312018-03-16 15:00:14CALI GROUP BEGINS TAKING FACE BASED PAYMENTS IN ITS RESTAURANT OPERATING SUBSIDIARY
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 [email protected].
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2017-12-19 00:16:442018-03-16 00:19:40CALI GROUP DEMONSTRATES FACE BASED LOYALTY PROGRAM PILOT IN ITS RESTAURANT OPERATING DIVISION
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2017-10-09 00:20:572018-03-16 00:22:42CALI GROUP TO EXPAND USE OF ITS POP ADVERTISING PLATFORM TO DRIVE CALIBURGER SALES
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.
https://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/favicon.jpg?time=1743103520247269caligrouphttps://tx0cb8.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Option-2-Cali-Group-Logo-300x110.pngcaligroup2017-07-06 00:32:142018-03-16 00:47:40CALI GROUP ANNOUNCES FINANCING FOR MISO ROBOTICS
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
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
[email protected]
(203) 682-8276
Super League Gaming Partners With Tencent Games To Bring PUBG MOBILE Amateur Esports To U.S. Players
Super League Will Provide Competitive Experiences to PUBG MOBILE Players in Local Communities Nationwide and Create New PUBG MOBILE Content Programming Across Social and Digital Platforms
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming (“Super League” or the “Company”) (NasdaqCM: SLGG), a leading community of gamers who connect through the Company’s live, digital and social content brands and experiences, today announced a partnership with Tencent Games, the largest video game publisher in the world based in Shenzhen, China, to bring PUBG MOBILE content and experiences to gamers throughout the U.S. Super League will work with Tencent to build local and digital PUBG MOBILE communities through amateur leagues and competitions, live stream broadcasts, and original video-on-demand content. With a growing audience across digital and social platforms, Super League will apply its proven formula to PUBG MOBILE of celebrating everyday players based on their gameplay achievements and diverse personal stories.
“PUBG MOBILE fits perfectly within Super League’s expanding offerings for more than 100 million enthusiastic gamers across the country,” said Super League’s CEO Ann Hand. “It delivers on every level with fun gameplay, competitive intensity and a passionate player base. We could not be more excited to launch this program with Tencent across our nationwide venue network, SuperLeagueTV and our recently acquired Framerate social video network.”
PUBG MOBILE is one of the top mobile games in the world with more than 400 million downloads and 50 million daily users, and is one of Tencent Game’s most successful mobile franchises. Super League’s new PUBG MOBILE experiences will include local, social gameplay nights, as well as a “City Champs” league. City Champs is Super League’s premium competitive franchise, creating a powerful bond between gamers as they battle together on behalf of their hometown and compete for city pride. The new experiences are expected to begin rolling out in September of this year.
“Tencent Games is thrilled to work with Super League and bring amateur PUBG MOBILE esports to the U.S.,” said Tencent Games’ Neo Liu, Head of North American Publishing, “The live, local gamer communities that Super League develops, and the personally engaging content produced and distributed through their digital and social channels will delight PUBG MOBILE players and help drive ongoing growth of the game.”
About Super League Gaming
Super League Gaming, Inc. (NasdaqCM: SLGG) is a leading esports community and content platform for competitive, everyday gamers, fans and friends of all ages and skill levels. With a focus on positive and inclusive gameplay, Super League enables players to experience their sport like the pros while also developing sportsmanship, communication and team-building skills. Powered by a proprietary technology platform, Super League operates physical and digital experiences in partnership with publishers of top-tier games. Local movie theatres, PC cafes, restaurant and entertainment venues are transformed into esports arenas where gamers compete, socialize, spectate and celebrate the amateur esports lifestyle. Super League’s platform offers unique amateur esports experiences that not only ratchet up the competition for avid gamers, but also attract audiences with elite amateur broadcasts that transform physical venues as well as fuel SuperLeagueTV’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
About Tencent Games
Tencent Games is the leading global platform for game development, publishing and operation, as well as operator of the largest online games community in China. The company is dedicated to offering high-quality interactive entertainment experiences for all players across the globe. It currently offers more than 140 self-developed and licensed games in more than 200 countries and regions, providing hundreds of millions of users with cross-platform interactive entertainment experiences. Honor of Kings, PUBG MOBILE and League of Legends among others are some of Tencent Games’ most popular titles around the world.
About PUBG MOBILE
PUBG MOBILE is based on PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, the phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto a remote island to battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles and supplies, and defeat every player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into a shrinking play zone.
PUBG MOBILE is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play.
Investor Relations:
Sean McGowan and Cody Slach
Gateway Investor Relations
(949) 574-3860
[email protected]
Media Contacts:
Ranese Southerland
B/HI for Tencent Games
[email protected]
Ann Kaiser
High10 Media for Super League Gaming
(212) 918-2029
[email protected]
Source: Super League Gaming
Released August 14, 2019
Super League Gaming and ggCircuit Partner to Bring Super League Esports Experiences to Hundreds of Gaming Centers Throughout the U.S.
A first-of-its-kind partnership will enable esports gaming centers that use ggCircuit’s venue management software to seamlessly offer Super League events to local gamers
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming (NASDAQ: SLGG), a leading platform unifying communities of amateur esports players and fans across game titles and skill levels, and ggCircuit, a leading esports center services company, announced today a new partnership through which Super League experiences will be rolled out across ggCircuit’s esports center footprint. The collaboration will enable easy access to local and national Super League competitions everywhere ggCircuit’s “ggLeap” center management software is installed.
Super League Gaming has produced more than 2,500 live esports tournaments and events featuring game titles such as League of Legends, Clash Royale, Minecraft and Fortnite. The company’s proprietary technology platform powers premium in-person competitive experiences at scale, transforming physical venues into pop-up esports arenas complete with jumbotron-like visualization on available monitors and screens.
ggCircuit’s industry leading venue management software, ggLeap, is used by more than 915 gaming centers globally through which more than 1,000,000 unique players have created local accounts over 24 months. With ggLeap, esport center managers provide gamers with personalization and rewards that engender increased player loyalty to the venue.
“Partnering with ggCircuit was a natural step in Super League’s mission to provide every gamer with regular opportunities to participate in events and leagues within a venue close to their home,” said Matt Edelman, chief commercial officer of Super League Gaming. “We are fortunate to have aligned with a company that shares our commitment to supporting the growth of local player communities through best-in-class solutions and experiences.”
“Our automated venue management software unifies hundreds of esports centers and helps them establish lasting connections with gamers in their local community,” said Mark Nielsen, chief operating officer and co-founder of ggCircuit. “With Super League as a partner, ggCircuit will be able to deepen that connection by making it easy for esports centers to offer Super League’s premium social esports experiences.”
The first Super League program will be available to esports gaming centers in June.
About Super League Gaming
Super League Gaming (www.SuperLeague.com) is a leading esports community for gamers, competitors, fans and friends of all ages and skill levels. With a focus on positive and inclusive gameplay, Super League enables players to experience their sport like the pros. Powered by a proprietary technology platform, Super League operates in-person and digital leagues in partnership with publishers of top-tier games such as League of Legends, Minecraft and Clash Royale. Local movie theaters, PC cafes and restaurant and retail venues are transformed into esports arenas where players compete while also developing sportsmanship, communication and team-building skills. Super League’s primary programs consist of: the first and only city-vs-city amateur esports competition in which players compete in-person on behalf of their hometown as members of Super League’s City Clubs; monthly tournaments throughout the year playable both from home and a multitude of physical locations across the U.S.; and special events produced in partnership with consumer brands, entertainment companies and game publishers, all powered by the Super League platform. SuperLeagueTV supports all Super League experiences with live streams of the competitions and original video-on-demand content on Twitch and YouTube.
About ggCircuit
ggCircuit started out as a grassroots movement in 2008 by a group of passionate LAN Center owners/managers that wanted to provide better management software for cybercafes, universities and LAN centers worldwide. Drawing on their collective experience they developed a state-of-the-art software management system, ggLeap, that was not only easy and flexible for centers to use, but also delivered end user features that kept gamers engaged, offering more benefits than they would get by playing at home.
Since ggCircuit’s humble beginnings the company has evolved into a fully-fledged esports services company providing not only center management software solutions, but also rolling out a global competition and reward system, managed esports events and tournaments and center consulting support services.
As the esports scene continues to grow, ggCircuit is expanding and is positioned to iterate, improve and add services and solutions for centers, business partners and gamers across the globe.
Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty, are predictions only and actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include the uncertainty regarding viability and market acceptance of the Company’s products and services, the ability to complete software development plans in a timely manner, changes in relationships with third parties, product mix sold by the Company and other factors described in the Company’s most public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media Contact:
Ann Kaiser
(212) 918-2029
[email protected]
Investor Relations:
Sean McGowan and Cody Slach
Liolios
(949) 574-3860
[email protected]
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
PopID, the Universal Authentication Service Trusted by Consumers and Merchants, Closes Series A Financing
Round Includes Leading Tech Investors and Restaurant Operators
PRESS RELEASE UPDATED: APR 17, 2019 07:00 EDT
PASADENA, Calif., April 17, 2019 (Newswire.com) – Cali Group, a food tech holding company, announced today that PopID, a company co-founded and seeded by Cali Group, has closed a $5M Series A financing. Wavemaker led the round, and Cali Group made a significant follow on investment. Other investors in the deal included franchise operators of some of the largest global restaurant brands and owners of Stoner’s Pizza Joint, Park Burger, and Bird Call. Inflection Capital and NRD Capital, a private equity firm with substantial restaurant holdings, also participated.
PopID is rapidly building a two-sided marketplace comprised of: (1) registered consumers that prefer to use one face authentication service for various purposes across multiple channels; and (2) brick and mortar merchants that install PopID software on their kiosks, POS systems, and payment terminals. Consumers register for PopID to increase convenience and also have more personalized experiences in brick and mortar environments, and merchants utilize PopID to reduce ordering time and credit card processing fees. PopID is currently focused on the restaurant industry; the platform is being used by various restaurant operators on or near a dozen college campuses and thousands of college students. As the network of registered users increases in the future, the company plans to move into other uses of its face gateway in retail payments, ticketing, and building entry. Consumers will be able to register for PopID once and use it throughout their daily lives.
“The number of restaurant operators investing in this round illustrates the benefits of PopID for both merchants and Millennial consumers,” said John Miller, Chairman of Cali Group and acting CEO of PopID. “We are seeing a network effect for growth of this platform: every new merchant that purchases PopID software for operational and cost reasons results in thousands of new PopID registered users; and the rapid increase in registered users is resulting in larger chains seeking to adopt the technology.”
PopID leveraged Cali Group’s infrastructure for incubating new restaurant technology products. PopID was tested and optimized in the CaliBurger restaurant chain owned by Cali Group. Cali Group has also co-founded and made substantial investments in Super League Gaming, Miso Robotics, and Kitchen United.
ABOUT PopID:
PopID is a universal gateway for identity verification through facial recognition. Learn more about the PopID vision at PopID.com. For more information please contact Virginia Dadey, [email protected] or (917) 848-0748.
ABOUT CALI GROUP:
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses the brands in its restaurant operating division to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com
Super League Gaming, Inc. Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Super League Gaming, Inc. (the “Company”), a leading amateur esports community and content platform, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 2,272,727 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $11.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on February 26, 2019 under the symbol “SLGG.” All of the shares are being offered by the Company. In addition, the Company has offered the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase from the Company up to an additional 340,909 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discount, to cover over-allotments, if any. The initial public offering is expected to close on February 28, 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.
The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, including sales and marketing activities, product development and capital expenditures.
Northland Securities, Inc. and Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC are acting as the joint book-running managers and National Securities Corporation is acting as the co-manager for the initial public offering.
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with and was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
The offering is being made only by means of a written prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the final prospectus related to the offering may be obtained, when available, by contacting Northland Securities Inc., Attention: Heidi Fletcher, 150 South Fifth Street, Suite 3300, Minneapolis, MN 55402, email [email protected] or telephone (612) 851-4918 or Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC, Attention: Syndicate Dept., 920 Second Avenue South, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55402, email [email protected] or telephone (612) 326-1305.
About Super League
Super League is a preeminent and unifying community for amateur esports players. Through premium in-person and digital events and leagues featuring top-tier games such as League of Legends, Minecraft and Clash Royale, Super League provides competitive video gamers with opportunities to experience their sport like the pros within a social environment that fosters positive communication, good sportsmanship and teamwork. Super League’s proprietary technology platform transforms local movie theaters, PC cafes and restaurant and retail venues into esports arenas, facilitating critical components of successful competitions such as player match-making, tournament operations, data visualization, and local and national live broadcasts, all across a wide variety of competitive formats.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including the anticipated use of the net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Contacts
Investor Relations:
Sean McGowan and Cody Slach
Liolios
949-574-3860
[email protected]
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
Kitchen United Opens Newest Kitchen Center in Chicago
Virtual Restaurant Concept Introducing Next Location in River North Neighborhood in November, Opening to Public in January
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, a Los Angeles-based virtual restaurant provider, today announced the opening of its next kitchen center at 825 N. Sedgwick St. in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Coming on the heels of a $10M funding round led by GV, Kitchen United will work with restaurant partners to begin move-in in mid-December, and will start serving Chicago consumers in January.
With this launch, Kitchen United is offering national, regional and local restaurant chains a value-driven, low-risk opportunity to offload busy and disruptive off premise operations, or find entry into the Chicago market. Kitchen United already has commitments from several large restaurant chains who will be moving into the facility, and expects that this location will be fully subscribed by the time it starts serving consumers in early 2019.
Kitchen United’s “kitchen centers” are facilities that can house 10-20 restaurants with commercial kitchens optimized specifically for the catering, delivery and takeout marketplace. The company creates turnkey solutions for restaurants and positions its kitchen facilities in areas where demand is high and the local restaurant infrastructure is strained by the influx of non-traditional business. Chicago’s vibrant and fast growing River North ward is a perfect location and the company is excited to be opening its first location outside of California in such a busy environment.
“We select locations for our kitchen centers very carefully, and this space passed our site selection process with flying colors,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “River North has an extremely high demand for food delivery, catering and pickup services. Restaurants in the area are stressed by the new business and the new facility will cater to both the in-place community, as well as bringing new dining options into the area to meet rising consumer demand.”
Kitchen United’s core business serves local, regional and national chains, but the company reserves space in each facility to enable restaurant and food service entrepreneurs an opportunity to start or expand their business and River North will provide space for this purpose as well.
“Changes in consumer preference are dramatically shaping the food landscape across the country,” said Chief Operating Officer of Kitchen United, Meredith Sandland. “Our facilities are designed to empower local and national restaurants to meet the demand for more off-premise dining options in their most relevant target markets. We’re thrilled to bring our next kitchen center to life in Chicago, and are hard at work to meet our expansion goals for the year ahead.”
Chicago is the second market for Kitchen United’s shared kitchen spaces and the company has aggressive growth plans for the year ahead. In 2019, the company is slated to open new facilities in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver and New York City. As a data-driven organization, Kitchen United identifies the most promising locations for its kitchen centers by aggregating insights on demographics, income levels and cuisine-specific demand as well as drive time, traffic patterns and other data. The company also provides its restaurant partners opt-in consumer and operational data to tailor their businesses and menus to better meet local consumer demand and run more efficiently.
About Kitchen United
Kitchen United provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to easily expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand existing delivery areas by removing common barriers, such as capital or technology expertise. For additional information, visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.
CALI GROUP PRESENTS VISION FOR FOOD JUSTICE
Cali Group CEO to Discuss White Paper at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit
October 30, 2018
LOS ANGELES, CA – Cali Group released today its vision for the future of the restaurant industry in a white paper entitled “Food Justice,” available for download at Food Justice. Authored by the partners of Cali Group, the paper first describes how the restaurant industry has historically been criticized for contributing to socioeconomic inequality by delivering poor nutrition to low income communities and serving as an employment trap for low income workers. They then propose that new technologies and business model paradigms will benefit low income communities by: (1) enabling delivery of higher quality food at lower prices direct to homes; and (2) providing higher income and more rewarding jobs without necessarily reducing the total number of jobs available.
On November 8 at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit, Cali Group Chairman and CEO John Miller will discuss the white paper as he co-moderates a session on restaurant automation. During the session, Mr. Miller will engage in a dialogue with political scientist Darrell West about the impact of new technologies on the American workforce and society. Dr. West is the author of a new book titled The Future of Work: Robots, AI, and Automation.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
Cali Group Reports Results From Pop Iq Pilot Program Across Caliburger’s West Coast Restaurants
POP IQ Reduces Kiosk Transaction Time, Increases Loyalty Usage, and Is Preferred By Customers For Payment Processing.
LOS ANGELES, October 18, 2018 (Newswire.com) –Cali Group announced today that it’s majority-owned subsidiary, POP IQ, has completed a pilot program of its face-based authentication platform in CaliBurger’s restaurants in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver. POP IQ was installed on self-ordering kiosks in five CaliBurger restaurants so that registered POP IQ members could log in to their CaliBurger loyalty accounts by face authentication and also process credit card payments through face authentication (instead of credit card swipe). Cali Group previously reported that the POP IQ face matching system has an accuracy of over 99%. Key highlights of this multi-location trial include:
* Transaction time at a kiosk for a typical customer is approximately three minutes while transaction time at a kiosk for a customer that logs in using POP IQ is 1:44;
* 20% of customers ordering at the kiosks registered for POP IQ;
* 99% of returning customers that previously registered for POP IQ utilized POP IQ to log in to their loyalty accounts; and
* 69% of returning customers that previously registered for POP IQ utilized POP IQ to process payments instead of swiping credit cards.
“After nearly a year of testing POP IQ at CaliBurger, we have shown that POP IQ reduces kiosk transaction time, increases use of a merchant’s loyalty program, and becomes a preferred method for payment processing over credit card swipes,” said John Miller, Chairman and CEO of Cali Group. “Based on the success of the CaliBurger program, we will continue to deploy the POP IQ face network at other merchants in Los Angeles so that registered POP IQ members can authenticate themselves by touching the increasingly familiar POP IQ logo for a variety of different use cases ranging from building access to payment.”
ABOUT POP IQ
POP IQ is a universal gateway for face authentication. Learn more about the POP IQ vision at www.pop-iq.com.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses the brands in its restaurant operating division to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
Source: Cali Group
GV Leads $10M Investment in Kitchen United to Bring Flexible Kitchen Spaces to New Markets
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kitchen United, a virtual restaurant concept, today announced the closing of a $10 million Series A funding round led by GV (formerly Google Ventures). Co-founders Harry Tsao and John Miller (Cali Group) also participated, along with several other investors. Launched in 2017, Kitchen United offers national, regional, and local restaurant chains a value-driven, low-risk opportunity to expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining, and expand their addressable delivery market. Kitchen United’s state-of-the-art commercial kitchens also provide food entrepreneurs the flexibility and business intelligence needed to enter this rapidly growing market.
Kitchen United will use the funding to power its national growth strategy – the company has plans to open new facilities in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbus, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver and New York City by the end of 2019. These funds will also build the company’s real estate, marketing, engineering and operations functions in connection with the existing leadership team, which hails from industry giants like Taco Bell, McDonald’s, SBE Entertainment, Wolfgang Puck and more. As part of the investment, GV General Partner Adam Ghobarah will be joining Kitchen United’s board of directors.
Kitchen United leverages aggregate data to identify the best locations for its “Kitchen Centers,” which are facilities that can house 10-20 restaurants in converted warehouses, as well as big box and light industrial locations. Data on local demographics are overlaid with cuisine-specific demand mapping to determine the best locations for these centers, as well as the best partner fit from its growing list of participating restaurants. Once in the facility, Kitchen United provides its restaurants access to opt-in consumer and operational data to tailor their businesses, meet consumer demand, and realize operational efficiency. Examples of these functions include flagging unpopular menu choices, allowing restaurants to reduce menu size, and tailoring labor size based on demand.
“Kitchen United’s data-driven approach to flexible kitchen spaces unlocks critical value for national, regional, and local restaurant chains looking to expand into new markets,” said Adam Ghobarah, general partner at GV. “The founding team’s experience in scaling – in addition to diverse exposure to national chains, regional brands, regional franchises, and small upstart eateries – puts Kitchen United in a strong position to accelerate food innovation. Delivery networks have created new possibilities for food entrepreneurs, and we see significant investment opportunities in this ecosystem.”
According to UBS, the food delivery market is expected to grow from $35 billion today to $365 billion worldwide by 2030, an annual average of more than 20 percent. Capitalizing on the rapidly changing restaurant landscape, Kitchen United’s Kitchen Centers create operational efficiencies and reduce delivery costs for restaurants while providing more food options and decreasing wait time for customers. Rather than the traditional approach of spending millions of dollars and taking months to establish new locations, restaurant partners utilizing Kitchen United spaces can enter new markets at a fraction of the cost and time, simply by staffing the kitchen and advertising the local address through the delivery services and their web channels.
“Consumers are demanding new dining choices at ever increasing levels,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “Our Kitchen Centers are designed to bring production closer to homes and businesses across the country, empowering local and national businesses alike to reach new markets. We’re thrilled to work with GV as we bring many more of these kitchen spaces to life in the years ahead.”
About Kitchen United
Kitchen United offers food entrepreneurs the flexibility and business intelligence to take the next step in starting or growing their business — regardless of size or experience. Kitchen United provides restaurant operators with a value-driven, low-risk way to easily expand into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand existing delivery areas by removing common barriers, such as capital or technology expertise. For additional information, visit: http://www.kitchenunited.com.
Miso Robotics Enhances Miso AI Platform to Include Frying Skills, Releases Pilot Program Results from Dodger Stadium
NSF International issues full certification for kitchen assistant product line to prepare food in commercial kitchens
PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Miso Robotics, a leading robotics and artificial intelligence solutions company, today announced its cloud-connected Miso AI platform now enables the company’s autonomous robotic kitchen assistants to perform frying cooking tasks. In addition, Miso Robotics’ kitchen assistant product line has received full certification by NSF International for meeting sanitation standards for commercial kitchen equipment and secured an ETL Listed Mark by Intertek for meeting UL electrical safety standards.
The company has been piloting Flippy as a frying assistant since July 30 at the Chick ‘n Tots stand in Dodger Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Flippy has helped stadium team members consistently cook and serve more than ten thousand pounds of fresh chicken tenders and crispy tater tots to Dodgers fans, producing up to eighty baskets of food per hour.
“The robotic kitchen assistant helps us more quickly and safely cook perfectly crispy chicken tenders and tater tots,” said Robin Rosenberg, Vice President and Chef de Cuisine for Levy. “It’s amazing to see the kitchen assistant and team members working together, and the consistency of product is incredible.”
Stationed in front of the fryer, Flippy assists with the frying process using three key Miso AI platform features: Miso See, Miso Serve and Miso Move. Miso See enables the six-axis industrial robotic arm to properly identify and locate food, cookware and cooking utensils, Miso Serve equips it to make optimal cooking decisions in real-time and Miso Move provides robotics control for safe and efficient grilling, frying and preparing food as assigned. Each allows Flippy to assist with picking up baskets and placing them in the fryer, gently shaking baskets in the oil and monitoring cooking time in addition to hanging baskets to drain excess oil, placing them at a designated station for temperature testing and skimming the fry oil. This permits team members to dedicate more time to food preparation and assembly as well as to improving the fan experience.
“New technologies at large scale venues and events like this need to add value for both guests and team members,” said Jaime Faulkner, CEO of E15. “Working with Miso, we were able to create a process that both delivers high quality food more quickly, and gives kitchen team members a chance to hone sought after skills working with robotics and automation.”
David Zito, cofounder and chief executive officer at Miso Robotics added, “Dodger Stadium is an ideal location to pilot our technology with a key demographic that expects the type of quality food and service we have developed Flippy to assist in fulfilling. Levy, E15 and the LA Dodgers have been incredible partners during this process; the tremendous insight we have gained during this pilot has enabled us to make improvements that ensure stadium employees benefit most from our collaborative solution.”
Flippy will continue frying at the Chick ‘n Tots stand at Dodger Stadium through the end of the 2018 LA Dodgers season. Miso Robotics, Levy and E15 will continue to plan additional opportunities during the offseason and Miso Robotics will further expand the capabilities of its autonomous robotic kitchen assistants, as well as applications for Miso AI.
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 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, UCLA, Olin, Harvey Mudd, Art Center, NASA, Tesla, and SpaceX.
About Levy
The disruptor in defining 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. For more, visit www.levyrestaurants.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About E15 Group
E15 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Levy, working with some of the most well-known organizations in sports and entertainment, and beyond. E15 brings together professionals from the fields of economics, mathematics, statistics, accounting and finance, psychology and behavioral science, and computer science and emerging technology, applying an analytical mindset to help partners enhance performance across all facets of operations.
Flippy To Begin Working Full Day Shifts At CaliBurger
PASADENA, Calif., June 28, 2018 (Newswire.com)-Cali Group, a holding company with ownership stakes in a portfolio of synergistic food and food technology companies, announced today that its restaurant operating subsidiary, CaliBurger, will begin running “Flippy” at its Pasadena location for full day shifts. Flippy is the world’s first autonomous robotic kitchen assistant developed by Miso Robotics that works alongside kitchen staff to assist in consistently preparing freshly cooked burgers. Over the course of eight weeks, Flippy has been operating during lunch hours and will begin cooking from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily starting today.
“We have demonstrated that Flippy can work on our standard equipment and meet high volume demand with substantially greater cooking consistency than our kitchens that have not yet installed Flippy,” said Tony Lomelino, Chief Technology Officer of CaliBurger. “Additionally, we have developed a program to retrain our restaurant staff to serve as ‘Chef Techs’ that work alongside Flippy and monitor the related software and hardware systems. We expect these skills will be useful for employees across our chain to secure higher income jobs that require human / robotic interaction in the future restaurant industry and other industries.”
Since Flippy was first piloted in March, it has cooked thousands of burger patties cooked consistently for customers. Based on the success of this first commercial program, CaliBurger will begin deploying Flippy at additional CaliBurger locations later this year and plans to install Flippy in most of its domestic locations by the end of 2019.
“The collaboration between CaliBurger and Miso Robotics demonstrates how AI-driven robotics will improve food quality, decrease food production costs, and improve the lives of workers in the food industry,” said John Miller, CEO of Cali Group. “We will continue to invest in both companies, with the goal of developing other AI-driven robotic solutions to assist with other tasks at CaliBurger.”
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.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 roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.
Source: Cali Group
Kitchen United Announces Pasadena Location Opening, Unveils Restaurant Partners
Award-Winning Chefs and Iconic Restaurants, Including Canter’s Deli, Neal Fraser’s Fritzi Coop and Mama Musubi Among the First Concepts to Debut in Pasadena
PASADENA, Calif., May 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Culinary on-demand startup Kitchen United today announced the grand opening of its 12,000-square-foot local food hub in Pasadena, Calif. The facility helps food businesses expand their delivery, takeout and catering operations. At opening, the space will house 15 different concepts, specially optimized to take advantage of KU’s delivery-centric infrastructure. This facility is the first opened by the company and plans are in place to open nationwide in the coming year.
Kitchen United houses several larger regional and national brands, including concepts from Canter’s Deli, Neal Fraser’sFritzi Coop, Mama Musubi, Northern California better burger chain, Barney’s Gourmet Burgers and vegan startup The Pizza Plant. As the company expands across the country, locations are selected by converging demographic data with demand indicators such as delivery application usage and unmet demand indicators as well as feedback from national and regional restaurant chains targeting expansion through Kitchen United’s facilities.
“We quickly recognized that restaurants needed much more than access to a kitchen to make these specialized ‘outposts’ work,” said Jim Collins, CEO of Kitchen United. “So we have designed a unique solution, providing a combination of technology, equipment, marketing assistance and workflow solutions specifically optimized to ensure partner success. We’re thrilled to be working with a growing suite of impressive food innovators supplying not just the commercial kitchen space they need, but the resources and support to bring their vision to fruition.”
Kitchen United’s mission is to enable both established and new restaurant concepts to adapt to rapid changes in the restaurant industry driven by the explosive growth of consumer demand for delivery. Some restaurants have already seen the impact, with as much as 30% of order volume coming from outside of the dining room, and this trend is just beginning, with most industry analysts projecting multi-fold growth in the coming years.
“Kitchen United is transforming the food business and helping to build the future of restaurants,” said Carol Kwan, half of the brother-sister team behind Mama Musubi, a well-known Los Angeles based catering company specializing in Japanese cuisine. “Thus far, we’ve only had the capacity to be at farmers markets and popups. With Kitchen United, we’re able expand our reach through delivery while still focusing on what we love: serving our existing customer base and testing new ideas without having to worry about the operational nitty gritty that would be involved in opening our own space.”
Conceived and built by restaurant industry veterans from companies like Taco Bell, McDonalds and Wolfgang Puck, Kitchen United was designed with delivery in mind. Every process involved in the preparation, cooking, and delivery of food is optimized in the tech-enabled establishment through kitchen automation and ordering solutions seamlessly integrating most popular mobile and online delivery platforms. Restaurants save costs through shared back of house labor for non-core functions such as receiving and scullery, and facilities are designed with the new “diner” in mind, providing specified delivery driver parking as well as easy access consumer pickup. Moreover, Kitchen United has dedicated staff to work with restaurants to continuously improve the consumer experience and everything from food preparation to packaging is scrutinized in the process.
Kitchen United today also announced it has raised an undisclosed amount of Series A funding from Cali Group, Avista Investments and other private investors, which will be used to accelerate growth and fuel expansion in key markets in the U.S.
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.
Cali Group To Present POP IQ Face Gateway On Stage At NRA Show
Face Gateway Platform Can Be Used To Authenticate Identity For Building Entry, Loyalty Participation, And Payments
May 18, 2018 – Cali Group announced today that it will demonstrate it’s POP IQ platform at the NRA Show in Chicago on Monday, May 21. During a Super Session titled “The Future of Restaurants,” Cali Group CEO John Miller will describe how Cali Group is investing in new technologies such as social gaming, artificial intelligence, robotics, and internet of things. As part of the session, Mr. Miller will demonstrate Cali Group’s newest innovation, a universal gateway for face and hand gesture validation. With a restaurant ordering kiosk on stage, he will show how the POP IQ software can quickly enroll new customers in the gateway and be used by existing POP IQ members for loyalty activation and payment without any cards or devices.
The POP IQ platform is being commercialized as a universal authentication gateway for the “built world” by a majority owned subsidiary of Cali Group. The gateway is currently being used by merchants in the Los Angeles area. Once a consumer registers for POP IQ through a single channel powered by POP IQ, the consumer can use the system to authenticate himself or herself for any face-based application at any location that is powered by POP IQ. A video illustrating how the gateway works for various applications can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/270622870.
“Our vision of the future is that every day life will be dominated by use of face to authenticate identity,” said John Miller, CEO of Cali Group, the parent company of POP IQ. “Plastic credit cards, parking lot entry permits, gym membership bar code scanners, and concert tickets will disappear, and there will be a universal platform that consumers subscribe to and merchants utilize to authenticate identity.”
The POP IQ face gateway does not rely on images for identification; rather, it works by taking a digital fingerprint of a face and matching it against digital fingerprints of registered members. POP IQ does not keep or use images of its registered members. Use of facial recognition technology for payment processing is expected to reduce identity and financial theft, increase transaction processing speed, and increase convenience for consumers by eliminating the need for physical and mobile wallets.
ABOUT CALI GROUP
Cali Group is a holding company that comprises significant ownership positions in various technology companies developing software products to digitize and automate the brick and mortar world. Cali Group uses CaliBurger, a global restaurant chain that it operates as a subsidiary, to prove out the viability of new technologies for the restaurant and retail industries. For more information, visit www.thecaligroup.com.
ABOUT POP IQ
POP IQ is a universal gateway for face and hand gesture validation in the built world. For more information, visit http://pop-iq.com.
Miso Robotics Secures $10 Million in Series B Funding Led by Acacia Research
We are thrilled by the growing confidence in Miso Robotics and remain committed to fulfilling our goal of modernizing the $3 trillion global prepared foods industry,” said David Zito, co-founder and CEO of Miso Robotics. “Acacia’s patent expertise and our strategic investors will be invaluable as we continue to commercialize our cutting edge technology.”
Miso Robotics’ suite of collaborative, adaptable robotic kitchen assistants and Miso AI platform are designed to boost productivity and improve food quality. This also enables restaurants and food providers to accommodate increasing customer expectations for fresher ingredients prepared quickly and consistently while keeping the cost of food down.
“The company’s unique position as a pioneer in autonomous solutions for the commercial kitchen will not only transform the modern restaurant but also will change the way we think about how food is produced and served,” said Rob Stewart, President of Acacia Research.
Miso Robotics has also appointed three members to its advisory board, including Joseph Essas, CTO of OpenTable, who will serve as a key restaurant technology advisor, Charless C. Fowlkes, associate professor of University of California at Irvine Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Aaron Ames, a world renowned roboticist and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, who will both serve as machine learning and artificial intelligence advisors.
The company will soon debut “Flippy” at CaliBurger’s Pasadena location and will roll out the autonomous robotic kitchen assistant to more than 50 CaliBurger restaurants worldwide by the end of 2019.
Editors Notes: Miso Robotics Media Kit with video and images available here.
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 roboticists, engineers and industrial designers from Caltech, Cornell, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Art Center and UNC Chapel Hill.
About Acacia Research Corporation
Founded in 1993, Acacia Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ACTG) is an industry leader in patent licensing and partners with inventors and patent owners to unlock the financial value in their patented inventions. Acacia bridges the gap between invention and application, facilitating efficiency and delivering monetary rewards to the patent owner. Acacia also leverages its patent expertise and background to invest and partner in emerging disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. For more information, visit: www.acaciaresearch.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.
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.
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
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.
“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
[email protected]
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.
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
[email protected]
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
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.
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 [email protected].
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
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.
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 [email protected].
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.
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.
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.