Innovation Challenges

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Food Robotic Challenge
Challenge Owner(s) Vitalo GmbH
Organiser(s) Agorize
Industry Type(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Sustainable Energy
Opportunities and Support Winners receive funding for prototype development of 100k€ and benefit from invaluable mentoring by Vitalo GmbH.
Application Start Date 25 March 2024
Application End Date 22 May 2024
Website Click here to learn more

About Challenge

Food Robotic Challenge

We believe that quality food should be also found in distributors and available on the go. This is why Vitalo GmbH developed a revolutionary and compact cooker, preserving all savors thanks to our innovative cooking technology.

Today, we want to bring this cooking unit to the next level and enable its commercialization in public catering spaces, such as in airports, train stations, hospitals, office canteens.

We are developing methods to prepare food in the most gentle manner, ensuring it's fresh at the time of eating, all while utilizing minimalist kitchen technology. Our aim is to create flexible, cutting-edge, and comprehensive solutions that consistently contribute to a daily diet that is both healthy and highly enjoyable. The device is intended for installation in public areas where accessing healthy meals is typically challenging, such as airports, gas stations, train stations, schools, and similar locations.

 

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Challenge Owner(s)Vitalo GmbH
Industry Types(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Sustainable Energy

Menu's and Food Options

We would like to offer two dish options to our customers: firstly, the so-called mix menus, and secondly, the so-called build-your-own menus.
 

What We Are Looking For

Typically, the menus consist of the following components:
  • Vegetable component (fresh and raw, various cutting styles, maximum bite-sized, loosely prepared, ready for seasoning)
  • Starch component (precooked individual components, such as pasta, rice, bulgur, etc.)
  • Sauce component (prepared for reheating, such as velouté, arrabbiata sauce, curry-coconut sauce, etc.)
  • Protein component (fresh and raw, such as fish, pre-cooked meat components (e.g., roasted chicken breast, grilled beef strips), or vegan components (e.g., soy or legume-based))
  • Seasoning and topping components (e.g., fresh herbs, nuts, berries, sprouts, sugar snap peas, etc.)

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Challenge Owner(s)Vitalo GmbH
Industry Types(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Land Transport, Sustainable Energy

Food Filling & Storage

Filling Selection:
  • Vegetable component: Approximately 8-10 varieties (single and mixed vegetables)
  • Starch component: Approximately 4-5 varieties
  • Protein component: Approximately 4-5 varieties
  • Seasoning and topping components: Approximately 10-15 varieties
To enable timely restocking, an appropriate automatic notification procedure should be provided when predefined minimum filling levels are reached.
 

What We Are Looking For

Storage capacity:  
The fresh or precooked components should be stored separately and refrigerated at 2–4 degrees Celsius after filling.

The quantity of food should be sufficient for at least 50 meals per filling (approximately 25 kg of refrigerated food).

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Challenge Owner(s)Vitalo GmbH
Industry Types(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Sustainable Energy

Food Preparation - Mix Menus

The total weight of the menus ranges from 450-500 grams, distributed among the components as follows:
  • Starch component: approximately 150-200 grams
  • Sauce component: approximately 80-120 grams
  • Vegetable component: approximately 150-200 grams
  • Seasoning/Topping component: approximately 5-20 grams

What We Are Looking For

The starch and sauce components must be mixed in advance (considering technical aspects) and then arranged on the plate. Predefined vegetable components are then distributed on top, and finally garnished with recipe-specific seasoning and topping components.
 

In contrast to the individual menu assembly in the build-your-own system, there is a clearly defined recipe for each of the dishes in this case.

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Challenge Owner(s)Vitalo GmbH
Industry Types(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Sustainable Energy

Food preparation - Build your own Menu

Mandatory:
  • Vegetable component: Vegetables, approximately 180g
  • Starch component: Vegetables, approximately 180g
Choice:
  • Additional vegetable or starch component: approximately 120g
    OR
  • Sauce component and/or protein component: approximately 120g
  • Toppings & Spices: approximately 5-20g

The potential combinations of individual assemblies for the build-your-own menus (excluding spices and toppings) thus range from approximately 120 to 250 combinations.

Customers create their menus using a food ordering system, selecting from the options mentioned above. Typically, the sauce and starch components are first arranged on the plate, followed by the distributed placement of vegetables, and finally, the placement of the protein component. To finish, spices and/or topping components are added.

What We Are Looking For

It should be possible to prepare up to 2 dishes in parallel or with a short time delay.

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Challenge Owner(s)Vitalo GmbH
Industry Types(s)
Circular Economy & Sustainability, Digital/ICT, Food Manufacturing, Food Services, Sustainable Energy

Food Distribution and Movement

1. Food Distribution:
 
The completed dishes must be handed over to the customer at an appropriate serving station. It is essential to ensure that no cross-contamination back into the facility is possible. Additionally, it must be ensured that the parallel serving of at least 2 dishes is possible.
 
2. Food Movement: 
 
The menus will be arranged, cooked, and served in plates that are yet to be defined. The plates are to be transferred within the facility to their respective stations (Preparation, Cooking, Distribution). Special attention must be paid to precision, particularly at the Cooking Station.

 

What We Are Looking For

A suitable return system for the use of reusable plates should be provided. All individual movements should be described in detail.

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