It started with full service frozen yogurt shops. Then the self serve format took off. Is machine served next for frozen yogurt consumers?
Dispensing technology, service format and convenience have always been important in the frozen yogurt industry. The trend towards smaller frozen yogurt shops or kiosks and frozen yogurt trucks is driven by lower operating costs, greater flexibility in location, and greater convenience for consumers. New technologies also allow for machine served frozen yogurt. Here’s a look at four companies in the machine served frozen yogurt space:
Frobot
In 2013, Frobot created the smallest autonomous fresh frozen yogurt store on the planet with the release of its alpha machine in West Virginia. Founders Jeremy O’Sullivan and Melissa Nelson created Frobot in 2011 as a means of selling gourmet frozen yogurt affordably and as an expression of industrial art.
The DC based hardware start-up was awarded the Robert C. Byrd Institute Innovate Grant and has partnered up with an industry leader to release three new advanced beta machines in the fall of 2014. The second generation machines will offer three simultaneous flavor options, a smartphone app, and a host of other exciting features that will be announced soon.
http://thefrobot.com/
Jeni’s Spendid Ice Creams
Columbus, Ohio based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams launched Jeni’s vending machines last year. The machines accept credit cards and offer 12 choices of six ounce prepacked servings of ice cream, frozen yogurt and ice cream sandwiches. You can find the machines at Port Columbus Airport.
One Shot Corporation
One-Shot dispensing machines deliver single serve portions of ice cream or frozen yogurt, similar to Nespresso coffee machines. All that’s required is a 110v or 220v electrical outlet and a freezer to store One-Shot prepacked single serve containers of frozen yogurt. The machines can be mounted to the wall or fitted to a counter stand. They require little electricity and do not need to be sanitized. One machine can dispense multiple flavors.
http://www.one-shot.com/ice-cream-dispensing/index.html
Robofusion
These eye-catching interactive robotic kiosks allow customers to design their own 4 layer frozen yogurt of 5 layer ice cream creation. The frozen yogurt creation includes frozen yogurt flavor and toppings chosen by the customer and put together by a robot in an entertaining fashion. The Reis & Irvy’s Cube model dispenses up to 2 flavors of fat free fresh frozen yogurt and your choice of 6 toppings in a 8 ounce cup in 30 seconds. Robofusion machines can be found at shopping centers and children’s museums in Asia, the Middle East, Brazil, Mexico and the US.
The Future of Machine Served Frozen Yogurt
The main benefit to the consumer of machine served frozen yogurt is 24/7 access to frozen yogurt. For operators, the machines run by themselves without the need for an employee. Some machines have more entertainment value like Reis & Irvy’s than others. All are conscious of the need to serve frozen yogurt in a sanitary manner. Reis & Irvy’s emphasizes that no human will touch your frozen yogurt and toppings.
Will machine served frozen yogurt become widely adopted? Pushing the button isn’t as entertaining as swirling your own frozen yogurt and the machines offer less variety than a frozen yogurt shop, but if the desire for frozen yogurt is the main driver of the purchase for many purchase occasions, then the machines should prove popular.
