This Column Was Not Written by a Robot

What is novel in the food industry? Is it disruptors to the usual, such as a new look or a new taste?

Consumers historically looked at three simple questions pertaining to food: Can I afford it? Is this enough food? Is this food the taste I want?

Today, consumers grapple with many other questions around sources (local, made in the United States, etc.), certifications (authenticity, organic, kosher, non-GMO, gluten-free, etc.) and even safety (free from pathogens and allergens).

Technology has played an increasingly important role in the food industry. The FDA’s prioritization of “smarter food safety” through digitization for traceability and transparency provides a great example at a high level of oversight. More companies are using web- or cloud-based data collection and tracking programs. Closer to the consumer, the use of apps for ordering at restaurants and even shopping at grocery stores increased sharply during the pandemic.

Another trend is the use of robotics, not only in food manufacturing, but also in restaurants. At the end of 2022, we learned that McDonald’s opened a new restaurant in Texas unlike any of its other locations — its first automated restaurant. Machines serve as the workforce, from taking customers’ orders to delivering their food. In its “Accelerating the Arches” strategy, McDonald’s is embracing robotics and new technologies to grow and innovate the customer experience.

If this type of advanced technology is a trend in the food industry, several consumer concerns should be evaluated to build consumer trust.

CONCERN NO. 1. Are restaurant robotics eliminating jobs or simply filling in gaps with jobs that most people do not want to do?

Perhaps the automobile industry can be seen as an example of a blend of job creation with the advancement of technologies. After all, Henry Ford gained his initial ideas for the assembly line from the Chicago slaughterhouses of the early 20th century. GM’s 1982 “Factory of the Future” project with a production plant of 4,000 robots in Saginaw, Mich., ultimately proved a failure and was shut down, only to be replaced by a better balance of automation and human workers.

But are new culinary students interested in leveraging new tools and skill sets?

Dr. Nathan Libbey, principal at Food Topics Unlimited (who previously served as director of client success at Robochef), has heard firsthand from students and instructors alike that this additional skill set and exposure to tech is fantastic for the students. The pandemic showed us that many foodservice and hospitality workers are looking for new roles. According to Libbey, “I don’t think you’ll find a hiring manager who says, ‘This candidate has too much new technology exposure.’”

CONCERN NO. 2. Will AI and robots remove the human experience — the personal and informal interactions at restaurants and retail?

In the food industry, the question “To robot or not to robot?” is as difficult as the question of where to eat for dinner.

To many observers, technologies address the changing experiences wanted by younger consumers, such as the ability to personalize orders and track delivery times. Libbey believes that this may also align well with the evolution of gamification, as found in education, training and other experiences. David C. Edelman and Mark Abraham, in their 2022 Harvard Business Review article “Customer Experience in the Age of AI,” discuss how personalized customer experiences, powered by AI, are viewed in many industries as critical for the modern competitive advantage. Thus, technologies used — not changes in menu items — can serve as a market disruptor. Consumers will be divided on this, most likely based on age groups.

CONCERN NO. 3. Will this use of technology help with food prices, for instance, through reducing waste?

With ingredient prices rising almost 10% last year across the board, and cheese upwards of 30%, minimizing food waste not only decreases a restaurant’s carbon footprint but also protects its bottom line. Increased consistency and quality, less waste and, ultimately, a better customer experience are the net byproducts of implementing AI, robotics and automation in food service. These are all beneficial to the industry and may pressure some companies to abandon or modify “the way we’ve always done it.”

Libbey points out that “the closing of arguably the world’s best restaurant, Noma, due to its lack of sustainability, may indeed be an albatross.” Early adopters of technology, regardless of the industry, have historically reaped exponential benefits versus those who wait.

CONCERN NO. 4. Can this technology make our food safer?

The use of robotics has long been identified as a way to help control cross-contamination in food processing plants. Essentially, robots taking the place of the human labor force in critical areas of production can reduce potential risks of dirty hands and cross-contamination.

Another human factor is the health of the worker. Robots could eliminate problems involving hepatitis A and Norovirus simply by removing sick workers from the equation. The average healthy adult may not view this to be as critical as the most vulnerable populations of the very young, the elderly, those who are pregnant and those with compromised immune systems do. The reality is that everyone is impacted by unsafe food.

In 1906, The London Daily Times published a literary review of Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel “The Jungle” (in which he drew from his own observations of the Chicago meat-packing industry to describe conditions in which meat was prepared). The newspaper’s reviewer wrote about the novel’s real-world context: “The things described by Mr. Sinclair happened yesterday, are happening today, and will happen tomorrow and the next day, until some Hercules comes to cleanse the filthy stable.”

Today, our food safety culture centers on the actions of those individuals at every stage of farm to fork. But in a world of D.C. and Marvel superheroes, we cannot get lost in the concept of a “Hercules.” Rather, the literary review provides a poetic way of stating that food safety requires a Herculean effort — the incredible amount of work, strength and courage necessary to stand strong while mitigating food safety failures.

As the food industry embraces technology and digitization, we can make clear connections with how these solutions can impact work and strength in food safety efforts. Courage is required to ask the right questions, act upon critical information, apply technologies effectively and use robotics and AI to benefit all stakeholders (including consumers) — not solely stock owners.

If a company’s recipe for success misses the critical ingredient of courage, then these technologies are all for nothing. Robotics may help a company’s Herculean efforts, but it cannot be seen as Hercules in and of itself.

With pros and cons for each concern, along with different perspectives based on consumer demographics, the question “To robot or not to robot?” in the food industry is — and will for some time be — as difficult as the question of where to eat for dinner.