PepsiCo Unveils Fleet of Snackbots at California University
PURCHASE, N.Y. — The University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., has some new freshmen on campus: PepsiCo's Hello Goodness snackbots.
As part of a collaborative partnership with Bay Area-based Robby Technologies, the Hello Goodness fleet of snackbots are outdoor, self-driving robots from Hello Goodness, a curated portfolio of better-for-you brands from PepsiCo that include Smartfood Delight, Baked Lay's, SunChiops, Pure Leaf Tea, bubbly, LIFEWTR and Starbucks Cold Brew.
The snackbots are the first robots from a major food and beverage company in the United States to roll out, bringing great-tasting, healthier snacks and beverages direct to students, making better-for-you snacking ultra-convenient, PepsiCo stated.
"We're thrilled to launch our Hello Goodness autonomous delivery snackbots and reimagine college snacking for the future," said Scott Finlow, vice president, innovation and insights, PepsiCo Foodservice. "PepsiCo has a unique opportunity to better serve today's ambitious college students, by joining together the power of the Hello Goodness portfolio with our expertise in design and equipment innovation."
Building on the initial successes of its Hello Goodness vending platform, PepsiCo has expanded the idea of curated convenience into new formats, locations and experiences to deliver 50,000 touchpoints by the end of the year. The snackbot is part of this effort, catering healthier options 24/7, according to the company.
Members of the University of the Pacific community can order food and drinks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via the snackbot app to be delivered to more than 50 designated areas across the 175-acre campus. The ordering app is available for iOS with a University of the Pacific email address.
The fleet of bots have a range of more than 20 miles on a single charge, and are equipped with camera and headlights that allow it to see and navigate carefully in full darkness or rain, as well as all-wheel drive capabilities for handling curbs and steep hills.
"We're thrilled to welcome snackbot to our campus, along with its convenient and nourishing options," said Matt Camino, director of e-commerce at University of the Pacific, Stockton. "This innovative technology from PepsiCo is enhancing campus life for our students, staff and faculty alike, who have embraced this new way of snacking from PepsiCo."
Purchase-based PepsiCo's product portfolio includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.