Sweetgreen Acquires Spyce: Robotics in Salad Chain Expansion

The Rise of Automation in Commercial Kitchens

Similar to many other areas within the field of robotics, the recent pandemic has significantly increased attention towards automation within the culinary environment. The food service industry was classified as essential during global lockdowns, yet securing adequate kitchen personnel presented challenges for numerous businesses, particularly in the initial phases when uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 transmission persisted.

Sweetgreen Acquires Spyce

This week, Sweetgreen, a California-based fast-casual salad chain, announced its commitment to full-scale automation through the acquisition of Spyce. Founded in 2015, the Boston-based startup gained recognition several years ago as a venture originating from MIT’s mechanical engineering program.

Initially, the team served meals within the university’s dining hall before eventually launching two automated restaurants in the Boston metropolitan area. Spyce has confirmed that “our Spyce restaurants will remain operational at this time.”

Integration and Scaling of Spyce Technology

Sweetgreen intends to integrate Spyce’s technology into its existing restaurant locations. Scaling this technology to meet the demands of the chain, which currently comprises over 120 establishments across the United States, will require a considerable timeframe.

A Vision for the Future of Fast Food

“Our goal at Sweetgreen has always been to broaden access to wholesome food and deliver healthy fast food on a large scale for future generations, and Spyce has developed cutting-edge technology that aligns perfectly with this objective,” stated Jonathan Neman, CEO and co-founder of Sweetgreen. “Combining our strengths with their exceptional team will allow us to enhance the experience for our team members, ensure a more consistent experience for our customers, and extend the availability of real food to more communities.”

Why Salads are Ideal for Automation

Salads, much like pizzas, represent a logical initial focus for food automation efforts. Both are widely popular and relatively simple to automate – primarily involving the combination of various ingredients dispensed from separate systems into a container.

Employee Roles Will Evolve

Sweetgreen emphasizes that the intention is not to eliminate employee positions.

The company explains that “[t]eam members will have increased opportunities to concentrate on food preparation and customer service, while also gaining experience with advanced technology.” Further investment will be directed towards training and development programs to support team members in becoming Head Coaches. Interested employees will also be able to acquire skills related to the operation and maintenance of Spyce technology.

Deal Completion

The acquisition is anticipated to be finalized during the third quarter of the year. Financial details of the transaction have not been publicly released.