Ricoh and Hyphen partner to drive robotic automation in food service industry

Agreement expands access to global expertise, resources and support to accelerate adoption

Ricoh USA, Inc. announced a partnership with food-service automation company Hyphen to facilitate and scale the adoption of robotics in the food service industry in the U.S. through RICOH Service Advantage, a lifecycle management solution that enables companies, such as emerging technology organizations, to address the challenges associated with rapid expansion, including deployment and ongoing support.

The global market for restaurant robotics, including automated food-preparation systems, is expected to triple from $2 billion in 2026 to $6 billion by 2033, with North America as the primary driver.

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“While we’ve seen tremendous interest in the potential of robotic technology to improve operations and provide a superior, more consistent customer experience, the ability to scale has hampered traction in this industry,” said Shawn Lange, Senior Vice President of Go-To-Market, Hyphen. “Our partnership with Ricoh is a game changer, enabling us to quickly ramp up, train, and implement solutions for restaurants that wish to deploy chainwide.”

The supported technology includes the Hyphen Automated Makeline, backed by both Chipotle and Cava. This system receives digital drive-thru, online, and kiosk orders then automatically assembles rice and salad bowls under-the-counter while team members focus on in-house customers and serve them from the top-of-counter as always.

“Restaurant operators are turning to technology to improve the top line by delivering a differentiated and consistent brand experience, as well as the bottom line by driving down costs,” said Steve Sanders, Vice President, Service Advantage, Ricoh North America. “Pairing Hyphen’s robotic solutions with Ricoh’s world-class service promise will enable more food-service providers to gain a competitive edge in a highly competitive industry.”

The National Restaurant Association’s latest industry report found that more than 90% of operators cite food, labor, insurance and inflation-related costs as significant challenges. As restaurants look for ways to improve efficiency and manage rising expenses, partnerships that combine automation with scalable deployment and service capabilities are becoming increasingly important.