Nestlé is the first major CPG brand to pilot automated pizza vending with its DiGiorno brand pizza kiosk that serves up a hot DiGiorno pizza. Consumers select their variety at around $9.00 and can enjoy hot DiGiorno pizza in about three minutes.
Increasing supply costs and inconsistent labor support are driving acceleration of automation in the foodservice industry, including automated vending. Many Americans are already using automated vending and the hot food vending market is forecast to grow from $4B in 2022 to $7B in 2031.
Americans eat pizza 72 times per year, and DiGiorno saw an opportunity to capitalize on more occasions beyond frozen at home. With the consumer at the forefront of its innovation strategy, Nestlé is pursuing new business models that focus on fast-changing consumer behaviors and the future of food.
The kiosk is currently being tested as part of an autonomous café concept store in a mass grocery retail outlet and has so far been successful. Of Nestlé's surveyed customers, 97% believe it is a good value and 89% see themselves buying another pizza in the future.
Nestlé S.A. is on the current Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery “Top 50 Snack & Bakery Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Top 50” rankings.