Chipotle Mexican Grill is collaborating with Vebu Labs, an El Segundo-based company, to create a cobot named Autocado. This collaborative robot aims to assist in the preparation of guacamole by slicing, coring, and peeling avocados. The prototype is currently being tested at Chipotle’s test kitchen in Irvine.
The introduction of Autocado is expected to significantly reduce the time it takes to make guacamole, halving the usual 50-minute process. The robot can process 25 pounds of avocados at a time and handle waste disposal.
Chipotle has previously tested cobots, such as Chippy, a machine capable of frying and seasoning tortilla chips. The goal is to delegate repetitive kitchen tasks to machines, allowing humans to focus on more satisfying responsibilities. Despite this, Chipotle remains committed to hand-mashed guacamole.
In 2019, Chipotle partnered with Oscar-winning filmmaker Errol Morris to create a commercial demonstrating the guacamole mash technique used by a manager at a Chipotle restaurant in Temecula.