5 tech things: Smoothie-making robots debut at two California community colleges

In this special edition of its 5 Things series, Food Management highlights five recent technology-related developments affecting the foodservice world.

Here’s your list for today:

1.    Blendid smoothie-making robots debut at community colleges

Two community colleges in California, Mission College in Santa Clara and West Valley College in Saratoga, have recently incorporated Blendid automated smoothie making kiosks into their on-campus food service options, adding to already established Blendid campus kiosks at UCLA and Kennesaw State University as the company expands its reach into the college market. The kiosks use Blendid's foodOS contactless food automation platform that combines robots, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to create up to nine smoothies at once and up to 45 unique blends in an hour.

Read more: Blendid Opens Robotic Smoothie Kiosks at Community Colleges in California

 2.    Instacart launches grocery benefit for post-hospital patients

Grocery tech company Instacart has partnered with Mount Sinai Solutions, a division of Mount Sinai Health System, to launch Instacart Health Fresh Funds grocery stipends as a benefit for post-operative and postpartum patients insured by a health plan sponsored by a Mount Sinai Solutions employer or union customer. The new program is designed to alleviate challenges to accessing fresh groceries, pantry staples and household essentials following a major life event, such as a joint replacement, birth, or bariatric surgery.

Related:5 things: Chicago Medicine uses purchase roundups to support its food pantries

Read more: Instacart launches new grocery benefit aimed at patients post hospital care

3.    Transact Campus acquires POS firm Quickcharge

Transact Campus has announced the acquisition of dining and retail technology provider Quickcharge, which serves 575 campus clients in the K-12, healthcare, corporate and governments markets, offering solutions for cashless payments in point of sale (POS), kiosk, tablet and mobile ordering environments. In its announcement of the acquisition, Transact states that Quickcharge's offerings and team will help Transact grow its software solutions in other campus verticals.

Read more: Transact acquires dining and retail POS provider Quickcharge

4.    Drone firm to deliver casual dining chain’s takeout orders

Pioneering medical drone delivery firm Zipline, which recently received a ground-breaking waiver from the FAA for expanded long-range delivery, has announced an agreement with casual dining chain Mendocino Farms to deliver food/beverage orders in select locations beginning in 2025. Mendocino Farms currently operates units in the Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Bay Area markets in California as well as in Seattle and in the Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth markets in Texas.

Related:5 things: Congress battles over school milk policy with separate bills

Read more: Zipline to Offer Food Delivery from Mendocino Farms: Integrated into Food Service Workflows

5.    Army food complaints go online with new app

Amid widespread criticism and complaints about military barracks, cafeterias and dorms, one former Army reservist is hoping to increase transparency with a new app that allows service members to review their living situations on base. The app, called "Hots&Cots" and available on Apple devices, was created by former Army reservist Robert Evans and allows users to post pictures of their barracks and DFAC, or dining hall, meals. They can give a rating of one to five stars.

Read more: Got Complaints About the Barracks or Dining Hall? Now There's an App for That

Bonus: Students are psyched about vending machine meal delivery

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]