Sponsored By

C&U On Demand: University of Wisconsin’s Peter Testory talks about the cereal-dispensing robot recently installed on campus

A new Kellogg’s Bowl Bot automated unit that serves customized bowls of cereal round the clock recently debuted at the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison and dining and culinary services director Peter Testory recently spoke to FM about it.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

June 9, 2021

FM On Demand and C&U On Demand are video interviews with onsite dining professionals who talk about creative and interesting initiatives they have developed or undertaken.

Recently, two universities—Florida State and the University of Wisconsin-Madison—installed Kellogg’s Bowl Bot robots as part of a joint pilot program between Kellogg’s Away From Home and automated food station vendor Chowbotics. The Bowl Bots are automated serving stations that prepare and dispense customizable bowls of cereal with a range of topping and milk options round the clock and just the latest sign of a growing trend toward automation in college dining.

FM caught up with Peter Testory, director of dining and culinary services for UW Madison University Housing, about the unit, the decision to implement it and how such automation might affect campus dining generally going forward.

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

See more from Mike Buzalka