German daily I'm writing on Wednesday (28 August) about the “kebab revolution” that the former German national football team player intends to carry out Polish Lukas Podolski's roots. He plans to dynamically develop his Mangal kebab chain in Germany and Poland and equip them with vending machines. The plan is to install up to 2,400 machines, which are to prepare and sell bowls with kebab meat, kofta or bulgur. Podolski's partner in this venture is the start-up Circus from Hamburg.
As Die Welt writes, however, everything depends on whether the kebab chain is really able to expand quickly and whether the machines will prove themselves in the test points. However, Circus founder Nikolas Bullwinkel is optimistic: “We know that our technology works stably,” he tells the German newspaper.
Podolski's undertaking
In 2010, Podolski and his business partner Metin Dag opened their first kebab bar. A decade later, a major expansion began through independent franchisees. According to information According to the chain's website, there are currently 30 branches, and the symbol of the expansion is the recently opened first branch in Berlin in the Kreuzberg district.
“If the concept is successful, the chain could accelerate its development with the machines, as there will be no need to hire staff and smaller locations will suffice,” writes “Die Welt.” However, it adds, one machine costs between 150,000 and 200,000 euros. euro. Circus doesn't have any actual customers yet. Only preliminary agreements have been made with a canteen operator in Beijing and a caterer for German refugee homes. Circus is also to run a canteen at the Berlin airport, where the vending machines are to supplement the traditional kitchens.
First branch next year
“The second pillar of the plan is fully autonomous devices that operate completely without personnel. This is precisely what the agreement with Mangal is about,” explains the German daily. However, the contract with the Podolski network is also primarily a “declaration of intent” for now. “Within a few years, 1,600 machines are to be installed in Germany and 600 in Poland. This is the vision for the future,” we read.
According to “Die Welt”, the first branch with “kebab machines” is to be opened next year in Cologne or Düsseldorf and will show whether the concept will catch on. It will also be shown whether, as promised by the manufacturer, maintenance of the devices will require only one hours cleaning per day. The rest of the time, the device is supposed to prepare up to eight dishes at a time in two to four minutes. The robot will cook in small pots that are induction-heated. Orders will be placed on a touchscreen, like McDonald's self-service terminals.
The article comes from the website German Welle.