'Machine Fries Chicken'... Hyundai Robotics Partners with KFC to Enter Food Tech Market

Hyundai Robotics Collaborative Robot

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Hyundai Robotics has entered the global food tech market by partnering with the global chicken franchise KFC.

On the 23rd, Hyundai Robotics announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on joint research cooperation in the field of chicken manufacturing automation with KFC at the KFC Eungam branch in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. The signing ceremony was attended by Seo Yoo-sung, CEO of Hyundai Robotics, and Eom Ik-soo, CEO of KFC, among others.

The two companies agreed to jointly conduct research and development (R&D) on chicken manufacturing automation using collaborative robots, including process layout and cooking device development to improve cooking work efficiency.

Hyundai Robotics will be responsible for process design to improve cooking work efficiency and standardization of operating procedures, while KFC will provide manufacturing know-how and store facilities and take charge of cooking device development.

Hyundai Robotics plans to gradually expand the application of related technologies to the manufacturing process by automating the chicken product classification stage through camera visual information analysis technology and deploying mobile robots that can freely move in narrow spaces instead of collaborative robots.

Through this MOU, it is expected that collaborative robots will be deployed in high-risk and repetitive tasks throughout the chicken manufacturing process to save time and enhance safety and efficiency.

Seo Yoo-sung, CEO of Hyundai Robotics, stated, “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer patterns, opening a new door of opportunity called ‘Food Tech.’ Through this cooperation, we will expand our business by applying and developing robot technology for new industries.”