Kim Dong-seon's Food Tech Sets Sail... Acquires US Robot Pizza 'Stellapizza'

Vice President Kim Travels Locally Multiple Times to Finalize Contract
Company Founded by Former SpaceX Developers
"Leading Food Tech with Diverse Content and Technology"

Hanwha Foodtech, a subsidiary of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, has acquired the U.S. robotic pizza brand Stella Pizza under the leadership of Vice President Kim Dong-seon. Hanwha Foodtech plans to actively target the market by leveraging various food and beverage content and differentiated technological capabilities to lead the food tech industry. To this end, it also plans to actively collaborate with Hanwha Robotics.

Hanwha Acquires Robotic Pizza Leader 'Stella Pizza'... Makes One Pizza per Minute

Hanwha Foodtech announced on the 4th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on asset transfer with Sub Automation, the operator of Stella Pizza, in January and completed all contract procedures on the 29th of last month. This deal was achieved after Vice President Kim Dong-seon, who is focusing on securing a leading position in the global food tech market, traveled to the U.S. multiple times and put in considerable effort. The acquisition was conducted through Hanwha Foodtech Global, Hanwha Foodtech's U.S. subsidiary.

Stella Pizza possesses top-level technology in the pizza robot market. It takes just over 5 minutes to make a 12-inch pizza. Since it can handle multiple orders consecutively, once cooking starts, a pizza is completed every minute. Stella Pizza is the only pizza brand that fully automates the entire process with robots cooking dough that has been cold-fermented for 48 hours.

Stella Pizza’s fully automated system operates without separate staff, significantly reducing labor and other incidental costs, while maintaining strict quality control, allowing customers to enjoy "high-quality pizza at a reasonable price." A Hanwha Foodtech official said, “Quality checks are conducted in real-time from dough manufacturing history to topping weight and pizza thickness,” adding, “We can provide customers with uniformly high-quality pizza while ensuring hygiene management.”

Despite the high quality, the selling price per pizza is very affordable, around $8 to $9 (based on Los Angeles prices). Stella Pizza’s price is about 60% of major pizza brands.

Founder Benson Chai and Team from SpaceX... Investors Include JAY-Z

The pizza robot responsible for the entire cooking process was developed after about three years of research by founder Benson Chai and his developers. They are engineers from the world-renowned aerospace company SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, and established Sub Automation Co., Ltd. in 2019. Benson Chai researched and developed battery systems for rockets and satellites at SpaceX. As a result, over 30 billion KRW in investment was secured in the early stages of the business. World-famous rapper and Beyonc?’s husband, JAY-Z, was also one of the investors.

Hanwha Foodtech plans to acquire 100% of the assets and retain some of the management team, including CEO Benson Chai, and key technical staff. Through this, it expects to enhance not only Stella Pizza but also Hanwha Foodtech’s technological capabilities aimed at advancing the food industry.

Stella Pizza plans to resume operations once management efficiency improvements such as system reorganization are completed. A Hanwha Foodtech official said, “Once system upgrades and other reorganizations are finished, we will introduce the brand to both domestic and U.S. markets.”

Regarding the contract, Stella Pizza founder Benson Chai expressed great expectations, calling it a “monumental event.” He said, “Through cooperation with Hanwha, Stella Pizza can take a step forward,” adding, “Combining Hanwha’s expertise in the food industry with food tech will allow us to provide customers with high-quality pizza at an affordable price.”