- Immediate Cash Inflow Through Full VAT Refund Right After Contract Signing
- Automatic Transfer of Equipment Ownership After 36 Months of Payments
Robot kitchen startup ANI AI, led by CEO Hwang Geonpil, has launched a lease-based product for its hamburger cooking robot, "Alpha Grill," aiming to reduce the burden of automation adoption for self-employed restaurant owners.
The new lease-based product is operated in partnership with financial institutions and follows a structure where customers pay a deposit and then make installment payments over 36 months. Once all payments are completed, ownership of the device is automatically transferred, and after the contract ends, customers can continue using the equipment without any additional costs, resulting in long-term cost savings.
Additionally, if certain conditions are met immediately after signing the contract, customers can receive an early refund of value-added tax based on the total 36-month contract amount in the following month, enabling them to quickly secure hundreds of thousands of won in cash.
"Alpha Grill," the only hamburger cooking robot in Korea, automatically grills more than 200 patties per hour by pre-setting the time, temperature, and thickness. It is currently in operation at franchise locations such as Lotteria, Mom's Touch, New York Burger, Downtowner, as well as small and medium-sized handmade burger shops.
ANI AI has targeted this new lease-based product at prospective entrepreneurs with limited initial capital and small to medium-sized stores where cost predictability is crucial. The structure, which combines equipment ownership with early refund benefits, is seen as a practical solution to simultaneously address labor shortages and operating cost burdens.
In addition to the lease-based option, ANI AI will also offer a lump-sum purchase option, which grants ownership immediately upon payment. As a result, the existing monthly subscription product will be discontinued, and the company will shift its focus to a system centered on lease and purchase models that provide both ownership and refund benefits.
Hwang Geonpil, CEO of ANI AI, said, "Although many feel the need to adopt automation equipment, the financial burden often leads to delays in implementation. This new lease-based product offers both immediate cash inflow after signing the contract and long-term cost savings, so we expect it to become a catalyst for automation to spread throughout the industry, beyond just a select few stores."
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